Application Deadline
October 10, 2024
Boulder Symphony Orchestra
Selected Soloists will be presented at TWO colORCHESTRA concerts with the Boulder Symphony Orchestra of the Boulder Symphony and Academy at Dairy Arts Center, under the baton of Maestro Devin Patrick Hughes.
Concert Dates:
March 29 and 30, 2025
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The concert will be Broadcast Live by Virtual Concert Halls on various public channels on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Twitch, among other platforms
Video of the concert will stay available for playbacks on the channels.
Soloists will participate in interviews for media and other activities associated with the event.
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No age restrictions
All Instrumentalists and Voice
NO PIANO
Any Standard COMPLETE Concerto, from any time period
Any Operatic Aria
Contemporary, newly written Concertos and works for Voice with Orchestra are ACCEPTED
NOTE:
Conductor's score and orchestra parts must be available in public domain
If selected to perform a composition by a living composer, or a work from non-standard repertory - soloist is responsible to provide conductor's score and orchestra parts.
If you are not sure and wish to get your repertory pre-approved, please write to us before applying at
director@progressivemusicians.com
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Important dates for 2024-25 season:
June 1, 2024 - Deadline to apply with a video of your choosing
June 14-17, 2024 - Live Auditions. Broadcast on video and social platforms. Meet the Judges and the Music Director. Streaming technology seminar in preparation for Live Audition
Concert Dates:
March 29 and 30, 2025 Rehearsals in Boulder, CO, USA ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Important dates for 2025-26 concert season: Application deadline - see dates on the website.
October 2024, January 2025 - Live Auditions Finals. Broadcast on video and social platforms. Meet the Judges and the Conductors. Streaming technology seminar in preparation for Live Audition - prior to performing LIVE.
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Meet the Orchestra
ORCHESTRATING THE UNEXPECTED
The Boulder Symphony & Music Academy is dedicated to providing world-class, unique concerts that inspire and enrich the Boulder community. We strive to showcase the talents of our exceptional musicians and present a diverse repertoire that both challenges and delights our audience.
Our mission is to foster a vibrant and thriving music culture in Boulder, one that celebrates the beauty and power of classical music and creates opportunities for all members of our community to experience its transformative potential. We are dedicated to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity, and we believe that by sharing the joy of music, we can help to build a stronger, more connected community for all.
Boulder Symphony and Academy mission is to connect with and profoundly affect the human spirit. WE ENVISION A COMMUNITY THAT IS INFORMED, CONNECTED AND INSPIRED BY THE ARTS. WE ASPIRE TO INFUSE THESE QUALITIES INTO THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN BOULDER BY INNOVATING HOW THEY DISCOVER, EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY CLASSICAL MUSIC.
OUR AIM is to provide the community with:
Powerful new works of symphonic art written by gifted composers
Platforms for local artists of world-class talent and dedication to showcase their skills Interactive musical engagement, soul-filling performances, and re-imagination of audience participation and symphonic music Educational programming utilizing the ingenuity of music"
Meet the Conductor
Highly regarded for his exhilarating score interpretations, advocacy for music accessibility, innate passion and entrepreneurial vigor, Devin Patrick Hughes is an American orchestral and operatic conductor of Irish and Guatemalan descent.
He is concurrently serving as Music Director and Conductor of the Boulder Symphony and Arapahoe Philharmonic. Previously he has held artistic leadership positions with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, Denver Young Artists Orchestra, and Denver Philharmonic Orchestra.
Devin was recently invited to the Antal Dorati Conducting Competition and featured in Maestro, the Solti International Conducting Competition as a semi-finalist in Budapest. He was the only American selected with eleven other conductors worldwide to compete in the Toscanini International Conducting Competition, and was a conducting fellow at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. He has conducted orchestras across North America and Europe including the Winnipeg Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Des Moines Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Salina Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, and Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera.
In response to COVID-19, Devin has created multiple programs connecting orchestras to their communities including the Virtual Virtuoso Series & Music Connects Series, partnering with organizations such as Balfour Senior Assisted Living and Community Food Share to produce performances and dinners both virtually and live. In addition to producing outdoor and drive in concerts, including Boulder Arts Outdoors, Brass in the Park-ing Lot, and the world-renowned Takács Quartet, Devin can be heard on One Symphony, his new podcast amplifying the voices of composers and other artistic entrepreneurs.
Application and Audition Process
Application form is DUE by the posted DEADLINES throughout the season.
Upload video of any piece (with or without accompaniment). YouTube or Google Drive links are accepted
Application fee $75
Selected musicians will be invited to audition live on a public Internet TV Broadcast* and will receive a preparation tech session with VCHS Broadcast Engineers.
You will meet the Judges during Live Audition.
Live Auditions are held virtually.
Live Auditions are judged in real time.
Judges provide participants with immediate on-air feedback.
During the live audition participants will be able to speak with Judges.
• The judges’ decisions are final and may not be contested.
• To participate in the live online auditions, each musician must prepare required technical setup
Live Audition Fee - $250
*Fee includes the Technology Preparation session with A/V and Broadcast engineers
You will be notified about your acceptance into the colORCHESTRA program
Fees
Application and video pre-screening - $75
Live Audition - $250
Performance - NO FEE ($0)
Selected soloists are expected to cover their own travel expenses.
Upon request colORCHESTRA provides supporting documentation for selected soloists' visa applications.
Selected soloists may request press releases, letters of recommendation, confirmations of their participation in the concert, in support of the soloist's grants applications.
Dairy Arts Center
March 29 and 30, 2025
Dairy Arts Center was founded in 1992 to provide cooperative workspaces for local artists and venues for live performance in Boulder County. Originally owned by the Watts-Hardy Dairy, the building’s transformation from a former milk-processing facility to a thriving multi-disciplinary arts hub for Boulder and beyond is a nationally recognized example of constructive urban development and renewal.
The Dairy’s founders envisioned a community arts center where artists of all genres would create and inspire each other and the greater community.
Today, this dream of shared art making is a thriving reality. The Dairy’s 42,000 square foot facility houses disciplines ranging from visual arts, theater, and film to dance and music. A professional environment complete with art galleries, performance venues, teaching studios, offices, rehearsal spaces, dance studios, and a 60-seat art-house cinema, it is Boulder’s largest multi-disciplinary arts center.
The Dairy’s audience spans all ages, backgrounds and ability levels, from young student to seasoned performer and from first-time to seasoned theatergoers. Our audience is inclusive of all ages and backgrounds as well as adults and children of various cultures and levels of ability; our facility is accessible to persons with physical mobility challenges.
Mission: The Dairy Arts Center provides diverse opportunities to create, learn, and engage in high quality performing, cinematic, and visual arts experiences.
The Dairy’s largest theater seats up to 250 patrons.