Auditions for the 2009/10 Season are complete.
Who Should Audition?
There is no age limit requirement to be a member of the Civic Orchestra; however, most orchestra members are either graduate level students or post-graduates, between the ages of 22 and 30. While some members are undergraduates, the time commitment is substantial and may often conflict with undergraduate university obligations.
About the Civic Orchestra of Chicago
For the past 90 years, young artists have sought membership in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago to develop their talents and further prepare for the life of a professional musician. As the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra benefits from a musical alliance that is the only one of its kind among major American Orchestras. Members rehearse and perform in Symphony Center, a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose complex located in the heart of downtown Chicago that is home to both the CSO and the Civic Orchestra.
Under the guidance of Principal Conductor, Cliff Colnot, this tuition-free program features opportunities for lessons, coaching, and sectional rehearsals with principal chair musicians from the CSO and masterclasses, workshops, and orchestral performances throughout the Chicago area with world-renowned guest conductors and visiting artists, such as Bernard Haitink, Pierre Boulez, Emerson String Quartet, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Yo-Yo Ma and Kent Nagano. Civic Orchestra concerts are broadcast locally on WFMT 98.7 FM and syndicated nationally to nearly three million listeners.
Participation in Civic represents a part-time commitment, enabling members to pursue additional educational opportunities and engage in the professional music life of Chicago. Regular members of the Civic Orchestra are eligible to participate on a season-to-season basis for up to two seasons. Associate members are contracted on an as-needed basis as extra and substitute musicians. You need not be attending or applying to a Chicago area academic institution for regular membership in the Civic Orchestra.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Coaches
As part of the Civic program, designated CSO musicians representing each section work with Civic musicians, offering detailed, practical instruction as well as a direct connection to the artistic legacy of the CSO.
Membership Benefits
- Regular members of the Civic Orchestra will receive a stipend of $6,300. Additional stipend support is available to those who audition successfully for principal string positions within the orchestra.
- Full-tuition fellowships are available to qualified Civic musicians enrolled in graduate-degree programs at Northwestern, DePaul, Roosevelt, and Northern Illinois universities. Contact universities directly for more information.
- Participate in professional development workshops, seminars, masterclasses, and mock auditions led by CSO musicians, guest artists, and industry professionals.
- Attend selected concerts free of charge and receive discounted tickets to Chicago Symphony Orchestra and other performances at Symphony Center.
- Qualify for school loan deferments as a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.
- Engage the Chicago community through MusiCorps®, in which selected members have the opportunity to teach, train, and perform at various community sites serving diverse constituencies. Additional stipend support is available to those participating in the MusiCorps® program.
Civic Orchestra of Chicago
220 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60604
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