Membership in the orchestra is by audition. Auditions are held each September. This process provides an opportunity to University of Toronto students, staff and Hart House senior members to join the orchestra. The skill level required for membership varies from year to year, depending on the field of candidates. All candidates for orchestra membership, including returning member candidates, must audition every year. This ensures that new prospective members are given an opportunity to join the orchestra.

Open Rehearsals and Audition Signup

Drop-in open rehearsals are held in early September to attract new candidates for membership. All students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members are invited to participate in open rehearsals.

Auditions take place around mid to late September. Online audition signups will be announced at open rehearsals and posted on this website.

Membership Commitments

Members are expected to attend regular rehearsals which are held in the Hart House Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 10:15pm. The orchestra performs three home concerts during the school year: A fall concert at the end of November, a winter concert in early February and a spring concert at the beginning of April. Traditionally the winter concert is reprised on a concert trip to another school within Ontario or Quebec during a weekend in February. Extra rehearsals may take place Sunday evenings in the week leading up to a concert.

Audition Requirements

• Perform a short work or excerpt from a work, preferably with contrasting sections, of approximately 5 minutes in length.
• Play any major or minor scale, with as many octaves as the candidate is comfortable playing on their instrument. Articulations/bowings are left to the discretion of the candidate.
• Play a short sight-reading excerpt.

The orchestra membership list will be posted online after the audition period is complete.

Membership Fees

Following a successful audition, membership in the HHO is official upon the receipt of membership fees. Please view the details regarding membership fees [ here ].