RULES & REQUIREMENTS
- This Competition is open to Symphony Orchestra members. Concerto Completion winners from the previous season (2023-2024) are not eligible to compete (unless competing on a different instrument).
- Your audition piece must be submitted to Dr. Gómez-Rojas for approval before the registration deadline, Monday, October 14, 2024. This will ensure that it is musically and technically appropriate for the orchestra.
- NEW THIS YEAR (2024-2025)
- There will be a first round via self-submitted video. Video entries must be submitted by Friday, October 18, by end of day. Videos must include piano accompaniment.
- Video Submission Instructions:
- Upload your video to YouTube
- Set your video privacy settings to “unlisted.”
- The title of your video should follow the format: “[Name] – [Instrument] – MYS 2024-25 Concerto Competition”
- Leave the description and tag fields blank.
- Email the video link to auditions@playmys.org. Be sure to include the name(s) of the student(s) in the video in the body of your email.
- Finalists will be announced on Tuesday, October 22nd. Up to 6 finalists will be selected.
- There will be a final round (with an audience) on Friday, November 1st, at The Old Madeleine Church, time TBC.
- Memorization is required for both rounds.
- The work played at the audition must be a piece for soloist and orchestra, and must be the one you wish to perform with the orchestra. Symphony Orchestra members may team up and audition together on a piece that features more than one soloist.
- Selections must be between 5 and 10 minutes in duration. Typically, this means only one movement from a standard concerto, the entirety of a stand-alone show-piece, or 2 or 3 shorter movements. In the case of single pieces or movements that are longer than 10 minutes, players must make cuts in consultation with Dr. Gómez.
- Students who team up to compete with a piece that features more than one soloist may also participate individually (as a separate competition entry). Each team member should complete their own registration form and a teacher approval form should be received for each participating student.
- Students who play more than one instrument may submit one entry per instrument (for example, a student who plays both violin and viola can enter with a violin piece and with a viola piece, separately).
- All players must audition with a piano accompanist. Your accompanist must be confirmed by the registration deadline. If you need assistance in finding one, please contact Mark Woodward at production@playmys.org. Please do not submit the registration form until you have found a piano accompanist.
- Three copies of the music (solo part or a piano reduction) must be provided at the time of your audition. The first measure in each system must be numbered!
- There will be two separate categories for the concerto competition:
- Strings
- Winds/Brass/Percussion/Piano
- One winner from each category will be selected, unless the judges decide otherwise due to lack of qualified candidates in any given category. Judges may select additional winners or runners-up.
- Winners will perform with the MYS Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, January 12 at the Newmark Theatre. An overall runner-up may be selected to perform with Concert Orchestra in their May concert. Additional players may be selected to perform with other MYS groups.
REGISTRATION FORMS
Register for the 2024-2025 Concerto Competition by completing the forms below. If you have any questions about your registration, please reach out to Mark Woodward at production@playmys.org.