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June 11 - August 16, 2025

Welcome

The Grant Park Music Festival is a ten-week classical music concert series held annually in Chicago, Illinois’ Millennium Park.

It features the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus, along with guest performers and conductors, and is one of the only free outdoor classical-music concert series in the US.

Orchestra Auditions

Grant Park Music Festival announces the following vacancies for the 2026 Season (all tenure-track):

Principal Flute
Second Oboe
Bass Clarinet/Utility Clarinet
Contrabassoon/Utility Bassoon
Principal Horn
Assistant Principal/Third Trumpet
Assistant Concertmaster
Assistant Principal Second Violin
Section Viola
Section Cello

Principal Flute

Preliminary Round: April 24-26, 2026
Semifinal and Final Rounds: April 27, 2026
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: March 30, 2026
Cancellation Deadline: April 16, 2026


REPERTOIRE LIST AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 1, 2025
APPLY HERE

Second Oboe

Preliminary Round: January 30-February 1, 2026
Semifinal and Final Rounds: February 2, 2026
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: December 29, 2025
Cancellation Deadline: January 22, 2026


REPERTOIRE LIST HERE
APPLY HERE

Bass Clarinet/Utility Clarinet

Preliminary Round: October 13, 2025
Semifinal and Final Rounds: October 14, 2025
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: September 29, 2025
Cancellation Deadline: October 5, 2025


REPERTOIRE LIST HERE
APPLY HERE

Contrabassoon/Utility Bassoon

Preliminary Round: December 15, 2025
Semifinal and Final Rounds: December 16, 2025
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: November 17, 2025
Cancellation Deadline: December 7, 2025


REPERTOIRE LIST HERE
APPLY HERE

Principal Horn

Preliminary Round: May 3-4, 2026
Semifinal and Final Rounds: May 5, 2026
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: April 6, 2026
Cancellation Deadline: April 23, 2026


REPERTOIRE LIST AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 1, 2025
APPLY HERE

Assistant Principal/Third Trumpet

Preliminary Round: March 31-April 1, 2026
Semifinal and Final Rounds: April 2, 2026
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: March 2, 2026
Cancellation Deadline: April 23, 2026


REPERTOIRE LIST AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 1, 2025
APPLY HERE

Assistant Concertmaster/Assistant Principal Second Violin

Preliminary Round: November 9-10, 2025
Semifinal and Final Rounds: November 11, 2025
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: October 13, 2025
Cancellation Deadline: October 30, 2025


REPERTOIRE LIST HERE
APPLY HERE

Section Viola

Preliminary Round: December 8-9, 2025
Semifinal and Final Rounds: December 10, 2025
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: November 10, 2025
Cancellation Deadline: November 30, 2025


REPERTOIRE LIST HERE
APPLY HERE

Section Cello

Preliminary Round: November 21-22, 2025
Semifinal and Final Rounds: November 24, 2025
Application and Deposit Receipt Deadline: October 27, 2025
Cancellation Deadline: November 13, 2025


REPERTOIRE LIST HERE
APPLY HERE

2026 Season Dates

June 9 - August 15, 2026

2026 Season Pay and Benefits

Pay will be subject to negotiations. Weekly base pay in 2025 was $1,877.23, plus benefits, including a season electronic media guarantee payment of $1,000, travel reimbursement up to $400, seniority pay, paid leave, pension contributions, and more.

Audition Protocols

  • The audition committee reserves the right to immediately dismiss any candidate not meeting professional standards.
  • Should an advertised position be offered to a current member of the Grant Park Orchestra, the resulting vacancy may be offered to the next most qualified candidate.
  • The winning candidate must be legally eligible to accept work with the Grant Park Orchestra at the time of the audition. Candidates who are unable to demonstrate legal eligibility to work will not be allowed to audition.
  • Limited audition times are available and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply early. A wait list may be utilized in the event all audition times are booked. Candidates will only be scheduled after the application and deposit are received.
  • All audition rounds will be blind.

Application Instructions

To apply, please complete the online application found at the links above. In addition, you will need to send a $100 audition deposit (check or money order only, please), made payable to “Grant Park Music Festival” and sent to the following address:

Instrument Name Auditions (i.e. Violin Auditions, Oboe Auditions, etc.)
Grant Park Music Festival
205 E Randolph St Fl 4
Chicago, IL 60601

Please write the audition candidate’s name and instrument (i.e. John Doe Violin) in the memo line of the check or money order.

Audition deposits will be held and returned when candidates arrive at the audition, or will be destroyed if the candidate withdraws before the cancellation deadline. Audition deposits will be cashed only if the candidate withdraws after the cancellation deadline or does not show up to the audition.

Please note that we will not provide any candidate with an audition time until the audition deposit has been received.

We do not accept electronic deposits, including via Paypal, Venmo, CashApp, or other similar services.

Questions?

Questions can be directed to Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra Personnel Manager, Linda Oper, at linda.oper@gpmf.org.

The Grant Park Music Festival is an equal opportunity employer and a proud partner orchestra of the National Alliance for Audition Support.