How hard is it to get into a professional symphonic orchestra?

Question:

How hard is it to get into a professional symphonic orchestra?

Like state symphonies. Or even something like the Trans-Siberian orchestra. What is that process? I play viola, guitar, and double bass.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: It really depends on the orchestra. For instance, auditioning for a bottom-tier orchestra that's more or less recreational is not much of an issue. Auditioning for a top-tier orchestra takes a lot of hard work and talent. For one of those (like the Philadelphia Orchestra or something), your resum㩠will be examined to see if you are eligible for an audition. If you are given an audition, there are several rounds of auditioning, each more competitive than the last, and you will be expected to play your scales, arpeggios, etc. flawlessly. You will also have been given a list of orchestral excerpts to study (the list is pretty much the same among good orchestras), from which you will be required to perform specific excerpts. Often, every round save the final one is blind, meaning that the judges can not see the prospective member of the orchestra. Sometimes, as many as 800 people will submit resum㩳 in the hope of getting an audition, but maybe only 200 will get an audition. Those 200 people (all auditioning for the same spot) turn into maybe 100, then maybe 50, then maybe 30, then maybe 10, then maybe 3 by the final round.

Even if you can play most of your audition pretty flawlessly (and consistently flawlessly), there is no guarantee of getting a job. Many musicians looking for an orchestra just sign up for auditions at any place with an open seat in the hope that they might land one job.

And, as I said, it's a completely different deal with less prestigious orchestras. Some small recreational orchestras don't even audition people. Keep in mind that orchestras with general names aren't necessary the cream of the crop; something like "the Symphony or the Northwest" is not necessarily better than the St. Louis Symphony, even if St. Louis seems like less ground than the entire Northwest (I just made up those names, so I could be completely wrong; I don't want to offend anybody).

Good luck, and happy hunting.