Unofficial prep guide · No NYYS affiliation
The NYYS 2026 prescreen checklist.
Recordings due July 3, 2026. Notifications July 24. Live auditions August 16 to September 6. Here is how to record a take worth submitting.
Unofficial guide. No affiliation with the New York Youth Symphony. Official requirements: nyys.org/programs/symphonyorchestra/
2026 timeline
Prescreen recordings due
July 3, 2026
Violin, viola, cello. Verify requirements at nyys.org.
Notifications
July 24, 2026
Results sent to applicants.
Live auditions
Aug 16 to Sep 6, 2026
For students who advance from the prescreen.
Before you record
Seven steps to a prescreen worth sending.
- 1
Download and print the official requirements
Go to nyys.org/programs/symphonyorchestra/ and download the current audition requirements. Print them. Cross off each requirement as you confirm your recording meets it. Every item matters: excerpt selection, required scales, recording length, file format, and submission portal.
- 2
Pick the right room
A room with a small amount of natural acoustic life sounds better on a recording than a dead, carpeted space. Avoid rooms with fan noise, AC units, or street sound. A living room with a rug and a few soft surfaces is often better than a sound-treated closet.
- 3
Set a stable camera angle
Frame the shot so the panel can see your hands, your bow, and your posture in a single frame. A tripod at chest height usually works. Phone cameras are fine. Stable, well-lit, and in focus matters more than equipment quality.
- 4
Record a full mock take before the real one
Play the entire excerpt or scale sequence in one unedited take, exactly as you will for the submission. Listen back. Watch the video. Note what you see and hear. This is not a practice run through hard bars. It is a dry run of the complete submission.
- 5
Score that mock take through the Judge
Upload the recording and get scored on the five dimensions a panel grades: intonation, rhythm, tone, technique, and musicality. The Judge gives measure-level notes showing exactly where the take cost the most. Fix the two or three biggest issues, then re-record.
- 6
Check the file requirements before the final take
Confirm the NYYS portal accepts your file format and size. Many video files are larger than submission portals allow. Test your upload process with a test file at least a day before the July 3 deadline.
- 7
Submit early
Portals close at midnight and files fail at midnight. Submit your recording at least one full day before July 3 so a technical problem does not end your 2026 NYYS season before it begins. Save the submission confirmation.
Where Orchestra Kingdom fits
Run your take through the Judge before you submit.
Record a practice take, upload it, and get scored on the five dimensions a panel grades: intonation, rhythm, tone, technique, and musicality. The Judge gives you measure-level notes pointing to exactly where the take cost points. Fix those two or three things, re-record, and submit the stronger version.
To be clear: this is a rehearsal tool. Your child still records and submits the official prescreen through the NYYS portal, following NYYS's exact requirements. Orchestra Kingdom has no connection to NYYS and no influence over admission decisions.
Score a practice take freeCommon questions
What families ask about the NYYS prescreen.
When is the NYYS 2026 prescreen recording deadline?
Prescreen recordings for violin, viola, and cello are due July 3, 2026. Verify the current requirements at nyys.org/programs/symphonyorchestra/ before submitting.
When will students hear back from the NYYS prescreen?
Notifications go out July 24, 2026, based on the published NYYS schedule.
When are NYYS live auditions in 2026?
Live auditions run August 16 to September 6, 2026, for students who advance from the prescreen round.
Which instruments are included in the NYYS prescreen?
Violin, viola, and cello. Confirm the specific requirements for each instrument at nyys.org/programs/symphonyorchestra/.
What should a NYYS prescreen recording look like?
NYYS publishes exact requirements: which excerpts or scales, how long, whether the take must be unedited, and how to submit. Read those requirements first. Generally, panel expects to see and hear the student clearly, with a stable camera, in a quiet room, from start to finish in a single take.
Can Orchestra Kingdom help my child prepare for the NYYS prescreen?
Yes. Your child records a practice take, and the Judge scores it on the same five qualities a panel grades: intonation, rhythm, tone, technique, and musicality. It points to the specific measures that cost the most, so the next take is sharper. Three takes are free, no card required. This is a rehearsal tool, not the actual audition; the official prescreen still goes through NYYS's own portal.
Does Orchestra Kingdom have any connection to the New York Youth Symphony?
No. Orchestra Kingdom has no affiliation with the New York Youth Symphony. This is an independent prep guide. All official requirements and submission instructions come from nyys.org/programs/symphonyorchestra/.
Will getting a high Judge score guarantee my child gets into NYYS?
No. The Judge is a rehearsal tool that scores the same dimensions a live panel grades. Strong scores in practice are a useful indicator of preparation, not a guarantee of admission. NYYS makes its own decisions based on its own panel.
Send the prescreen you practiced.
Three practice takes free. No card. A panel-style verdict in about a minute. July 3 is soon.
Score a practice take