General Guidelines: Hopkins Symphony Orchestra and Hopkins Symphony Concert Orchestra
| Hopkins Symphony Orchestra | Hopkins Symphony Concert Orchestra | |
|---|---|---|
| Conductor | Jed Gaylin | Blair Skinner |
| Performances/year | 4 Symphonic & 1 Family Concert | 3 partial concerts |
| Rehearsals | 8/concert Most Monday evenings, some Thursday evenings, and a few Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. |
4-5 per concert Saturday and Sunday afternoons, plus a late Sunday morning dress rehearsal. |
| Concert times | Saturdays at 8pm, Family Concert on a Sunday afternoon | Sunday afternoons |
| Rehearsal and concert venues | Shriver Hall | SDS Room (Mattin Arts Center) and Bunting-Meyerhoff Interfaith Center |
| Repertoire | Standard and contemporary symphonic literature, a concerto at most concerts, some
opera and oratorio. Most seasons include a world premiere. Symphonic repertoire Concerts by season |
Standard and contemporary orchestral and small-ensemble repertoire.
Typically one concert per years is strings-only repertoire.
Concert repertoire Concerts by season |
| Ensemble size | 75-110 | 35-55 |
| Admission | By audition only, each September. Acceptance into the symphony is very competitive, and is more selective than for the concert orchestra. Mid-season admission is extremely rare. Musicians accepted into the symphony orchestra are welcome also to play in the concert orchestra. | By audition only, usually in September. Mid-season auditions may be arranged on an as-needed basis. The concert orchestra is less selective than the symphony. Musicians accepted only into the concert orchestra are not permitted to play in the symphony orchestra unless they reaudition successfully. |
| Required commitment | Most concerts each season; at least 6 of 8 rehearsals per concert. | Sign up for 1 concert at a time; try to attend all rehearsals. |
| Concert dress | Ladies: long black (long black dress, or black blouse and black slacks/long black
skirt). Gentlemen: black tuxedo or suit, white shirt, black bow tie. |
Ladies: long black (long black dress, or black blouse and black slacks/long black
skirt). Gentlemen: black shirt, black slacks. |
| Membership for both orchestras | Open to JHU undergraduate and graduate students from all schools except the Peabody Conservatory; JHU faculty, staff, alumnae/i; and community musicians. Qualified JHU undergraduates are given first priority for admission. | |
| Small chamber ensembles | Musicians may form an independent small chamber group, receive coaching, and, if they wish, audition to perform at an HSO chamber concert. About half of each chamber concert is devoted to small-ensemble works, and half to the concert orchestra. | |
| HSO Concerto Competition | Bi-annual competition open to all JHU undergraduate and graduate students not majoring in music. The prize is a performance with the orchestra. | |