The YouTube Symphony Orchestra: Let the Voting Begin!

You can now cast your votes for your favorite musicians auditioning for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, the world's first collaborative online orchestra and summit. Anyone can vote on the 200 semi-finalists through February 22, 2009.







The YouTube Symphony Orchestra received over 3,000 audition videos from more than 70 countries and territories spanning six continents. Submissions came from Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Eritrea, Venezuela, Vietnam, Russia and the U.S., and included everything from the violin to the toy piano and even an audition on musical saw from GrandmaTF. Here's a playlist of some of the more "unique" performances and related clips about the event.



A panel of musical experts from the London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and other leading orchestras around the world narrowed the field of entries based on such criteria as musicianship, vitality of performance and originality. Now it's time for you to chime in. Who's your favorite flautist, marimba player or harpist? Do you prefer the crash cymbal or contrabassoon? The finalists will go on to Carnegie Hall in April for the collaborative "Internet Symphony" performance and summit gathering of classical musicians from all over the world. But hurry -- voting ends at 9pm PST on Sunday!



Go Vote,

Michele Flannery

YouTube Music