Competitions at the MasterWorks Festival

Student Honors Recital

Based on nominations from the MasterWorks faculty, students are selected to compete for a spot in the MasterWorks Festival Student Honors Recital. Auditions are held the second week of the festival before a panel of faculty judges. The competition is divided into three age groups: high school, college, and post-college. Students are accompanied by a faculty accompanist. The winners are selected to perform the following week in a public concert.

Concerto Competition

Each summer, the MasterWorks Festival sponsors a concerto competition, and the winners perform with a festival orchestra. Students audition and perform only one movement of their selected concerto.

Auditions (with piano accompaniment) for the competition are held the first week of the festival before a panel of faculty judges. Finalists perform for the entire student body. The selected winners will have 1-2 weeks to further prepare before their rehearsals and performance with the orchestra.

The Concerto Competition Repertoire list is posted here. The concerto, movement, and opus number should be clearly marked when you submit your concerto selection. An accompanist will be provided from the piano faculty. Repertoire changes are not permitted once your score has been received by the MasterWorks office.

The Concerto Competition finals will be held on Thursday, June 21 at 8:00 PM.

Final winners will play with the Festival Orchestra on Saturday, July 7 at 7:30 PM.

Vocal Competition

Students of the Vocal Intensive Study Program are invited to participate in the MasterWorks Festival Vocal Competition. The winner performs his or her aria with a festival orchestra.

Appropriate competition selections include any aria from a standard opera or oratorio. When you apply to the festival, mark on page three of the application that you plan to enter the concerto competition. The piano orchestral reduction must be submitted to the MasterWorks Festival Administrator postmarked on or before May 15, 2011.  The opera/oratorio and aria title should be clearly marked on your selection. An audition accompanist will be provided from the piano faculty. Repertoire changes are not permitted once your score has been received by the MasterWorks office.Upon receipt, you will be notified via email.

Auditions (with piano accompaniment) for the vocal competition are held the first week of the festival before a panel of faculty judges. Vocal Competition Finalists perform for the entire student body on Thursday, June 21 at 8:00 PM. The selected winners will have 1-2 weeks to further prepare before their rehearsals and performance with the orchestra on Saturday, July 7 at 7:30 PM.

Deadlines

Concerto and vocal submissions received after May 1 will be put on a waiting list. We will continue to accept scores for the wait-list through May 15. Should a student drop out of the competition, the first name on the waiting list will be notified of the opening. The competition roster will be set by June 1.

The Concerto and Vocal Competition is limited to 50 students total. The first 50 students to submit their piano accompaniment to the MasterWorks Festival Administrator postmarked on or before May 1 will have a guaranteed spot and will be notified via email. If you submit your score after the competition has reached full capacity, you will be notified via email.