Josh Aerie conducts the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
The mostly volunteer Columbus Symphony Orchestra, marking its centennial-year celebration season opening Oct. 23, will host two competitions this season: the Laura Showalter Youth Concerto Competition and the Composition Competition.
Here is an overview of each:
Laura Showalter Youth Concerto Competition
The competition is for high school aged musicians to prepare a musical piece and audition for an opportunity to perform with Indiana’s oldest continually-active symphony orchestra. Winner of the Youth Concerto Competition will receive a scholarship of $500. Deadline to apply is Jan. 6.
Applicants must be enrolled in high school, or home schooled; reside in, or attend school in: Bartholomew, Brown, Johnson, Jennings, Decatur, Jackson, or Shelby counties; must be younger than 20 and pledge to be available, if chosen, to rehearse prior to and perform with the orchestra.
Type of musical pieces:
• Concertos, show pieces or similar scored for a solo instrument with orchestra
• Less than 15 minutes in duration
• Must be in print and accessible to the orchestra
• Applicants are encouraged to consult with their teacher in selecting an appropriate piece
Eligible solo instruments
• Strings: violin, viola, cello, bass
• Winds: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba
• Percussion: Mallets and other orchestral percussion
How to apply:
• Complete an online application at csoindiana.org/youthconcerto/
• Submit an unedited recording of the applicant playing the piece to [email protected]
• If selected, perform an in-person audition for the judge(s)
• If selected as the winner, you will rehearse and perform with the orchestra at the Hometown Talent concert on Feb. 19.
The Composition Competition
This marks the second annual composition competition.
The Composition Competition is part of the local symphony’s recent strategic priority to champion music by living composers. In addition to a $1,000 monetary prize, the winning composer, who must be 18 or older, will receive a world premier performance of their composition with the orchestra at the June 4 concert.
The deadline for submissions is March 3. Finalists will be notified by March 17 and must submit parts by March 31.
Reading of the finalist’s scores will occur on April 7. The winner will be announced April 14.
Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States in order for orchestra to provide payment of the $1,000 cash prize.
Eligibility
The work must be a world premiere original, between four and 12 minutes in performance duration. The winning composer must attend
the concert and minimum of two rehearsals, including the dress rehearsal the day of the concert.
Instrumentation
Compositions must be scored for symphony orchestra (winds, brass, percussion, strings), and within the following guidelines: no more than three flutes (one doubling piccolo or one piccolo/two flutes OK); no more than two oboes (one doubling English horn OK); no more than three clarinets (one bass, two clarinets OK); no more than two bassoons; no more than four horns; mo more than three trumpets; no more than three trombones (one bass); no more than one tuba; no more than one set of timpani; no more than four percussionists (in addition to timpani) ; full string section (violin I, violin II, viola, cello, bass); works with one harp and/or one piano part(s) are eligible.
Difficulty level
The orchestra is comprised of 60 volunteer musicians of moderate to high skill level, according to its leaders. Samples of works performed over the last three years include George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero,” Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” and Ludwig von Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony.”
The difficulty level of submitted works will be a consideration in the selection process. While challenging works are doable by the orchestra, due to the limited rehearsal time and the unfamiliar nature of recently written compositions, composers are cautioned not to send works of exceptional difficulty level.
Applying
All materials should be submitted electronically via email to
[email protected] with score, fully realized (no piano reductions), in PDF format. There should be a link to recording of submitted work (YouTube, SoundCloud, etc.). MIDI is acceptable.
Plus, there should be a current resume that includes applicant’s current address, telephone number, and email address. Deadline for submissions is March 3.
Information and questions: Rachel Wilken, symphony board president, at [email protected].
More about the orchestra
Find out more about the state’s oldest contionuous orchestra at csoindiana.org.
