2027 Audition details

2027 AUDITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Celebrate AYO’s 37th Season
Richard Pontzious, founder

Rehearsal Camp/Summer Festival &
Asian Concert Tour
11 July ~ 22 August 2027

Joseph Bastian, principal conductor
Roberto Gianola, guest conductor

Radovan Vlatković, horn soloist
Soprano, Tenor & Baritone - To be announced

Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO) invites exceptional musicians from Asian regions to join a high-impact orchestral training initiative designed to launch the next generation of professional musicians. This is more than a festival; it is an intensive artistic incubator offering international mentorship, rigorous preparation, and unparalleled performance experience.

In 2027, we elevate the training experience with two distinct, dynamic programs designed to broaden your artistic horizons:

1. The Classical Virtuoso – Dive into the heart of the classical repertoire alongside distinguished horn virtuoso Radovan Vlatković. As a soloist, Mr. Vlatković offers participants direct exposure to artistry at the highest international standard, providing a masterclass in excellence.

2. The Operatic Stage – Step into the demanding world of opera. This program focuses on opera arias, equipping you with practical skills essential for the operatic performance environment.

AYO International Artist-Faculty

Those selected for the full scholarship program study with an exceptional artist-faculty of principals from Deutsche Oper Berlin, the La Fenice Teatro Venice, Teatro Carlo Felice Genoa, Rome Opera Theater, the Orchestra Della Radio Svizzera Italiana, Spain’s Real Orquestra Sinfonia de Sevilla, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Conservatory of Como and Conservatorio Gaetano Donizetti and so on.

Repertoire on Tour

Program A:
Strauss: Don Juan

Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1
Mozart: Horn Concerto E flat Major, K447
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra

Program B:

Opera arias from Puccini, Verdi, Bizet and many more.

Performance Tour
*Performance in Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, Chiayi City, Hatano-shi and Tokyo.

*Itinerary is subject to change*

Live auditions will be held in the following cities. Please note the deadline to submit your application form:

Kuala Lumpur, Saturday, 16 January
Singapore, Sunday, 17 January
Bangkok, Tuesday, 19 January
Hanoi, Thursday, 21 January
Manila, Sunday, 24 January

Application deadline for the above cities is 4 January 2027.

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Hong Kong, Sunday, 28 February
Seoul, Tuesday, 2 March
Beijing, Wednesday, 3 March
Tianjin, Thursday, 4 March
Shanghai, Wednesday, 10 March
Tokyo, Saturday, 13 March

Application deadline for the above cities is 16 February 2027.

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Taipei, Saturday & Sunday, 6 & 7 March

Application deadline for Taipei is 23 February 2027.

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*Percussion instruments for live auditions are available in Seoul.
For others, please submit your auditions by video.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a live audition.

Applicants unable to attend a live audition may submit a video audition instead. Please send your completed application form and video link to AYO no later than 19 February. The video audition fee is HK$470 (US$60). Payment instructions will be provided after your application form is received.

Invitation to audition

Musicians ages 17 to 29 are welcome to audition.*

*In rare cases age requirement may be waived at the discretion of AYO.

Application form

Download here. Upon submission of your application form, you will receive an acknowledgement email from AYO within a few days. If you do not receive any communication, please contact AYO for further assistance.

Audition requirements (Live)

Solo piece & Orchestra excerpts -- Coming Soon.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to perform the solo piece with piano or MIDI accompaniment. Kindly omit extended piano introductions and interludes, and perform the excerpts in the order listed.
Audition fees may apply. Please contact your Local Representative for details.

(*Please note that piano is not available at the venue in Tokyo.)

Audition requirements (Video)

Please record your audition video in one take without editing. For best result, please record in high quality format such as mp4 or mov. The recording should show a full front view of the candidate and the instrument.
We strongly recommend performing the solo piece with piano accompaniment. Omit long piano introductions and interludes, and play the excerpts in the order listed.
Please introduce yourself with your name, age and region you are from at the beginning of your video.
Solo piece & Orchestra excerpts -- Coming Soon.
Video Audition fee is HK$470 (US$60).
Please upload your video to YouTube and make sure the permissions are set so that we can access your video.
Please include the video link in your application form and send to AYO.
Deadline to submit your audition video is 19 February.

Audition results

Results will be announced before 20 March. Applicants will receive notification by e-mail. All musicians invited to join AYO will be required to pay a registration fee.

For enquiries, please contact your local representatives or AYO.