Introduction
The Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra was created in 2019 for the first edition of the Tsinandali Festival. It is a full symphony orchestra led by Music Director Maestro Gianandrea Noseda.
Every year, live auditions are held to select young and talented musicians from the Caucasus countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Ukraine and Turkmenistan. As members of the PCYO, they are given the chance to work with world class international coaches, conductors and soloists during the Tsinandali Festival.
If you want to become a member of PCYO, you can apply for audition if you are between 18 and 28 years old, with some experience in orchestra playing and born in Georgia or in one of the other countries mentioned above. If you are selected, you will be invited to perform during 4 weeks in an intense orchestra training program with international coaches from top-level orchestras, followed by concerts conducted by the most famous conductors of the present.
Georgia is an exciting country full of beauty and culture. The Tsinandali Estate, situated in the magnificent Kakheti region, has now been developed into a Cultural Center with two concert halls, museum, hotels and restaurants, all in the midst of a big, beautiful park. Every year in September, the Tsinandali Estate hosts the Tsinandali Festival, with two concerts per day, many international artists and the resident Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra.
WHAT IS THE PAN-CAUCASIAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA (PCYO)?
The PCYO is the leading training orchestra for talented young musicians of the following countries: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.
The orchestra performs the major repertoire for large symphony orchestra with world class conductors and soloists.
In 2024, the total period of participation in the orchestra will be 4 weeks (Aug/Sept 2024 – see schedule).
In the first two weeks, coaching lessons (sectional and single) with principal musicians of world leading professional orchestras will be held and the concert programs will be rehearsed with an Assistant Conductor. In the following two weeks, the PCYO works like a professional orchestra: 2 rehearsal days for each program are followed by one concert day (general rehearsal and concert), conducted by the main conductors. In 2024, four concerts are scheduled.
Application, participation and costs for accommodation and meals will be paid by Tsinandali Festival. On top of this, no additional fee will be paid to the orchestra musicians.
HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OF PCYO?
The PCYO is open for musicians who are between 18 and 28 years of age and born in one of the following countries (have the nationality of one of these countries): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine.
Musicians are chosen every year in Live Auditions taking place in the cities mentioned below. Video auditions are possible for everyone not able to participate in a Live Audition.
Steps to become a PCYO musician:
- Fill in the Application
- Play Live Audition, prepare solo pieces AND orchestra excerpts (scores for download HERE)
- Receive positive result after the last audition date
- Sign contract
- Arrive in Tsinandali and ENJOY!
Live Auditions
Between February and April 2024, Live Auditions will be held in different cities.
Istanbul – 18 March 2024
Ankara – 21 March 2024
Vienna – 5 April 2024
Baku – 8 April 2024
Tbilisi – 10 April 2024
Yerevan – 12 April 2024
Deadlines: one week before audition date
Deadline video audition: 12 April 2024
If you are Ukrainian (living in Ukraine or abroad), please contact sonja@tsfest.ge for an audition appointment.
Video Audition
There is the possibility to apply for a video audition according to the detailed rules mentioned here below.
Video files not corresponding to the rules will not be accepted.
Whenever possible, it is better to participate in a live audition. The better conditions and personal appearance improve your chances to be accepted.
Please read ALL of the following instructions before starting your application or recording your video:
- Instructions on how to make a great audition video can be found HERE.
- Please note that you must perform all the works/orchestral excerpts listed under ‘Audition Repertoire’. You must play the works as if you were giving a live audition (i.e. straight-through in the order listed). The recording must be made in one shot, without cuts or edits.
- Applicants are not required to play the full movement of their selected concerto or solo work(s). Please focus on recording the first 3 to 5 minutes of solo playing from the movement of your choice (unless your instrument excerpts have more specific instructions), without any accompaniment.
- Please take into account the size of the room and its acoustic as well as your distance from the camera: the more reverberative the room, the closer you will need to be to the camera (usually 3 meters).
- The use of artificial reverberation or any other audio modification via post-production (editing, splicing, etc.) is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.
- IMPORTANT: watch and listen to your recording to be sure it represents what you want to the jury to consider.
- Fill in the application form, choose “Video audition” in the Dropdown menu “Audition venue 2024” and put your video link in the section “Audition piece”.