Pittsburgh Symphony Community Side-By-Side

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce the 13th Annual Community Side-By-Side event, to be held in June 2012 at Heinz Hall.  This event gives amateur musicians in the community a unique opportunity to rehearse and perform "side-by-side" their Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra counterparts.

This event will consist of sectionals, workshops, and rehearsals, and it will culminate in a final concert on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, with members of the PSO and Thomas Hong, Assistant Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  Additional participant-only rehearsals will be held at Heinz Hall on:

• Monday, June 4 – 6:00-8:00 pm (full orchestra rehearsal)
• Monday, June 11 – 6:00-8:00 pm (sectional rehearsal with PSO musicians)
• Tuesday, June 12 – 6:00-7:30 pm (strings); 7:30-9:00 pm (winds and percussion)
• Monday, June 18 – 6:00-8:00 pm (full orchestra rehearsal)
• Tuesday, June 26 – 6:00-8:00 pm (full orchestra rehearsal)

The event will culminate on June 27 in an evening Side-By-Side performance on the stage of Heinz Hall. Participants will receive free tickets to this concert for family and friends.  In order to ensure that the ensemble is prepared for the final concert, applicants who are chosen to participate must be available to attend all rehearsals/sectionals listed above and to be present at Heinz Hall beginning at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012. 

Participants will be selected for this event based on responses from their completed application forms; applicants who have not participated in the program in the past will be given first priority for participation in 2012.  Based on the number of applicants, it may be necessary to hold auditions for some instruments.  If necessary, individual instrument auditions would take place in May 2012.  Applications will only be accepted from musicians who are 18 years old and over and who are not members of the Musicians' Union. 

Repertoire for this year’s program is:
Wagner – Prelude to Die Meistersinger                 
Borodin – Symphony No. 2 in B minor                                                    

Click here to complete the on-line application form.

The deadline for applying to the program is
Friday, April 13, 2012

The following guidelines should be considered when completing the application:

• Sorry, no applications can be considered for conductors, piano, voice, euphonium/baritone, or saxophone.

• Percussion applicants must indicate one or more of the following categories: Timpani; Mallets; Snare/Bass Drum; Auxiliary Percussion.  Percussionists will be required to bring their own sticks and mallets.

• All participants will be required to bring their own instruments, mutes, etc.  The PSO cannot provide instruments, except to percussionists.

• A $50.00 per participant fee to cover music, miscellaneous supplies, and dinner costs will be billed to participants with their letter of acceptance.

If you have any questions regarding the Community Side-By-Side event or other Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra activities, please call the Pittsburgh Symphony Education and Community Engagement Department at (412) 392-4870 or e-mail education_outreach@pittsburghsymphony.org.