Young Artists Concerto Competition

Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra and Parlando School for the Arts
2012 Young Artists Concerto Competition, Junior and Senior Division

The Young Artists Concerto Competition has provided a forum for exceptionally talented young musicians since 1959. The addition of a Junior Division represents an inaugural partnership with the Parlando School for the Arts. Please read the new guidelines for each division, including a description of performance opportunities for the winners.

Download the 2012 Young Artists Concerto Competition Application

Rules & Regulations

ELIGIBILITY:  Open to all musicians residing or studying in the state of Colorado as of August 1, 2011. The winner(s) of last year’s Young Artists Concerto Competition are ineligible to participate. Children of Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra musicians are eligible to participate.
- Ages 17-22 for the Senior Division
- Ages 8-16 for the Junior Division

APPLICATIONS:  Must be completed and returned with proof of age and a non-refundable check. A confirmation will be e-mailed upon receipt of the application. The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra is not responsible for late or misdirected mail due to weather, insufficient postage, or mislabeling. Application fees and deadlines are as follows:

- $40 for the Senior Division, postmarked by Dec. 15, 2011 and sent to:
2012 Young Artists Concerto Competition
Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
2590 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302
Make checks payable to the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra

- $20 for the Junior Division, postmarked by Feb. 22, 2012 and sent to:
2012 Young Artists Concerto Competition
Parlando School for the Arts
2590 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302
Make checks payable to Parlando School for the Arts

REPERTOIRE CRITERIA:  One movement of a concerto or concert piece for solo instrument or voice and orchestra.  Selection must be memorized and no longer than 15 minutes for the Senior Division, and 10 minutes for the Junior Division.

Contestants must perform a work that regularly appears in concert repertoire and for which the music for the orchestra would be readily available. In the event a contestant is selected for a performance opportunity and the chosen work exceeds certain instrumentation or library limits below, the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra reserves the right to request the winner to substitute another work.

Music library limitations:  Repertoire should be either in the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra music library, easily loaned from a local source, or available for rental from a U.S. publisher. In the case that the work is obscure and only available at a large cost to the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra reserves the right to request the winner to substitute another work.

Instrumentation limitations:  Repertoire should fit the following predetermined instrumentations for the respective performance opportunities:
- Senior Division: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (one doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 saxophones, 3 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, 1 banjo/guitar/electric guitar, timpani, 1 percussionist, piano, and strings.
- Junior Division: 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (one doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, 1 percussionist, and strings.

AUDITIONS: Auditions will be held at the Parlando School for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St. in the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder on these dates:
- Jan. 8, 2012 for the Senior Division
- March 3, 2012 for the Junior Division

Auditions are closed to the public. Decisions made by the judges are final. Applicants must be available for all Concerto Competition events. Accompanists and page-turners (if needed) must be provided by the applicant. Decisions made by judges and competition committee are final.  

WINNERS:  
- Senior Division Winners: The winner from the Senior division will perform with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra at a Masterworks concert on Feb. 26, 2012 at St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch. Additional performance opportunities may be available. The top three winners will receive a $100 gift certificate to Boulder Philharmonic Masterworks concerts.

- Junior Division Winners: One winner of a Junior Division age subgroup will be chosen to perform with the Boulder Philharmonic at a school concert on April 19, 2012, subject to Music Director Review. Winners will also perform at an Honors Recital at Baker’s Piano Center in Boulder. The top three winners will receive a $100 gift certificate to Boulder Philharmonic Masterworks concerts.

Four complimentary tickets will be given to the winner’s family to attend the concert. In the event the winner cannot participate in the performance, the 2nd place winner will take their place.

For questions regarding the Senior Division, please email the Boulder Philharmonic’s Education Programs Intern, Keith Thomas, at kthomas@boulderphil.org.

For questions regarding the Junior Division, please email Parlando’s Piano & Keyboard Studio Head, Emily Book McGee, at emily@parlando.org.

Download the 2012 Young Artists Concerto Competition Application