Free and open auditions are held annually via YouTube, removing the cost of international postage, to ensure that any deserving and eligible musician can apply. Following adjudication by prestigious faculty, all musicians in the new orchestra participate on full scholarship, to achieve the greatest equality and diversity possible.
The season centerpiece is a July-August Residence and Concert Tour held each year in different regions of the world. Musicians, Faculty, Conductors, and Guest Artists gather for a 2-week Residence of daily full-orchestra and sectional rehearsals to prepare diverse and challenging repertoire to take on a month-long tour.
Orchestra of the Americas has performed more than 300 concerts since its 2002 Inaugural Tour in settings that range from the most prestigious concert halls of Europe and the Americas to outdoor venues not often associated with symphonic music. The orchestra has reached millions through live performances, television and radio broadcasts, CD recordings, print media, and documentary films.
The global leaders program empowers a rising generation of change-makers in music to transform lives and communities through an innovative nine-month Executive Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship, Cultural Agency, Teaching Artistry, Civic Leadership, and Organizational Management. Led in partnership with nine top universities and think tanks, a world-class Faculty that includes two Nobel Laureates, and a network of institutional Fieldwork hosts spanning 30 countries, the Program is offered annually to a select Cohort of 35 of the most promising emerging talents from around the globe.
The impact of Orchestra of the Americas stretches far beyond its programs. Participants return to their native countries to share experiences and gained knowledge with their communities. The orchestra connects musicians to institutions of higher learning and professional job opportunities. The Orchestra has served as the model for music education startups in Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Saint Lucia, the United States, and Uruguay.