Orchestral excerpts

At all NJO auditions (and first round EUYO auditions when combined with NJO), musicians will be asked to play a selection from the NJO orchestral excerpts listed below.

 N.B.: Please use the NJO versions of the orchestral excerpts found via the links in the list!

Candidates ONLY applying for EUYO (both 1st and 2nd rounds) need to prepare EUYO excerpts.

Although candidates may be asked to play only a selection of the orchestral excerpts, all of them should be prepared. Read more about the auditions on our Audition information page and the underlying pages.

Please note:

  • Woodwind players should prepare all orchestra excerpts for their main instrument; preparation of orchestra excerpts for auxiliary instruments for the NJO is not mandatory, but strongly advised. For the combined NJO/1st round EUYO audition, auditioning on an auxiliary instrument is mandatory for clarinetists, oboists and flautists. Read all about auditioning for auxiliary instruments in How to prepare.
  • Timpani applicants who combine NJO audition with EUYO 1st round are required to play two percussion excerpts as well : Von Suppé - Pique Dame and Stravinsky - L'Oiseau de Feu.
  • Percussion applicants who combine NJO audition with EUYO 1st round are required to play a timpani excerpt as well : Beethoven - Symphony no 9. 
  • The list with excerpts may be subject to change, so please make sure you prepare the right excerpts. If you have any questions, please contact NJO Orchestra Manager Twan Dubbers twan njon.nl

You will find the list of orchestral excerpts below. 

Violin

Violin concertmaster / (co-)principal
Brahms - Symphony No. 1 - II

Violin
Brahms - Symphony No. 4
Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Mozart - Symphony No. 39
Strauss - Don Juan

Viola

Viola (co-)principal
Stravinsky - L'oiseau de Feu
Strauss - Don Quixote

Viola
Strauss - Don Juan
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5 - I
Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra

Cello

Cello (co-)principal
Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 2

Cello
Strauss - Ein Heldenleben
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5
Brahms - Symphony No. 2 - II
Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Double bass (orchestral tuning)

Double Bass (co-)principal (orchestra tuning)
Mahler - Symphony No. 1 - III
Stravinsky - Pulcinella - VII

Double Bass (orchestra tuning)
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 - III
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 - IV
Mozart - Symphony No. 40 - I
Strauss - Ein Heldenleben

Flute

Flute
Dvořák - Symphony No. 8 - IV
Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf
Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances - I
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 6 - I

Flute: Piccolo
Bizet - L'Arlésienne Suite
Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Ravel - Bolero (1st piccolo)
Ravel - Piano Concerto - I

Oboe

Oboe
Strauss - Don Juan
Rossini - Scala di Seta (The silken ladder)
Ravel - Le Tombeau de Couperin
Beethoven - Symphony No. 3
J.S. Bach - Ich habe genug BWV 82 (until the fermata; up to and including measure 34)

Cor Anglais
Dvořák - Symphony No. 9 - II
Rossini - Guillaume Tell

Clarinet

Clarinet
Beethoven - Symphony No. 6
Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe
Verdi - La Forza del Destino

E-flat Clarinet
Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
Ravel - Bolero

Bass Clarinet
Shostakovich - Violin Concerto
Mahler - Symphony No. 6

Bassoon

Bassoon
Brahms - Violin Concerto - II
Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 9 - IV - V
Stravinsky - Le Sacre du Printemps

Double Bassoon
Mahler - Symphony No. 4 - I - II
Ravel - Ma Mère l'Oye

French horn

High horn

Mahler - Symphony no. 5 
Strauss - Ein Heldenleben
Ravel - Bolero

Brahms - Symphony No. 2 - II

Low horn
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 - III
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5 - I
Strauss - Don Quixote

Horn players who have not specified whether they are auditioning for the high or low horn, may choose a solo piece from either the high or low horn list. They will prepare the following orchestral excerpts: 5th Symphony (Mahler), Boléro (Ravel), 5th Symphony (Shostakovich), Don Quixote (Strauss).

Trumpet

Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra
Donizetti - Don Pasquale
Mahler - Symphony No. 5 - I
Stravinsky - Petrushka

Tenortrombone

Rossini - Guillaume Tell
Mozart - Requiem - Tuba mirum
Ravel - Bolero
Wagner - Die Walküre

N.B. It is possible to do a combined tenor/bass trombone audition. If you are interested, please email twan njon.nl.

It is also possible to apply for both trombone/bass trombone and euphonium. Please let us know via twan njon.nl.

Bass trombone

Rossini - Guillaume Tell Overture
Wagner - Die Walküre
Stravinsky - Petrushka
Schumann - Symphony No. 3
Haydn - Die Schöpfung

N.B. It is possible to do a combined tenor/bass trombone audition. If you are interested, please email twan njon.nl.

It is also possible to apply for both trombone/bass trombone and euphonium. Please let us know via twan njon.nl.

Euphonium

Holst –The Planets

Strauss – Don Quixote

Strauss – Ein Heldenleben

It is also possible to apply for both trombone/bass trombone and euphonium. Please let us know via twan njon.nl.

Tuba

Bass tuba F/Eb
Stravinsky - Petrushka
Wagner - Meistersinger
Mahler - Symphony no 1 (3rd movement)
Berlioz - Damnation de Faust

Contrabass tuba CC/BBb

Holst - The Planets 
Mahler - Symphony no. 5 
Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet
Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries

Harp

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake cadenza OR Nutcracker Flower Waltz cadenza

Mahler - Adagietto from 5th Symphony
Verdi - La Forza del Destino Overture

Organ

Strauss - Also sprach Zarathustra 

It is possible to apply for both the organ and the celesta position

The NJO currently has no piano vacancy for 2026. However, we would like to offer interested organ players that also double on piano the opportunity to perform one orchestral excerpt on piano so the jury can get an idea of the candidate's abilities.

Piano (optional) 

Stravinsky - Petrushka

Celesta

Holst - The Planets 

Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker

It is possible to apply for both the organ and the celesta position

The NJO currently has no piano vacancy for 2026. However, we would like to offer interested pianists the opportunity to perform one orchestral excerpt on piano so the jury can get an idea of the candidate's abilities.

Piano (optional) 

Stravinsky - Petrushka

Timpani / Percussion

Timpani
Tchaikovsky - Symphony no. 4
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9

Snare drum
Von Suppé - Pique Dame

Prokofiev - Lieutenant Kijé

Xylophone
Stravinsky - L'Oiseau de Feu
Khachaturian - Gayaneh

Bells

Debussy - La Mer

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