How They Won #3 - with Erin Yun, Oboe
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June 1, 2025
We're back with Part 3 of our blog series featuring recent orchestra audition winners! This time, oboist Erin Yun shares her tips on preparation, mindset, and what helped her win a job in the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra.
What position did you recently win and in which orchestra?
Youngstown Symphony Orchestra 2nd Oboe/English Horn
What date was the audition?
May 6, 2025
How early did you start preparing for this specific audition?
I started preparing for this specific audition about two weeks or so in advance! I normally would start preparing earlier, but the list was relatively short.
Were most of the requirements pretty standard or were there any unusual excerpts on the list?
Most of the excerpts were standard; however, since it was a second oboe/English Horn audition, there were a few unusual second oboe excerpts.
In the month leading up to the audition, what percentage of your practice time was spent on the audition music vs your other commitments?
Because I am still attending school, I was focusing more on my other commitments, like my jury and finals. The first oboe excerpts were the usual standard excerpts, so I focused more on making sure I could play the lower register in the 2nd oboe excerpts. This took up about a third of my practice time.
In the week leading up to your successful audition, how many hours were you practicing each day?
This always varied, since I was also finishing up my school assignments and preparing for my jury in the same week. I would say on average 2-3 hours a day in playing, in addition to LOTS of reed making outside of this time!
Are you currently in school?
I just finished up 3rd year as a bachelor student at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and this position will be my first outside of school orchestra!
Do you remember how many excerpts you played in each round?
In my first round, 4 excerpts were asked for: Rossini's La Scala (fast excerpt), Tchaikovsky 4 opening of 2nd movement, and 2nd oboe parts of Dvorak 7 and Sibelius 2.
The 2nd round, which ended up being the final round, asked for: Brandenburg Concerto 1, Pulcinella Serenata, and English Horn excerpts: William Tell Overture, and Dvorak 9.
What were the three most important things you did in the week before your audition win that you feel led to your success and why?
1. Reed making!!
Unfortunately for oboists, reeds can really make or break our audition. What I learned from my teacher is that we should be prepared enough in our playing in advance to mostly work on reeds during the week before our audition. I started reed making much later than most of my colleagues, so I always have to spend extra time in this area.
I was actually having trouble that week with a dull gouger, so this audition had to be on an old reed. (Which was extremely nerve-wracking)
2. Repetition in Preparation
To make sure my soft lower register was reliable, I was constantly playing the lower register excerpts over and over again on different days in different environments to keep it consistent. I also made sure to repeat my fast passages, making sure my fast technique was also reliable.
I left each round of this audition feeling like I did the best I could, no matter the outcome. To me, this was a successful audition, even if I didn't win! I felt fully prepared for the excerpts that were asked, and felt comfortable enough not to let the nerves get the best of me.
3. Relax
Oboe is my work, so I always make time for other things to release my stress. I have a multitude of hobbies, like crocheting, playing basketball (maybe not right before the audition in case of finger jamming), and going to the gym! Releasing stress from the oboe by doing other things just makes me get better at it and feel more productive when I am actively practicing.
Did the committee ask you to repeat any excerpts, and if so, what kind of requests did they make?
The committee asked me to play my English Horn Dvorak 9 excerpt again, asking to "play with more dynamics and broader."
(This made me smile in embarrassment behind the screen.)
Did you have any connections to the orchestra or anything that led you to want to audition for this orchestra or position in particular?
I mostly took this audition to add to my audition experience! Youngstown is not too far from Cleveland, and I thought it would be a great chance to help me prepare for bigger auditions in the future. I also took this audition to get better at the English Horn, since I don’t have a chance to play it as much.
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Join me in congratulating Erin on her win and wishing her the best. You can follow Erin on instagram at @erinnyunn.