The AYS Concerto Competition was established to recognize outstanding musicians in the orchestra and to also train the orchestra in the art of orchestral accompaniment. 

Eligibility

The concerto competition is open to all current members of the 2022/23 orchestra and AYS alumni. The winner will perform the concerto with AYS in the 2023/24 season. Current members who have previously won this competition are eligible to participate in this competition. The winner does not have to be a current member at the time of performance.

Competition Guidelines

Round 1

• Complete and submit the online application form, including video recording. All portions of the form must be complete and accurate. Incomplete forms will not be considered.

-Video must be 10 consecutive minutes or less in length, without cuts or alterations.

-Musician and instrument must be fully visible in the recording.

-Repertoire must meet the new requirements outlined below.

-Playing from memory is not required.

-Recordings current and not recorded before March 2022 will be accepted.

• Application deadline is March 17, 2023.
• A confirmation email will be sent to you once your application has been received.

Round 2

Outstanding performers are selected for Round 2 based on their virtual submissions. Finalists from the first round of virtual submissions will be announced by April 7, 2023, to compete live on Saturday, April 22, 2023.

• Finalists will provide their own accompanists and copies of complete scores of their selections.
• This round may be open to the public.
• The winner will be announced at the close of round 2. The decision of the judges will be final. AYS reserves the right not to name a winner, based on auditions and/or programming needs for the next season.

Location

Round 1 will be virtual, and round 2 will be held at a location to be confirmed in March 2023.

Important Dates

December 26, 2022: Round 1 submissions open

March 17, 2023: Round 1 submissions close

April 7, 2023: Finalists announced

UPDATE – April 22, 2023: Finalists compete, winners announced

Repertoire

The applicant’s concerto movement may exceed 10 minutes; however, the selection performed in the round 1 video submission must fit within this time constraint. The applicant must be prepared to perform the entire movement, should they proceed to the final round, even if it exceeds the 10-minute limit. The same piece must be performed during both rounds of competition.

In striving to progress with the evolution of classical music, to enrich and broaden our musicians’ musical repertoire and experiences, as well as to promote works written by a diverse array of composers, the works performed for this audition must showcase an underrepresented facet of the concerto repertoire. Examples are as follows:

• Composer is of an underrepresented demographic, such as race, gender identity, non-European nationality, etc.
• Composer is currently living.
• Instrument is not commonly featured in concerto performances.
• Music and/or orchestration are different than typical European tradition.

Need help choosing a concerto? Check out the Institute for Composer Diversity.

Accompanists

Each entrant must arrange for their own accompanists. AYS will not provide one for you.

Honorarium

In addition to the solo performance in the 2023/24 season, the winner will also receive a $1,000 honorarium following performance.