Tutti Violin Vacancy
The Bristol Ensemble is seeking dynamic and versatile violinists to join our community in Bristol as part of the South West’s leading chamber orchestra.
1st Round Closing Date: 19th October 2025 (Self Tape)
2nd Round Audition Date: 14th or 21st November 2025 (In Person)
BRISTOL ENSEMBLE
The Bristol Ensemble is Bristol’s only professional orchestra, serving Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and South Wales. The orchestra presents over 150 concerts and performances each year, ranging from chamber music to symphonies, and pop tributes to full scale opera. It is the resident orchestra for If Opera in Bradford-on-Avon, and is a regular presence on the stages of St George’s Bristol and Bristol Beacon, alongside its own concert series in Henleaze, Thornbury, and as part of the Somerset International Festival of the Arts. Our education team, Preludes, provides workshops, lessons, and musical experiences to over 4,500 children across deprived areas of Bristol throughout the year.
We are currently looking to expand our string section and will be holding auditions in November in central Bristol. Tutti violin sections are rotated on a regular basis, so you may be required to sit in either the 1st or 2nd violins. The audition material will reflect this requirement.
Please note – this is not an employed position, and the successful candidate(s) would be contracted on a freelance basis.
AUDITION DETAILS
1st Round:
Candidates will be required to send an unedited video of ca. 10/15 minutes consisting of music entirely of their own choice, but a variety of styles and tempi is advised. YouTube/Vimeo/etc is recommended, but other formats are available.
Send your video/link to simon.kodurand@bristolensemble.com. Closing date October 19th, 2025.
2nd Round:
Successful candidates will be invited to audition in central Bristol on November 14th or 21st. A PDF of the required extracts is available to download below.
Audition excerpts:
Sinfonie in G W.182, 1st mvt, CPE Bach (violin 1)
Chamber Symphony in C minor, 3rd & 4th mvts, Shostakovich (violin 1 & 2)
String Quartet no.3, 1st mvt, Philip Glass (violin 2)
Rejoice Greatly from Messiah, Handel (violin 1)
The Herbaceous Border, Caroline Shaw (violin 1)
Money, Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd (violin 1)
In addition to the extracts listed above candidates are asked to prepare a movement of unaccompanied Bach and the first movement of a Romantic/20th-Century concerto.
For any queries please email simon.kodurand@bristolensemble.com
The Bristol Ensemble is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, irrespective of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.
More information about the Bristol Ensemble can be found at www.bristolensemble.com/about- us/
For further information please email our Artistic Director at simon.kodurand@bristolensemble.com