The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
2023-2024 Annual Young Artist Competition
IMPORTANT DATES
Submission Period StartApril 3, 2023
Submission Deadline
August 1, 2023 at 4 pm PDT
Finalists Competition
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Young Artist Competition Winner Concert with VSO
January 20-21, 2024
Submissions are now closed for 2023
The next Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition will take place on October 15, 2023.
Time: 2 pm
Location: First Presbyterian Church, 4300 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98663
2023 FINALISTS:
Piano
Celicia Thendean (age 15), Piano; Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, CA
Xinran Shi (age 14), Piano; Stanford Online High School, San Jose, CA
Roxane Park (age 15), Piano; Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH
Strings
Hyerin Eom (age 17), Violin; Academy of the Holy Angels, Palisades Park, NJ
Nesya Fertel (age 14), Violin; Homeschooled, Salt Lake City, UT
Esme Arias-Kim (age 17), Violin; Colburn School, Hoffman Estates, IL
Brass/Woodwinds
Hannah Cho (age 16), Oboe; Orange County School of the Arts, Tustin, CA
Macy Gong (age 17), Flute; Oregon Episcopal School, West Linn, OR
Diego Chapela-Perez (age 17), Alto Saxophone; Andy Dekaney High School, Spring, TX
Open to young artists up to age 18, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra awards $24,000 in cash prizes and gives winners of each category the opportunity to perform with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on January 20th & 21st, 2024.
The final round will be judged by an extraordinary panel of renowned performers and educators:
Mariam Adam: Founding and former member of the twice Grammy-nominated woodwind quintet Imani Winds, multi-award-winning recording artist, and Assistant Clarinet Professor at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University.
Zuill Bailey: GRAMMY Award winning cello virtuoso, Artistic Director of several major music festivals in the US including Sitka Summer Music Festival, and a professor of Cello at UT El Paso.
Tanya Bannister: Virtuoso pianist and President of the Concert Artists Guild, co-founder and Artistic Director of AlpenKammerMusik in Austria, and co-founder of Roadmaps Festival in New York City.
Dr. Igal Kesselman: Internationally renowned piano educator, Director of Lucy Moses School in NYC, Music Director of Special Music School and Artistic Director of Kaufman Music Center International Piano Competition.
Dr. Stephen Shepherd: VSO Associate Concertmaster, Portland Columbia Symphony Associate Concertmaster, former musician with Westmoreland, Wheeling, and Cedar Rapids symphonies and Vice Principal of Portland’s Roosevelt High School.
CATEGORIES
:: Piano
:: Strings
:: Brass / Woodwinds
CASH PRIZES
:: 1st Place — $5,000 and a performance with the full orchestra
:: 2nd Place — $2,000
:: 3rd Place — $1,000
ELIGIBILITY
Open to all students 18 years of age or under as of January 1, 2024, who are citizens or legal residents of the United States of America.
CRITERIA
Contestants will prepare a movement of a standard concerto (concert-piece) and orchestra for their instrument (with piano accompaniment). We suggest a duration of 15 minutes and the duration must not exceed 20 minutes, and ask that the submission feature soloist and piano accompaniment only. A high-quality YouTube link of the work to be performed must be received at the VSO office by 4 pm PST, August 1st, 2023 along with the completed entry form, entry fee of $100, proof of residency and copy of birth certificate.
The student must possess the temperament and professionalism to perform before a large audience.
The selection performed in the audition video will be the same selection that is intended for the finalist competition and concert performances. The final round of competition must be performed by memory. Scores and orchestra parts must be readily available through major music publishers for purchase or rent.
2023 APPLICATION PROCESS
The following must be submitted with the application form by August 1st, 2023 @ 4 pm:
:: Non-refundable entry fee of $100 (by mail or through online payment)
:: YouTube performance link (see criteria)
:: Copy of legal document which provides proof of age and residency (passport or birth certificate)
All application materials must be received and submitted by mail and/or email to:
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Young Artists Competition
c/o Orchestra Manager
PO Box 525
Vancouver, WA 98666
[email protected]
YOUNG ARTIST FINALISTS COMPETITION
Sunday, October 15, 2023
First Presbyterian Church, 4300 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98663
VSO CONCERTS & REHEARSALS (GOLD MEDALISTS)
January 18, 2024 / 7 pm rehearsal with full orchestra (Skyview Concert Hall)
January 19, 2024 / 7 pm Dress Rehearsal (Skyview Concert Hall)
January 20, 2024 / 7 pm Concert (Skyview Concert Hall)
January 21, 2024 / 3 pm Concert (Skyview Concert Hall)
Skyview Concert Hall, 1300 NW 139th St. , Vancouver WA 98685