2024 – 2025 Youth Concerto Competition Rules and Regulations
The Clear Lake Symphony sponsored a Competition among area instrumental and piano music students, and will feature the outstanding student soloists in concert on March 14 2025. Application are due no later than December 14, 2024.
The aim of the Competition is to enhance music performance and appreciation by:
♦ encouraging promising students to prepare high quality performance materials,
♦ aiding instrumental and piano teachers in the Houston/Galveston Metro Area in so encouraging their students,
♦ provide opportunities for the students to perform with the Clear Lake Symphony before a live audience.
Scholarship Awards
Scholarship awards will be granted to the winner of each category in each Division.
COMPETITION RULES
ELIGIBILITY
Any student residing in the Houston/Galveston Metro area not over the age of 19 and not yet out of high school is eligible to enter the Competition. A student who wins the competition is ineligible to perform in the competition the following year. A former Concerto Competition winner must wait for one (1) year before re-entering.
JUNIOR DIVISION
Students not having reached the of age 15 by September 1, 2024.
SENIOR DIVISION
Students having reached the age 15, but not having reached the age of 19 by September 1, 2024.
CATAGORIES
There are three separately judged instrumental categories in each division.
1) Winds & Percussion
2) Strings
3) Piano
REPERTOIRE
Any movement of a large work for solo instrument and orchestra is acceptable, provided that an orchestration is readily available for the Symphony’s use. All selections are subject to the approval of the Clear Lake Symphony Conductor. Memory is suggested but not required.
ORCHESTRATION
It is the contestant’s responsibility to determine, before their application is submitted, whether or not an orchestration for their piece is available for the performance. If no orchestration is available, they should choose another piece with which to audition and perform.
COMPETITION
Each contestant must arrange for piano accompaniment using piano reduction for the orchestration. Contestants should bring an original copy of the music for the judges to view during the competition. The piece must be limited to no more than 12 minutes. The Competition Coordinator has the authority to make binding decisions regarding conformity to competition regulations.
JUDGING
If no performance in a category is deemed acceptable by the judges for the first place award, no scholarship will be awarded in that category.
PERFORMANCE WITH THE CLEAR LAKE SYMPHONY
Each of the winners will be invited to perform with the Symphony. Other outstanding contestants may be invited to perform as time and programming permit. The concert will be March 14, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Each of the winners is eligible for a scholarship award. Each winner must submit a letter describing how the award will be used to continue his/her musical education. Awards will be granted after receipt of the letter and after the winners have performed at the March 14, 2025 Concert. Scholarships awards for the Junior Division winners is $100 and for the Senior Division winners is $200.
APPLICATIONS
The Application Form must be made on-line by clicking here “Youth Concerto Competition Application“. Applications are due by December 14, 2024 Any applications submitted after this time will not be considered. We will not accept any mail-in applications. For questions, contact MELODIE SHELTON (Competition Coordinator) at shortmusic@gmail.com.
A $50 non-refundable application fee will be collected by credit card through PayPal when submitting the application.
COMPETITION
The Competition will be held on Saturday,1n January 18, 2025.
The Competition will be held at the University Baptist Church unless otherwise noted later on this site. Individual performance times will be assigned by mid December 2024.
Location:
University Baptist Church
16106 Middlebrook Drive
Houston, TX 77059
FOR QUESTIONS
Please leave a message for MELODIE SHELTON, Competition Coordinator, by sending an Email to:shortmusic@gmail.com.
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