Solo Artist Student Competition 2025

The Houston Youth Chamber Orchestra is excited to announce its fourth annual Solo Artist Student Competition! Registration is exclusively available to all 2024-2025 Philharmonic Orchestra HYCO students. Application details, competition rules, and other information can be found below.

 

Date

Saturday, May 17, 2025

Time

9am–3pm; assigned 10 minute slots with approx. 30 slots available to Philharmonic Orchestra division students. Slots are assigned according to date of application and once they are filled, we will keep a waitlist on file.

Location

1011 Heights Blvd. Houston, TX 77008

Fee

$75 / applicant; payable through our website

Prizes

1st place: $200
2nd place: $100
3rd place: Honorable Mention

Competition Rules

  1. The applicant for the 2025 Houston Youth Chamber Orchestra Competition must be between the ages of 5 and 19 and a current member of the Houston Youth Chamber Orchestra Philharmonic program.

  2. Applications must be filled out online and will be limited to the first 30 applicants.

  3. Candidates who decide not to compete should notify Colleen Johnson, (hyco@hycomusic.org) by May 1, 2025 to withdraw their application. The registration fee is nonrefundable.

  4. Solo selection can be performed with accompaniment (piano on site of performance) or as a solo performance without accompaniment. Applicants who choose pieces that have accompaniment are strongly encouraged to use an accompanist for the performance. Please contact hyco@hycomusic.org should you need a piano accompanist referral.

  5. Each applicant will be allotted 10 minutes/audition. Please do not arrive on site more than 15 minutes before your performance due to space restrictions. Please arrive warmed up and ready to perform. If a student does have a work that is longer than 10 minutes, the judging committee will kindly stop the performer.

  6. Evaluation and comment sheets will be available to performers approx. 1 week after their performance.

  7. Memorization is not required but encouraged if possible.

  8. All applicants will be assigned a performance time no later than May 1, 2025. Comment sheets will be mailed or e-mailed shortly after the competition date.

  9. A copy or original part for the judges to review during the performance is required.

  10. Winners will be announced via e-mail to all applicants by 4pm on May 17, 2025.

  11. Application deadline: May 1, 2025.