The Annual Young Artist Competition

Competition Date: Jan 20, 2023

The purpose of the Young Artists’ Competition is to afford outstanding students in the School of Music the opportunity to compete for an appearance as a soloist with a large ensemble such as an orchestra, band, choir, etc.

ELIGIBILITY:  

• Competition limited to full-time undergraduate music majors and full-time graduate students in music.
• Students must be currently enrolled and studying applied music with a member of the School of Music faculty. 
• Previous winners cannot compete again during the same degree level.
• Each area will send up to three students to the competition. Final approval of students entering the competition will come from each student’s Area Coordinator following the December jury.

JUDGES:  To be selected; one faculty member will be chosen from each of the following areas:  voice, keyboard, strings, woodwinds, brass-percussion, music education, music history, music theory; and possibly an Emeritus faculty member. The Director of Orchestral Activities and the Director of Bands will serve as non-voting advisors to the jury panel.

AWARDS:  Solo appearance with accompaniment by a large ensemble, to be held during regularly scheduled concerts of the ensembles, in the Spring or Fall semesters.
The number of winners will be 2 or 3, depending on repertoire and accompanying ensemble/s. The relevant ensemble directors will decide whether they can accommodate 2 or 3 winners.
* Concert scheduling will depend on repertoire and other considerations of the ensemble in question. Students graduating at the end of the school year the competition is held in will be given priority in scheduling their performance in the Spring Semester.

MUSIC SELECTION: Students contemplating entering the competition should select the music they wish to perform, with the approval of their applied music teacher, with the intent of performing it both for the competition and the concert. At least an entire movement must be prepared. Before students are eligible to compete, they must receive the consent of the conductor of the organization that would play the accompaniment. The conductor will verify the availability of performance materials and whether the level of difficulty and instrumentation is appropriate for the ensemble in question.

NOTE:  The length of each winner’s performance is limited to a maximum of 20 minutes. For the award performance, winners must perform the movement(s) in their entirety, without cuts (unless traditional, or authorized by the composer).  Performers will be limited to 10 minutes (with cuts allowed) for the competition.

The competition will be open to the public.

Students wishing to enter the competition must submit the application form to the School of Music Office (Room 4103) or via email (Music@mail.wvu.edu) by 4:00 pm, December 20, 2023. 

updated 8/28/2023