Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra postpones auditions

‘We have no other choice’

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  • Joeff Davis/CL File
  • WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS?: ASYO auditions, set for Sept. 20 and 21, will be postponed indefinitely.



The failed contract negotiations between the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s (ASO) management and Players Association (ASOPA) is now affecting the city’s next generation of musicians. Auditions for the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO), which were scheduled to take place this Fri., Sept. 20 and Sat., Sept. 21, have been postponed indefinitely due to communication from the American Federation of Musicians requesting their members — ASO musicians included — to not participate in any ASYO events.

The auditions are typically supervised by the ASO musicians, but thanks to a lockout those tryouts won’t happen. However, during the 2012 lockout, ASO musicians were able to continue their support of the youth orchestra.

According to ASO’s Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, Mark Kent, this time around the kids won’t be so fortunate. “The decision to postpone auditions this year was a very difficult one,” Kent said in a press release. “We have more than 400 students ready to audition this year, which is a record turn-out for ASYO auditions, but with auditions less than a week away, we feel that we have no other choice.”

If and when a new agreement is made between ASO and the ASOPA, youth concerts and auditions will be “reassessed.” This year would have marked the 40th anniversary for the 120-seat youth orchestra, which performs three concerts a year. The first concert was slated for Sat., Nov. 22, and would have been the first under new ASYO Music Director Joseph Young. The ASO is in the process of notifying students, parents, and patrons of the postponement.