Position of Principal Tuba
Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Audition Announcement – Tuba Principal
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra announces an audition for the position of Principal Tuba.
The first round of the audition will be held by video submission. The application deadline is 9 February 2026, and results from the first round will be announced on 14 February 2026.
The subsequent live audition will take place at Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavík, on 20 April 2026.
Applications should be submitted by email to the HR Manager at starf@sinfonia.is and must include:
• A curriculum vitae
• Copies of relevant diplomas
• A link to the video recording for the first round
In the first round (video round) applicants shall play the following music:
1. Blazevich: Solo Etude
2. Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (both excerpts)
3. Wagner: Die Walküre
The Solo Repertoire and Excerpts can be found here: Tuba-Complete Recorded Audition.
The subsequent live audition will take place at Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavík, on 20 April 2026
Solo Repertoire
1. Ralph Vaughan Williams - Tuba Concerto (1st movement with cadenza).
2. Blazevich: Solo Etude
Orchestral Excerpts
- Berlioz: Hungarian March
- Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
- Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 (F-Tuba)
- Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
- Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis
- Mahler: Symphony No. 5, Scherzo
- Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, Bydlo
- Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
- Respighi: Fontane di Roma
- Stravinsky: Petrushka
- Wagner: Lohengrin
- Wagner: Das Rheingold
- Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
- Wagner: Die Walküre
Solo Repertoire and Excerpts can be found here: Tuba Complete Live Audition.
Recording Requirements
- The performance must be unaccompanied and in orchestral tuning.
- The video must be recorded in one continuous take, in the listed order, with no editing.
- The applicant must remain fully visible throughout the recording.
- Short pauses between pieces for tuning or adjustment are permitted, but the camera must remain on.
- Smartphone recordings are acceptable.
- The sound quality must be clear and well-balanced. If using an external microphone, ensure it is positioned appropriately.
- Record in landscape orientation, ensuring that both the performer and the entire instrument are visible at all times.
Submission Instructions
• Upload the video to YouTube as an “unlisted” video.
• Include the video link in your application email.
• Other submission formats will not be accepted.
About the Position
The vacancy is for a full-time Principal Tuba player.
Applicants must hold a university-level qualification in instrumental performance.
Remuneration is in accordance with the collective agreement between the Iceland Symphony Orchestra Employees’ Association and the Ministry of Finance.
Applicants from outside the EEA must obtain a work permit, subject to approval by the Icelandic Musicians’ Union (FÍH) and the Directorate of Immigration.
About the Orchestra
Founded in 1950, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of Iceland, employing 88 permanent musicians.
The orchestra has long been at the forefront of Nordic orchestras and has received high praise for its recordings and performances both in Iceland and abroad.
The orchestra presents around 100 concerts each year, including subscription concerts with world-renowned conductors and soloists.
We take great pride in our educational initiatives: each year, thousands of students from elementary to secondary school levels attend our concerts, and we organize various educational projects for music students aspiring to become professional musicians.
Eva Ollikainen is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, and Barbara Hannigan will take over in the autumn of 2026.
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra is the resident orchestra in Reykjavík’s award-winning Harpa Concert Hall.
Further information is available at www.sinfonia.is or from the HR Manager at starf@sinfonia.is.