RPO Extends Its Search For a Star Deadline

Rochester, NY – In order to provide more preparation time for local high school musicians interested in auditioning for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s second Search for a Star competition, the RPO has extended its audition application deadline to Friday, January 10, 2009.  The new concert date will be Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 2:00 pm as the fourth event in the RPO’s Casual Sunday Matinee Series with Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik.  The “Sounds of New Orleans” concert originally scheduled for that date will be moved to Sunday, March 1.  Patrons desiring to exchange their tickets can do so by calling the RPO Box Office at 454-2100.

Applications will be reviewed and used as a pre-screening process on a first-come, first-served basis for the in-person preliminary round of auditions.  A limit of approximately 100 applicants per category will be accepted.  Students who already have submitted their applications need not re-apply; others should send their applications to:
“Search for a Star” c/o Nana Stotz
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
108 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604

Preliminary in-person auditions now will take place on Sunday, February 8, 2009 at the School of the Arts (45 Prince Street, Rochester), from 9:00 am–1:00 pm, with callbacks for the final audition from 2:00 - 6:00 pm the same afternoon.  Applicants who are accepted to audition will be notified by the RPO by mail within a week of the January 10 application deadline.  Jeff Tyzik will oversee the final callback round, with eight to 10 winners ultimately chosen. 

All winners must be available for both rehearsals preceding the concert on Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 pm at the Performance Hall at Hochstein, and Saturday, May 30 at 10:00 am at the Eastman Theatre.  The Casual Sunday Matinee Series is sponsored by Rochester Magazine and University of Rochester Medical Center.

Downloadable Audition forms and further details are available through the RPO website www.rpo.org/star; through public and private school music teachers or departments; or at the RPO offices at 108 East Avenue.  The competition is open to all 10th-12th graders – including homeschoolers – throughout the seven-county area.  Individual performers and ensembles of no more than four musicians are welcome to apply in the categories of classical instrumental performance, pops instrumental performance (jazz and blues), and vocal performance (jazz, blues, Broadway, and classical).