FOOSA PHILHARMONIC PROGRAM
Conductor, Thomas Loewenheim
Repertoire 2026: Richard Strauss An Alpine Symphony, Béla Bartók Miraculous Mandarin Suite
Auditions are now open on the Acceptd Platform: Deadline extended
(for Volins) to April 25, 2026
Our FOOSA Philharmonic is a pre-professional orchestra that offers advanced musicians of graduate school, college, and high school age* the opportunity to perform alongside our exceptional faculty members.
June 13-29, 2026
*A select number of exceptionally advanced younger pre-college students may be offered spots in the FOOSA Philharmonic. Eligibility will be decided on the basis of submitted audition videos and teacher recommendations.
Daily Schedule at FOOSA
Experience a full day of intensive music-making designed to elevate your skills! Start the morning with private lessons and studio classes from 9 AM–1 PM, followed by a lunch break from 1–2:30 PM. Continue with sectionals from 2:30–3:30 PM, then join the Philharmonic rehearsal from 4–6 PM, where students can also listen and learn from professional-level performance. End the day with student recitals at 7 PM (see the website events page).
Throughout the program, students enjoy daily private lessons, orchestra rehearsals, and sectionals, along with exciting performance opportunities, a concerto competition, and a professional orchestral recording session. Concerts and performances take place in Fresno and Los Angeles, giving students real-world experience on prominent stages.
Tuition and Fees
Audition fee: $75
Tuition: $1975
Dorm: $650
Total Tuition + audition = $2050
Total Tuition + audition fee + dorm = $2700
Non-refundable registration (if accepted): $250 (registration is applied toward tuition)
Audition & Application Information
Instrumentation
Instrumentation needs: violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute/piccolo, oboe/English horn, clarinet/bass clarinet/e-flat clarinet, bassoon/contra, horn, trumpet, trombone/bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion, and harp. Rolling admissions will continue until we have filled all available positions.
Selections were made based on applications received by March 18, 2026. If we need additional instrumentation, rolling admissions will continue until positions are filled.
Scholarships for college and graduate students. Please note that scholarship awards apply to tuition only. Dorm fees are not covered by the scholarship and must be paid by the applicant.
Only college and graduate students, or college graduates, are eligible to apply for a limited number of FOOSA Philharmonic Scholarships. These special positions are designed for advanced players who demonstrate exceptional skill, provide strong recommendations, submit compelling audition videos, and express a genuine interest in teaching. All scholarship recipients are expected to “pay back” to the festival by mentoring younger musicians in the FOOSA Chamber Orchestra, assisting with the FOOSA Symphony, or performing assigned tasks such as stage support. To be considered for a merit scholarship, applicants must submit their materials—including a letter of recommendation from their major teacher or another authoritative source—by March 27, 2026.
Applications
All applicants must submit audition videos and information via Accceptd.
Click Below to start your application today.
Audition videos
You will need to record a video in which you perform whatever is listed on our audition requirements page as required for your instrument. No professional videography is needed. A video recorded with a smartphone or computer will be good enough. Accompaniment is acceptable on solos but by no means required.
*Those who play doubling instruments will also find instructions for those instruments. If you have any trouble uploading videos or have additional questions, just contact us at cmarchese@yoofresno.org.
Tuition Assistance Information
Please be reminded of the following information:
If you met the March 18, 2026, application deadline and submitted a completed Tuition Assistance Form along with all required additional materials, you may be eligible for need-based tuition assistance. Do not submit a partially completed form or a form without the accompanying materials, as incomplete applications cannot be accepted. Please submit tuition assistance forms only after you have been accepted into the program. Supporting materials can be uploaded here DOCUMENT UPLOAD or sent to Julie Han at yoofbilling@gmail.com. All tuition assistance forms must be submitted by April 4, 2026. Please note that tuition assistance does not cover the cost of registration and dorm fees (if applicable).
MERIT SCHOLARSHIP
Merit Scholarships are based on faculty input based on your audition and teacher letters of recommendation. All letters of recommendation should be sent to:
Catherine Marchese at cmarchese@yoofresno.org
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The deadline this year is March 18th for FOOSA Philharmonic and FOOSA Symphony.
Notifications of acceptance will go out by March 27th
All applications for tuition assistance must be submitted by April 4th
Registration accompanied by a non-refundable $250 deposit must be submitted by April 18th.
May 15th Tuition payments in full
A limited number of scholarships are available. Requests must be accompanied by a teacher recommendation.
-
The deadline this year is March 18th for FOOSA Philharmonic and FOOSA Symphony.
Notifications of acceptance will go out by March 27th
All applications for tuition assistance must be submitted by April 4th
Registration accompanied by a non-refundable $250 deposit must be submitted by April 18th.
May 15th Tuition payments in full
A limited number of scholarships are available. Requests must be accompanied by a teacher recommendation.