53rd ANNUAL YOUTH CONCERTO COMPETITION
Civic Morning Musicals and the Syracuse Orchestra are pleased to announce the 53rd Annual Concerto Competition. The winners will be invited to perform with the Syracuse Orchestra in the spring of 2025. The Concerto Competition, one of CMM’s important youth programs, is aimed at giving young Central New York musicians the opportunity to thoroughly learn a movement from a concerto and have their performance judged by highly experienced teachers and performers. This feedback contributes to personal and professional development and to the success of any young musician.
Congratulations to our 2023 winner and final round contestants!
Paul DiFolco, piano, winner
Max Clark, double bass
Riley Hubisz, flute
Mia Sakonju, violin
Jonathan So, viola
Application Deadline is December 1, 2024.
APPLICATION OPENING SOON!
Preliminary Round:
Monday, January 20, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Park Central Presbyterian Church
504 E Fayette St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Final Round:
Thursday, January 23, 2025 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Park Central Presbyterian Church
Eligibility:
Student musicians in grades 7-12 (public, private, or home school) residing in the following counties:
- Cayuga
- Chenango
- Cortland
- Herkimer
- Jefferson
- Lewis
- Madison
- Oneida
- Onondaga
- Oswego
- Schuyler
- Seneca
- Tompkins
Categories:
Piano
Strings (violin, viola, cello, and double bass)
Winds (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone and tuba)
Other (timpani, percussion, harp, and guitar).
Finalists:
Contestants from each of the four categories may be chosen to compete in the final round of auditions.
Winners:
Only after having demonstrated musical ability consistent with the high performance standards of a nationally recognized symphony orchestra, individual(s) will be invited to perform as a soloist with the Syracuse Orchestra.
Please see the Competition Rules for the specifics on the competition.
Please find the Concerto Competition FAQ available for download.
Please find the Repertoire List available for download.
Please find the Competition Flyer available for download.
COMPETITION RULES AND REGULATIONS
Please read these regulations carefully and keep them handy.
- Contestants must reside in Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Jefferson, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, or Tompkins Counties.
- The contest is open to candidates in grades 7-12, public, private or home-school.
- Contestants must be prepared to play a piece or movement from the Competition Repertoire List FROM MEMORY.
- Contestants must provide an accompanist and must audition in person. Recordings are not permitted.
- Winners of the last year’s competition are not eligible to compete on the same instrument this year.
- Repertoire performed by winners of the previous year’s competition is not eligible for the current year’s competition. The list is available here.
- Contestants must bring one copy for the judge(s) of their audition piece (solo part with piano reduction, or score) to the Preliminary and Final Auditions.
- At the discretion of the judges, contestants may be interrupted or subjected to time restrictions during both audition rounds.
- Parents, teachers, and friends are invited and encouraged to attend the Final Auditions. Preliminary Auditions are closed.
- The decision of the judges in all is final.
- You may indicate a time range preference for your Preliminary Audition on the application. Your request will be honored if possible.
- Entries must be postmarked or time-stamped no later than December 20. Each entry MUST include the following items for registration to be complete:
- Completed application form – only completed forms will be considered.
- Non-refundable Application fee of $50 paid online, or check made payable to Civic Morning Musicals. Note: If financial assistance is required, contact Ida Tili-Trebicka at (315) 254-0614 or ttrebick@syr.edu.
- Students wishing to receive a copy of their comments, must bring a self-addressed and stamped envelope to the preliminary round.