The Application Process

Details for the next round of auditions (2014) will be released in November 2013. For information ONLY please see below for details of the most recent process. General information for auditions 2013 was as follows:

CATEGORIES FOR 2013

PIANO SOLO
STRINGS (INCLUDING GUITAR / NO HARP)
VOICE
WOODWIND/BRASS (No percussion)
ENSEMBLES
PIANO (CHAMBER/ACCOMPANIMENT)

Please read the following for extended guidelines

PRELIMINARY AUDITIONS

VENUE: Music Hall, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DT

APRIL 2013

MONDAY 8^th April / piano solo
TUESDAY 9^th April / strings
WEDNESDAY 10^th April / ensembles/piano (chamber/accompaniment)
THURSDAY 11^th April / woodwind/brass/ensembles
FRIDAY 12^th April / Voice 

Please note that these days are provisional and may change.

SEMI-FINAL AUDITIONS

VENUE: Music Hall, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DT

APRIL 2013

Monday 22^nd April
Tuesday 23^rd April

PUBLIC FINAL AUDITIONS

Venue: WIGMORE HALL, 36 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 2BP

Friday 17th May 2012

Closing Date: Friday 22nd February 2013 at 4.30pm

Please save this form and upload back onto the YCAT website (.doc or .docx files only).

About YCAT

YCAT was set up in 1984 to identify, promote, nurture and support outstanding young soloists and chamber musicians at the beginning of their professional careers, as a stepping stone towards commercial representation. Selected artists will be represented by YCAT for an initial three years, during which time they can expect:

• Full artist management service (securing and negotiating engagements through a wide international network of promoters, working together to build a long-term career strategy.)
• Opportunities to appear in the YCAT Wigmore Lunchtime Series and presentation concerts in London and Manchester.
• Professional press and publicity material with national and international exposure.

About the YCAT auditions

These take place once a year, in three stages. The auditions are open to all instruments but the categories vary each year. Those auditioning measure their performance against a standard of excellence and not against each other. The distinguished juries look not only for exceptional musical talent, but also for artistic individuality and projection as a performer. No set number of musicians are selected in any one year.

Auditions 2013 are open to strings (including guitar / no harp), voice, woodwind/brass (no percussion), piano and all related ensembles (minimum three performers, maximum six performers) and pianists who focus on chamber music and accompaniment. The audition fee is £45.

Conditions

• Musicians must be based in the United Kingdom and be completing/have completed a recognised course of study for their instrument/voice. If your nationality is from outside the European Union you must have the correct visa to be able to work in the UK. (This does not currently include student visa)
• The age limit for instrumentalists is 28 and for singers 30 (as at 17th May 2013).
• Entrants must NOT be under commercial management at the time of application.
• YCAT reserves the right to refuse auditions to any applicant at its absolute discretion and without giving reasons. Depending on the application numbers, pre-selection based upon the original application may be necessary before the preliminary rounds.
• Artists who have been heard before may apply again and will be considered for an audition at the discretion of YCAT.
• Artists requiring accompanists and page turners will be expected to make their own arrangements and cover all the expenses involved.

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Repertoire

This year the general repertoire requirements (excepting piano chamber category) are now free choice. For instrumental categories applicants should submit 90 minutes worth of repertoire (only complete works, no individual movements) and singers 60 minutes. While free choice, the repertoire chosen should clearly reflect your current strengths and aspirations and ideally cover a range of genres and styles, eg solo and duo works, concerti where appropriate, song repertoire, operatic and oratorio. Most importantly we hope that your choice of repertoire reflects clearly where you feel you communicate a strong sense of your musical personality along with an awareness of central core repertory essential for a successful career as a performing artist or ensemble.

PIANO CHAMBER/ACCOMPANIMENT

(Choice of either vocal or instrumental programme for first round with the other required for the semi-finals. Applicants must provide their own vocal and instrumental duo partners for the auditions)

• 2 Contrasting works from major solo repertoire
• 30 min vocal programme including German Lieder, French Song and at least one orchestral reduction
• Instrumental Programme including 2 contrasting duo sonatas and one concerto orchestral reduction