Auditions

Audition Application

Repertoire required for each instrument is listed below. Orchestral parts can be found at www.imslp.org, and printed at no charge. Links are given for each part.

VIOLIN

Solo:
1st movement of any standard concerto
Any single movement of a solo Bach Sonata or Partita

Orchestral excerpts, 1st violin parts:
Mozart Symphony #40, 1st and 4th movements

Mozart Symphony #39, movements 1, 2 and 4

Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings, 1st movement

VIOLA

Solo:
1st movement of standard viola concerto

Movement from J.S. Bach’s cello suite

Orchestral excerpts:
Beethoven: Symphony no. 5, excerpt from the 2nd movement

Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture, (m. 36-66)

Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo, (m.17 until Reh. D)

Mozart: Symphony no. 35, 1st movement (m. 41-66)

CELLO

Solo:
Movement of standard concerto

Movement from J.S. Bach’s solo cello suite

Orchestral excerpts:
Mozart, Symphony No. 35 (Finale), beginning to A; 10 mm. after D to E

Beethoven, Symphony #5, opus 67, 2nd movement, meas. 1-10; 49-59; 98-106; 114-123

Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scherzo), C to D; M to O


If you’re interested in auditioning to become a member of the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra or Chorus, please contact:
ORCHESTRA
Sherri Marttila, Orchestra Manager
CHORUS
Andre Strydom, Chorus Master

Eric Lawson

Assistant Concertmaster

Violinist, violist, conductor and professor Dr. Eric Lawson has had a varied career in performance and education. Past performances as a conductor, soloist and lecturer have taken him to Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, Romania and Scandinavia. Before returning to his home state of Michigan, he was based in North Dakota where, in addition to serving as a violin instructor at Bismarck State College, Jamestown College, and the University of Mary, he was also concertmaster of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra and established the Bismarck-Mandan Youth Symphony. Other former academic appointments have included Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Central College in Pella, Iowa and the University of North Dakota where he founded the string program and the UND Chamber Orchestra.

Here in Michigan, Dr. Lawson as been very active with the Alpena Symphony Orchestra as its concertmaster, conductor and president of the board. He also performs with many other orchestras in Northern Michigan and participates in the Traverse Symphony as a first violinist, in the Gaylord Symphony as concertmaster and as assistant concertmaster in the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra.

And finally, in what has been one of the most important experiences of his life outside of music, he also served almost four years as an Alpena County Commissioner, representing Ossineke and Sanborn Townships. In addition to serving as chair of the Salary and Personnel Committee, he also served on the Airport, Ambulance, District Court, Circuit Court Management and Jail Committees. He also represented Alpena County in Gaylord with the Northern Michigan Regional Entity Substance Use Disorder Board and continues to serve on the Northeast Michigan Community Mental Health Board. Dr. Lawson resides in Ossineke with his wife and two children.