BECOME PART OF THE GMJO
Dear musician,
welcome to the audition website of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester. Thank you for your interest in the GMJO!
Auditions for our 2024 tours will take place in autumn 2023. All information can be found on our audition website.
The GMJO auditions take place annually between October and December in almost 30 European cities. For a smooth and quick registration for the auditions it is important that you read the conditions of participation carefully.
If you have any questions about your eligibility or the audition registration process, we recommend that you read through the audition process or check out the audition FAQs.
For more information about the GMJO, please visit our website and the GMJO FAQs.
If you can't find the answer to your question on the above pages, please send us a short e-mail with your request to auditions@gmjo.at.
We wish you good luck with your audition!
The GUSTAV MAHLER JUGENDORCHESTER succeeded as the first international youth orchestra to hold free auditions in the countries of the former Eastern Bloc. Since 1986 auditions have been held in the former CSSR, since 1988 in the former GDR and since 1990 also in the former USSR.
Since 1992, the GUSTAV MAHLER JUGENDORCHESTER has been open to musicians up to the age of 27 from all over Europe. Since then, the orchestra has guaranteed equal conditions and absolute equality of opportunity to over 2,500 candidates each year through auditions in approximately 30 European cities.
The following conditions of participation apply to the GMJO auditions 2023:
- European citizenship
- Advanced level of education
- Born between 1.1.1997 and 1.1.2008
In case of an excessive number of registrations, the GMJO reserves the right to limit the number of participants. There is no right to participate. The legal process is excluded.
For further information please see the Audition FAQs.
Here we would like to give you a compact overview of the GMJO audition process from your registration to the notification of results.
To register for the GMJO auditions, you must:
- Meet the requirements of the conditions of participation
- Be available for the 2024 GMJO Projects
- Register in one of the audition cities, the choice is completely free
- Confirm your participation at a later date under your personal audition account (My GMJO)
The application deadline is 7-10 days before the first audition date in your preferred city.
In principle, auditions for all instruments take place in all audition cities. Exceptions are percussion (only Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Zurich) and piano/celesta/organ (no live auditions).
If you would also like to audition on an additional instrument (e.g. piccolo, bass clarinet, cor anglais), please select the appropriate option when registering.
Please note that we will only allow more time for your audition if the additional instrument is properly registered. If you did not indicate the additional instrument when registering, it may not be possible for us to schedule your audition on the additional instrument.
All further information about the procedure and organization of your audition can be found after successful registration under your personal audition account (My GMJO).
Please note that registering for the auditions does not guarantee you an audition slot. You must reconfirm your participation at a later date in your personal audition account (My GMJO). Only after successfully reconfirming your participation you are able to choose an audition slot.
The audition slots are limited and will be considered in the order of receipt ('first-come first-serve'). We therefore advise you to reconfirm your registration as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Candidates who do not receive an audition slot will be placed on a waiting list.
For the audition you must prepare the following:
- The first movement of a concerto without cadenza (to be selected from a list)
- Orchestral excerpts (you can download them from your personal account)
Exception: for percussion auditions only excerpts (no concerto)
Detailed information about the concertos and orchestral excerpts to be selected for your instrument can be found after successful registration in your audition account (My GMJO).
If you would like to audition with piano accompaniment – which is not obligatory and irrelevant for the result – you have to organize an accompanist yourself. A piano is available at each audition location.
All auditions will be recorded by a member of the jury or an employee of the GMJO. Each candidate agrees to this when registering for the auditions.
Piano/Celesta/Organ: No live auditions will be held. Interested instrumentalists with orchestral experience are asked to send a CV including a demo CD or WeTransfer link to the GMJO office:
Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester
Orchestra Management
Goethegasse 1
A-1010 Vienna
Austria
E-mail: auditions@gmjo.at
All applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome of their audition in February 2024.
The result represents the final decision of the jury. Legal recourse is excluded.
Cancellation
Cancellations must be communicated to the GMJO immediately so that your audition slot can be passed on to another applicant.
You can only cancel your audition via your personal audition account (My GMJO) or by e-mail to auditions@gmjo.at.
Unexcused absence will automatically result in exclusion from the next year's auditions.