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Preliminary Rounds
Monday, March 3, 2025
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Semifinal and Final Rounds
Semis: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (beginning in the afternoon)
Finals: Monday, May 12, 2025**
**Please note that the Kansas City Symphony will reimburse, upon submission of receipts, any player who advances from the Semifinal Round on March 4 to the Final Round on May 12 and is therefore required to make a second trip to Kansas City. Reimbursements will be limited to:
-Either up to $700 in flight costs (including fees for checking a bass) for those making a return trip by air OR $500 in mileage costs to those returning by car; AND
-Lodging up to $300 for two nights in Kansas City.
Repertoire
Principal Bass Audition Repertoire List and Excerpts
Location
Helzberg Hall in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, MO. Please do NOT use the main lobby entrance on the south side of the building. Please enter the building through the NE stage door located near the intersection of 16th and Wyandotte.
Maps of Downtown Kansas City and Kauffman Center
Additional Information
In addition to a one-page resume due by January 10, 2025 , applicants must send a refundable deposit for $100 with a check made payable to the Kansas City Symphony no later than Friday, February 7, 2025 in order to secure an audition time. Our audition committee may review résumés after the January 10 deadline with the intent of inviting as many as we are able to listen to. All applicants will be notified of their invitation status for this audition by email. Invited musicians will be given an assigned audition time only after we have received a deposit check/credit card authorization by the above stated deadline. Invited musicians will have their deposit returned to them at the audition or if a cancellation is made prior to one week before the audition. For any players not invited, the $100 deposit will be destroyed following the audition.
**NOTE** Pending the results of the final round at this audition, a tenure-track Section Bass position may also be offered.
This vacancy for Principal Bass is a tenure track position. It is expected that the winner of this audition will begin employment with the Kansas City Symphony in September 2025 for the start of the 2025-2026 season.
1. Annual Salary for the 2025-2026 season in the Principal Bass position:
Minimum Salary: $86,446
Electronic Media Guarantee: $2,436
TOTAL Annual Salary for Principal Bass: $88,882*
*An additional week of salary is available if the musician participates in the very popular Community Connections program. While this participation is optional, it would provide up to an additional $2,058 bringing the total annual salary to $90,940.
2. Annual Salary for the 2025-2026 season in the Section Bass position (should one be offered at this audition):
Minimum Salary: $69,156
Electronic Media Guarantee: $2,436
TOTAL Annual Salary for Section Bass: $71,592*
*An additional week of salary is available if the musician participates in the very popular Community Connections program. While this participation is optional, it would provide up to an additional $1,646 bringing the total annual salary to $73,238.
About the Kansas City Symphony
The Kansas City Symphony aspires to be a destination for the world’s best musicians. As the largest performing arts organization in the Kansas City region, the Symphony seeks to transform hearts, minds and communities through the power of symphonic music. During its 42-week season, the Symphony performs a wide variety of Classical subscription, educational, special and engagement concerts. In addition, the Kansas City Symphony performs for virtually all productions of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and the Kansas City Ballet.
The Kansas City Symphony performs in the beautiful Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a space internationally recognized for its world-class acoustics. Kansas City and its suburbs have been ranked as among the best places to live in the USA, and the KC metro area is estimated to have cost of living that is 85-90% of the national average. Kansas City is remarkably sophisticated, has very strong support for the arts, a generous philanthropic community, easy traffic and great restaurants.
The Kansas City Symphony has an enviable record of financial stability for years, and in 2017 completed a $55 million endowment campaign that will bring the Symphony’s endowment to approximately $100 million. The Kansas City Symphony also has long-term stability in its artistic and administrative staff, and an excellent and highly-engaged Board of Directors. The culture of the Kansas City Symphony is expressed in our core values of excellence, trust, and respect, and there are outstanding relations between the musicians, staff, and board.
Benefits for all orchestra positions include:
- 42 week season
- 2024-2025 season annual base salary is $70,236 (including $58/wk Electronic Media Guarantee)
- An additional week of salary is available to each musician for participation in the popular Community Connections program. Participation is optional.
- Health Insurance coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield with $0 in-network deductible, $20 in-network co-pays, and an annual out-of-pocket maximum of only $750.
- Dental, Life & ADD, Instrument, and Long Term Disability Insurance
- Up to 12-week paid maternity/paternity leave
- 19 days paid vacation per season
- Three personal days per season, accumulating to 9
- One relief week per season, plus 4 discretionary relief days
- 5.995% Pension Contribution to the AFM-EPF
- 2% Contribution to 403b with additional matching provisions available up to another 1.5%
Since the 2010-2011 season, the annual base compensation has increased by 52.5%.
To Apply
Please complete the online application form and upload a one-page resume. For additional questions please contact auditions@kcsymphony.org
The Kansas City Symphony is an Equal Opportunity Employer.