The Young Artist Competition

Since 1965, the Philharmonic Society of Arlington has sponsored an annual competition for young musicians, both instrumental and vocal, under 30 years old.  Our purposes are to identify, encourage and provide exposure to promising talents, to grant them an audition experience, and to honor the winner with performance experience with our orchestra and/or chorale. 

The 2010 competition will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2010 in the First Parish Unitarian-Universalist Church which is in the center of Arlington, MA at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Pleasant Street (Rte. 60). It is reachable by MBTA bus.

If you decide to compete, you must submit an application and a $40 application fee. The application form is available here. If your application is accepted, you will be given an appointment for your audition, which will be no longer than fifteen minutes in length. We will try to schedule your audition according to any requests noted on your application. You will have the opportunity to perform works or portions of works you have prepared, as indicated on your application. These works must be solos for your instrument or voice with orchestral and/or choral accompaniment, and must be performed with an accompanist of your choice.

About this year's competition:

• Applicants must be be 29 years of age or younger (date of birth must be April 25, 1980 or later).
• Each entrant must provide the contest committee with biographical information as requested on the application form. The application form is available here or by request to the address below; please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
• Applications are due on or before April 1, 2010. When all audition time blocks have been filled, no more applications will be accepted.
• A non-refundable application fee of $40 must be received no later than 1 week after application is submitted. (Make check payable to Philharmonic Society of Arlington.)
• Send checks and supplemental material to:

Young Artist Competition
c/o Ms. Chris Kergaravat
94 William St.
Stoneham, MA 02180

• Contestants are expected to perform works as indicated in advance on their applications. The contestant must select the work(s) to perform by April 1, 2010.
• All contestants must provide their own accompanists. A list of known local accompanists is available upon request.
• Contestants will be judged upon musicianship and quality of performance.
• One First Prize winner will be selected in each of two categories:
  
  
  • The Peter E. Tannenwald Young Artist Performance Award winner will receive a prize of $1000 upon performing with a Philharmonic Society performing organization during its 2009-2010 season.  A $650 Second prize and a $350 Third prize will also be awarded in the principal competition.
    
    
  • The Leonard D. Wood Award winner, a young contestant 18 years of age or younger, will receive a prize of $500 and, at the discretion of the Society's musical directors, may be asked to perform with the orchestra or chorus.  A $350 Second prize and a $150 Third Prize will be awarded in the Wood Award category.
    
    
• The limited number of audition periods will be assigned in order of receipt of applications.
• The competition committee will return application fees if the audition schedule is filled, or if, in its judgment, the applicant has not had sufficient experience to be auditioned.
• Contestants will not have access to the audition site prior to the day of the auditions.
• Contestants will be notified of the judges' decisions not later than one week after the auditions.
• The application form is available here.