<p>Is anyone a part of (or friends with anyone in) a chamber ensemble? </p>
<p>I was just wondering if someone could describe to me the audition and placement process. Do we get grouped based on ability?</p>
<p>Winds, or strings? I'm in the chamber orchestra and a quartet, both of which i auditioned for during my audition for the symphony orchestra. Quartets are grouped based on ability. There's only one chamber orchestra, but it's generally some better players from the symphonic group, although not everyone in chamber orch is in the symphony, and vice versa.</p>
<p>Want to make sure I am understanding the information on the WU orchestras, etc. Do you try out for the symphony orchestra and then if your ability is great enough, you are allowed to join the chamber orchestra? If this is how it works and you are selected for the chamber orchestra, do you also play in the symphony orchestra or just the chamber? When you try out, do you let them know you are interested in both the chamber orchestra and an ensemble? What are the pros and cons of each group? What kind of time commitment comes with each group? Thank you!</p>
<p>ooh so sorry - i meant strings!</p>
<p>try out for the symphony. if you're good enough for the symphony, you're allowed to join. if you're good enough for the chamber orchestra (i have no idea how high the bar is... i'm not too hot, myself, but i'm sure it's slightly more difficult to be admitted into the chamber group), you'll be allowed to join both the symphonic and chamber orchestras, and you can choose which one (or both, or neither) you want to play in. </p>
<p>I don't remember expressing an interest in the chamber orchestra, at least not one that was formally announced. I just got an email asking if i wanted to play in it, and later, i got one saying that the department was putting a few quartets together. You don't have to audition for those, either--basically, one audition decides everything, but it's actually quite convenient and not as stressful as it sounds, because you can reaudition every semester if you're unsatisfied.</p>
<p>My quartet meets for an hour each week, all year, with a few informal rehearsals here and there. We have two scheduled performances yearly, but we can also choose to accept or deny informal gigs that we're offered.</p>
<p>Chamber orchestra usually meets for two or three hours at a time, generally only on weekends, and only for about two weeks or so. After the first few weeks of each semester, there will be a chamber orchestra concert, and then you're done until next semester.</p>
<p>Symphony also performs twice a year, and the rehearsals are three hours a week, every wednesday. Since I had six hours of class on wednesdays last semester (excluding orchestra), I found that time commitment especially taxing, and so i ultimately dropped out. I still play in the other smaller groups. There are plenty of people, though, who play in all three and can manage perfectly well.</p>
<p>Haha, I realllly hope this helps.</p>
<p>Helped alot - thank you very much!</p>