Viola audition classical concerto requirement

January 9, 2026, 5:01 PM · Hi, I'm a violist playing in a German orchestra and have a question for the American violists here!

I plan to audition for SF symphony and Met opera this April. In Germany and most other parts of the world, both Hoffmeister and Stamitz concertos are standard choices for the classical concerto however SF symph allows only Stamitz. The repertoire list for the Met hasn't come out yet but I'm curious, is it a common thing in the US that only Stamitz is accepted, or is SF symph an anomaly? I've only ever played Hoffmeister.

Replies (3)

Jake Watson

January 9, 2026, 5:37 PM · I think it depends on each individual orchestra. Generally they will ask for either/or, but there will be some that stipulate one or the other. That isn't specific to the US though.

Tom Holzman

January 9, 2026, 7:49 PM · Can you work the Stamitz up in time for the audition?

Mary Ellen Goree

Edited: January 10, 2026, 1:11 AM · The vast majority of viola candidates in my experience (30+ years on audition committees for professional orchestras) play either Bartók or Walton.

Editing to say I missed the “classical” part of your post. My apologies.