SYMPHONY SOLO COMPETITION

2024 Symphony Solo Competition

The MYS Symphony Solo Competition is a two-round competition where the winner earns the opportunity to perform their concerto with the MYS Symphony Orchestra at the Winter Concert. The first round is a recorded video round and the second round is a live audition for a panel of judges.

Eligibility

  • The Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition is open to students who are members of MYS Symphony Orchestra.*

  • Participants must be enrolled for the second trimester of the 2024–25 season.

  • Participants must perform on the instrument they play in MYS Symphony Orchestra. 

  • Past solo competition winners are not eligible to participate.

Dates

Preliminary Round

  • Submission Deadline: Friday, September 20, 2024, by 11:59 PM

  • Submission Method: Online video submission

  • Results: Preliminary competition results will be emailed to all participants by Wednesday, September 25.

Final Round

  • Date: Sunday, October 6, 2024

  • Time: 7:30–9:00 PM

  • Location: Macalester College Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, 130 S Macalester St, Saint Paul

  • Results: Participants will be notified of the results via email after the judges have reached their decision.

Winter Concert Performance

  • Concert Date: Sunday, February 9, 2025

  • Time: 2:00 PM

  • Location: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis

Requirements

Preliminary round

  • The preliminary round is a video submission and can be created using a mobile device, computer, or video camera equipment. Recordings from past performances are not permitted.

  • Participants must perform the recorded round without any accompaniment.

  • Upload the performance as an unlisted YouTube video. Please title the video “MYS Symphony Solo Competition” and submit the link using the online form.

  • If the selected piece is not in the public domain, please upload a scan or digital file of the piano score using the online form.

Final Round

  • Finalists must perform their piece from memory.

  • Piano accompaniment is required. Participants must arrange for their own accompanist. It is recommended that all participants arrange for an accompanist to be available on October 6 in the event they advance to the finals. MYS will provide financial assistance to finalists who need support covering the cost of an accompanist.

  • The final round auditions are closed to the public.

Repertoire Guidelines

  • The selected piece can be either a movement of a concerto or a work written for solo instrument(s) with orchestral accompaniment. Only one selection is permitted.

  • The time limit for the Final round of the competition is 12 minutes. Cuts can be incorporated into the accompaniment, but the full solo part must be played. The complete movement or work may exceed 12 minutes (without cuts) and may be performed in its entirety at the Winter Concert, at the discretion of the conductor.

  • The orchestral accompaniment of solo pieces varies greatly. The orchestral accompaniment for the selected piece should be for "standard" symphony orchestra or smaller (no larger than triple winds, brass 4-3-3-1 + timp., 2 perc. harp, piano and strings). If you have questions about this, please contact us.

  • It is recommended that participants research whether their selected piece is currently in print or available for rental. MYS cannot guarantee that rental pieces will be available for performance. 

  • MYS encourages the performance of underrepresented areas of music and in pursuit of this goal, encourages students and teachers to explore solo music by composers from underrepresented groups, living composers and music from outside of the European tradition. Additional resources available here: 

Please contact MYS with any questions.

*Individual circumstances may allow for some musicians who are not currently in Symphony due to scheduling issues to participate in this competition. Please contact mys@mnyouthsymphonies.org, if you believe you may be one of these individuals.