General questions

Who can apply for the MSFO?

Because of legal and organisational reasons, we have an age minimum of 16 years on the first day of the production (April 11th 2026). If you are younger, we strongly encourage you to have some patience and audition when you are 16 years old.

 

Can I join if I already play in a professional orchestra?

Absolutely! We welcome applications from members of professional orchestras.

 

Do I need to be studying music academically to audition?

No. You can audition even if you are not currently studying music in an academic setting.

 

Can I audition with more than one instrument?

Yes, you can audition for multiple instruments. Please fill out the audition form again for every instrument you want to audition for.

 

Auditioning process

What excerpts do I play for my audition?

We’ve created a document in which all excerpts can be found for all instruments. Please use these excerpts in your videos. A few tips: prepare these excerpts carefully. Pay attention to: accuracy, rhythm and tempo, dynamics, tuning, understanding the musical context. Orchestral excerpts are a sport and an art, and can make or break your audition. Spend enough time on these, and don’t forget their context, you’ll have to fit in the MSFO perfectly to be able to climb the big symphonic mountains we’ll encounter. You'll be uploading 3 separate fragments in total, so your audition doesn't have to be in one take.

 

When do I know if I have been selected?

As there will be many auditions to watch and listen to, we will need the whole month of November to do this with our small team. In the beginning of December, you will get an email with our decision. Just be aware that places are very limited. We would love to have you all in our MSFO-family but unfortunately, that’s not possible. Fear not, we will save your auditions for next projects as well!

 

Will I receive feedback?

Unfortunately, the MSFO does not offer written feedback after the results have been sent.

 

What happens if I’m accepted into the MSFO?

Congratulations! As an MSFO member, you will participate in the upcoming production. You’ll receive the information about the production very shortly from our production office.
 

What if I’m on the ‘reserve list’?

If someone drops out of the upcoming production, we’ll contact you as soon as possible to jump in for the project.

 

What if I’m not accepted?

With many candidates applying, the competition can be intense. Do not lose heart, keep practicing, and we encourage you to audition again in the future.

 

Financial questions

Is there a participation fee?

Absolutely not! We want to keep our organization as low cost as possible, both for our musicians as for ourselves. This means no participation fees for the audition nor for the production itself. Auditioning is completely free of charge!

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Are any transportation costs covered by MSFO?

As the MSFO doesn’t receive any subsidies or continuous funding ad everything is paid for by our ticket sale, it’s not possible to refund plane or international train tickets. 

We will refund the train tickets (NMBS) in Belgium to and from the rehearsal location on rehearsal and concert days. The train tickets between the airport and your host family is not refunded. 
 

Do I have to cover hotel costs?

No! We make sure every MSFO-musician has a host family if needed. This means you stay in their home from the day you arrive until the day you leave after the concerts. We always kindly ask our host families to provide breakfast and dinner, when this isn’t already provided by us. So normally, there are no big costs for food or housing. If you want to go to a bar or restaurant, you pay for that yourself, of course.
 

Will there be lunch provided by MSFO?

Yes, lunch will be provided every rehearsal day. There will also be enough fruits and biscuits throughout the day.
If you would like to eat something else, feel free to bring your own food or go to the supermarket before rehearsal.

 

About the music and the instruments

Do I have to bring my own instrument? Does the MSFO have instruments to borrow?

Musicians selected to participate have to bring their own instrument. We don’t have instruments ourselves. 

There are a few exceptions: percussionists, organ/celesta, heckelphone, wagnertuba. We are currently looking into the possibilities of renting harps and double basses, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet!

 

Do I have to print my scores?

The MSFO uses professional folders and material. All is provided. You can of course bring your own copies of the music to transfer notes to our hardcopies for example.

 

Is my instrument safe?

You will be responsible for your instrument’s insurance (unless we provide the instrument) and any other incidental costs.

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Data Protection Information (GDPR)

MSFO collects your personal details (name, birthdate, citizenship, gender, address, email, phone and audition videos).

We use your data only for auditions and to communicate with you.

Your data is shared with audition panel members and the MSFO tutors.

There is no obligation to submit data, but not doing so makes you ineligible for MSFO’s audition process. Submitting your application signifies agreement to data collection, processing, storage, and sharing as described above.

We securely store your data according to EU data protection laws (GDPR).

You have rights regarding your personal data (to view, correct, delete, etc.).

 

Contact info@mahlerstudentfestivalorchestra.com if needed.