Please read the following information carefully before beginning your Verbier Festival Orchestra application and before directing any questions to the Verbier Festival team.
There are two different ways to apply to the VFO: 1) live audition (with the exception of harp and percussion – these instrument groups may only apply via video), or 2) video audition. Both audition formats are evaluated equally, with neither holding an advantage over the other.
All VFO applicants must be fluent in English – English is the language used by coaches and conductors, and applicants must have a high level of English proficiency to participate in the programme.
WHO CAN APPLY
PROGRAMME DATES
OPEN POSITIONS
HOW TO APPLY
APPLICATION FEES
COSTS FOR SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS
REFUND POLICY
AUDITION REPERTOIRE
RECORDING YOUR VIDEO
LIVE AUDITION CITIES
WAITLIST
FAQ
CONTACT
who can apply
Applicants to the Verbier Festival Orchestra must be aged 18 to 28 on July 1, 2027, and may be of any nationality and from any part of the world.
Musicians are invited to become members of the Orchestra for one edition of the Verbier Festival. They may be re-invited the following year; re-invitations are not guaranteed. To be eligible for re-invitation, musicians must be aged 28 or under on July 1.
Successful applicants must sign an agreement with the Verbier Festival Foundation, committing to participate in the entire summer session of the Verbier Festival Orchestra, from June 28 to August 2, 2027, and to abide by all Orchestra rules.
Applicants must be able to speak English in order to participate in the VFO. All written and spoken communication within the orchestra takes place in English, which is also the working language of coaches and conductors.
programme dates
VFO musicians must arrive in Verbier on June 28 and depart on August 2, 2027. Musicians must be available for the entire duration of this period.
Information for harpists
As harp is not required for all works, harpists’ arrival and departure dates may differ slightly from those indicated above.
open positions
The following VFO sections currently have no open positions for 2027:
- Tuba
Applicants may nevertheless apply and, should the selection panel deem the application to be of a sufficiently high standard for acceptance, the candidate will be placed on the waitlist and may be invited if a current VFO member withdraws. Applicants are encouraged to apply for full sections, as cancellations often occur and the selection committee relies on the waitlist to fill these positions. In addition, an application fee waiver for the following year is granted to all waitlisted individuals who are not invited to join the orchestra. For more information, please consult the “Waitlist” section below.
Information for harpists
Depending on the programme, successful harp applicants may be invited to perform in one of the Verbier Festival’s other orchestras (Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra and/or Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra).
how to apply
Applications for the Verbier Festival Orchestra programme are accepted via video audition through the getAcceptd online platform. Google Chrome is the recommended browser for using the platform.
The language of all application materials is English.
Application deadline for live auditions: December 14, 2026 (11:59 PM EST)
Application deadline for video auditions: January 11, 2027 (11:59 PM EST)
All applicants must provide:
- Contact details (name, address, etc.)
- Application-related information
- Date of birth, nationality, etc.
- Educational background / teachers
- Uploads / audition
- Passport / ID
- CV detailing academic, professional, and other relevant experience
- Headshot / portrait photo (landscape format)
- For video applications: video upload (see audition programme requirements)
- Payment of application fee (credit card only)
application fees
All applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee of EUR 75. This fee can only be paid by credit card via the GetAcceptd application platform.
Thanks to the generosity of Festival donors, the application fee will be waived for the following applicants:
- Swiss citizens born or residing in the cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, or Vaud (you must hold Swiss nationality to qualify for this waiver; for example, it does not apply to international students studying in these cantons)
To receive this waiver, please send proof of eligibility (for example, a copy of your passport or official certificate confirming your canton of residence) to the following address: orchestras@verbierfestival.com
Please note that you must request the fee waiver before submitting your application. We are unable to refund application fees if you have already paid and subsequently request a waiver.
You must request your fee waiver by the following dates: December 11 (live auditions) and January 8 (video auditions). We will not be able to grant waivers after these dates.
costs for successful applicants
VFO musicians purchase their own return travel tickets (with advice from the Verbier Festival team) and will be reimbursed up to the maximum capped amounts during the Festival period.
The maximum reimbursement amount depends on the place of residence:
150 CHF – Switzerland and neighbouring cross-border regions (e.g. regions in France close to Geneva)
250 CHF – countries bordering Switzerland
350 CHF – other European countries (Council of Europe member states, as well as Belarus and Kosovo. For more information, please visit this page)
500 CHF – Middle East (as defined here)
1,200 CHF – countries outside Europe and the Middle East as defined above
If a musician is unable to fund their travel upfront, they may request assistance from the Festival to book their travel ticket.
The Verbier Festival also covers all tuition and coaching costs, and provides accommodation as well as lunch and dinner.
audition repertoire
Download the audition repertoire for your instrument here:
Please make sure to read the PDF for your instrument carefully before contacting the Orchestras team with any questions.
recording your video
Please read ALL of the following instructions before starting your application or recording your video:
- Please note that you must perform all pieces / orchestral excerpts listed in the “Audition Repertoire” section above. You must perform the works as though you were attending a live audition (i.e. in one continuous sequence, in the order specified). The recording must be made in a single take, without cuts or editing.
- Please consider room size and acoustics, as well as distance from the camera: the more reverberant the room, the closer you should position yourself to the camera (typically 3 metres or 10 feet).
- The use of artificial reverb or any post-production audio editing (cutting, splicing, etc.) is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification. You may use an external microphone (e.g. Zoom Q8) to achieve better audio quality and sync this audio to the video afterwards, with no cuts, edits, or sound effects.
- IMPORTANT: Review and listen to your recording to ensure it accurately reflects what you wish to submit for evaluation by the panel.
live audition cities
The schedule for live auditions is provisional. We recommend that you do not book travel arrangements until you have received your official audition invitation. Audition dates are subject to change depending on applicant numbers.
You will receive the exact date and time of your audition between December 17 and December 31, 2026, via the GetAcceptd platform. Please log in regularly to your GetAcceptd account to check whether your audition details have been sent. Please refrain from contacting our team until after December 31 if you have not yet received your audition time.
Berlin: February 21, 22, 2027
Geneva: January 31, February 1, 2027
London: January 23, 24, 2027
New York: January 16, 19, 20, 21, 2027
Paris: January 9, 10, 2027
Philadelphia: January 18, 2027
Vienna: February 6, 7, 2027
Zurich: February 3, 4, 5, 2027
You may email our team if you have a scheduling preference for your audition day (for instance, if three audition days are scheduled in your city but you are only available on one of them). Please note, however, that we cannot guarantee your audition will be scheduled on your preferred day.
waitlist
If your audition meets the required standard but there are no remaining places in the orchestra for your instrument, you will be placed on the waitlist.
Candidates on the waitlist are only invited in the event of a cancellation; therefore, we cannot guarantee that you will be invited, nor when we will contact you. Please note that cancellations may occur at the very last minute; you may therefore be invited to join the orchestra right up until the start of the programme.
As mentioned above, applicants are encouraged to apply for full sections, as cancellations often occur and the selection committee relies on the waitlist to fill these positions. In addition, an application fee waiver for the following year is granted to all waitlisted individuals who are not invited to join the orchestra.
faq
Q: I will be under 18 or over 28 on July 1, 2027. May I still apply?
We do not accept applications that do not meet the specified age criteria. Musicians aged 15 to 18 may consider applying to the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra. Musicians aged 18 may apply to either the VFO or the VFJO.
Q: When and how will I be notified of my audition results?
Applicants will be notified of results via getAcceptd by March 5, 2027 at the latest. If selected, you must confirm your participation no later than March 9, 2027 (7:00 PM EST).
Q: How do I pay the application fee?
The application fee is paid on the GetAcceptd platform using a credit card. Payment is made at the time the application is submitted. Unfortunately, this is the only accepted payment method.
Q: I am not Swiss, but I live and study in Geneva – am I eligible for an application fee waiver?
No. Waivers are reserved exclusively for Swiss citizens who were born or reside in the cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, or Vaud.
Q: I was born in Zurich and study in Zurich – am I eligible for an application fee waiver?
No. Waivers are reserved exclusively for Swiss citizens who were born or reside in the cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, or Vaud.
Q: I am a French citizen studying in Geneva – am I eligible for an application fee waiver?
No. Waivers are reserved exclusively for Swiss citizens who were born or reside in the cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, or Vaud.
Q: Will I be informed of my position on the waitlist?
No – candidates on the waitlist are invited only in the event of a cancellation; therefore, we cannot guarantee that you will be invited, nor when we will contact you.
Q: May I perform a different concerto movement or excerpt than the one listed in the “Audition Repertoire” section?
No. You must perform the specific concerto movement or orchestral excerpts designated for your instrument. In order for the panel to evaluate all candidates fairly, no substitutions are permitted.
Q: May my CV be written in a language other than English?
Yes. We accept CVs in English, French, German, and Spanish.
Q: May I be accompanied by a pianist during my live audition or record my video with a pianist?
No, all auditions must be performed unaccompanied.