2025-2026 Concerto Competition

RULES & REQUIREMENTS

• ELIGIBILITY: This competition is open to current members of Symphony Orchestra.
  • Concerto Completion winners from the 2024-2025 season are not eligible to compete unless competing on a different instrument. Runners-up from last season are allowed to compete on the same instrument.
• REPERTOIRE: The selected work(s) must be a piece for soloist(s) and orchestra.
• PRE-APPROVAL: Your music selection(s) must be pre-approved by Dr. Gómez by Monday, October 6, 2025. This will ensure that it is musically and technically appropriate for the orchestra. We recommend you talk with your teachers and Dr. Gómez in the summer of 2025 as you begin preparing your selection(s).
• DURATION & CUTS: Selections must be between 5 – 10 minutes in duration. This typically means one movement from a standard concerto, the entirety of a stand-alone show piece, or 2-3 shorter movements of a larger work. In the case of a selection that is longer than 10 minutes, players must make cuts in direct consultation with Dr. Gómez.
• SINGLE & MULTIPLE SOLOISTS: Symphony Orchestra members may team up and audition together on a piece that features more than one soloist (i.e. a double concerto, triple concerto, concerto grosso, etc). Students who team up may also participate individually as a separate competition entry. Each performer must complete their own registration form and have their private teacher submit an approval form.
• MULTIPLE ENTRIES ON DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS: Students may submit multiple concerto entries on different instruments. For example, a student who plays both violin and piano may compete with a violin concerto and a piano concerto. A separate registration form and teacher approval for each instrument is required.
• REGISTRATION & TEACHER APPROVAL FORMS: both online forms must be submitted by Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
• ACCOMPANISTS: 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 confirmed the timeline and performance dates with your accompanist.
• PRELIMINARY VIDEO ROUND:
  • Submit a video performance of your selection with live piano accompaniment (required) for the preliminary round.
  • Video entries must be received by Friday, October 10, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
  • Memorization is required.
  • Video submission instructions:
    • Upload your video to YouTube.
    • Set your video privacy settings to “unlisted.”
    • Use the following format for your video’s title:
      • “[First Last Name], [Instrument] – MYS 2025-2026 Concerto Competition”
    • Leave the description and tag fields blank.
    • Email the video link to auditions@playmys.org.
    • In the body of the email include
      • the name(s) of the student(s) performer(s),
      • the composer, and
      • the complete title and movement (if applicable) of the work
  • Finalists of the Preliminary Video Round will be announced on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Up to 6 finalists will be selected.
• FINAL LIVE ROUND—MYS CONCERTO COMPETITION:
  • All finalists will perform their work with live piano accompaniment (required) on Friday, October 24, 2025 at [location/time TBD].
  • Memorization is required.
  • Three copies of the music (either the solo part or the solo line with piano reduction) must be provided at the time of your audition. The first measure in each system or line must be numbered!
  • This is a live, professionally adjudicated competition.
  • This performance is ticketed and open to the public.
  • Winners will be announced at the event.
  • The event will be video recorded. Adjudicator comments and video recordings will be given to concerto competitors following the event.
• COMPETITION WINNERS:
  • There will be two separate categories for the concerto competition:
    • 1. Strings (Violin/Viola/Cello/Double Bass)
    • 2. Woodwinds/Brass/Percussion/Piano
  • One winner from each category will be selected, unless the judges decide otherwise due to lack of qualified candidates in a given category. Judges may select additional winners or runners-up.
  • Winners will perform with the MYS’s Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, January 11, 2026 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.
  • Runners-up, if any, will perform with MYS’s Concert Orchestra on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

REGISTRATION FORMS

Register for the 2025-2026 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.

2025-2026 forms coming summer of 2025!