Concerto & Aria Competition

2019-2020 MUSIC SCHOOL CONCERTO & ARIA COMPETITION RULES

1. This competition is open to registered Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School student musicians who study piano or voice at the Music School and student musicians enrolled in RIPYO, RIPYWE, or RIPYChamber Music ensembles at Music School for the entirety of the 2019-2020 school year. Applicants must be enrolled in piano or voice private lessons or a youth ensemble (youth orchestras, youth wind ensembles, or chamber music ensembles at the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School and in good standing (see rule 5 for definition of good standing). Students in small ensembles [oboe trio, horn ensemble, flute ensemble] are only eligible if they participate in RIPYO, RIPYWE, or RIPYChamber Music. Students can only compete on the instrument that they perform in the ensembles with or study privately on through the Music School (if you play flute in RIPYWE, you can only audition on flute for the competition).
2. Age limit: Students must be under the age of 19 as of January 1, 2020. There is no minimum age.
3. Student must be available for the live finals on December 14 and concert on February 9 if selected.
4. The winner will perform a movement of a concerto or an aria with the RI Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (RIPYO), with Alexey Shabalin conducting, on the February 9, 2020 concert at Rhode Island College.
5. Concerto and Aria Competition winners who performed with the RIPYO Symphony Orchestra in the past four seasons are not eligible. Winners may also not compete on other instruments that they play.
6. Any student who wants to be considered for the Concerto & Aria Competition must be in good standing as defined by the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School: students must have good attendance in their RIPMS lessons and/or ensembles and all balances must be up-to-date upon submission, if selected for the live finals, and through the concert.
7. These recently performed pieces are not eligible: Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No.2 in E-flat Major, Op.7; Beethoven's Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major; Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 in F Major, Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos in D minor, FP 61; or Haydn Cello Concerto in C Major, Hob VIIb, No.1..
8. All students must submit the name of the composer, piece name, and movement via email to Cat Walsh at [email protected] no later than 5pm on Friday, October 4th. Pieces must be submitted for approval to be considered for the competition.
9. Application Deadline: Saturday, November 2 at 5:00pm. Applicants must submit a piano-accompanied audition CD of a performance of the concerto movement or aria they will perform and include a hard copy of the accompaniment part along with the CD. The concerto movement or aria cannot exceed 12 minutes. Sonatas, etudes and art-songs are not acceptable.
10. No stopping/starting, editing, or splicing of any kind is allowed. Please submit an honest, un-edited recording.
11. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that the concerto or aria is in print, arranged for orchestra, and is available to order. If the orchestral parts of the concerto or aria need to be rented or purchased, the applicant is responsible for all charges.
12. Finalist Auditions: - December 14 Afternoon. After the audition CDs have been reviewed, finalists will be selected to audition in person. Each applicant must perform his or her selection from memory, with piano accompaniment. Be advised that the judges may request that you stop, repeat, or skip repetitive passages and may not listen to the entire movement or aria. Finalists must bring an original copy of the solo part and the piano accompaniment with them that day.
13. Finalists are responsible for hiring an accompanist, setting up their own rehearsal times with their accompanist and paying rehearsal and performance fees. Since the quality of the accompaniment can impact the solo performance, we advise applicants to select experienced and proficient accompanists. All applicants must audition with piano accompaniment.
14. To enter the competition, students must submit the completed application form, audition CD and accompaniment part to Cat Walsh by the 5:00pm, Saturday, November 2, 2019 deadline.
15. We will inform applicants of results by email and send finalists an assigned audition time for the December 14 live auditions. Finalists must arrive at least 90 minutes before their audition time to check-in and warm up. Failure to appear at a scheduled check-in time may result in forfeiture. Please dress appropriately for a performance. Students are to leave immediately following the conclusion of the finals. Winners will not be announced on the day of the finals. 16. The decisions of the judges are final. Judges reserve the right to make the final determination of the specific work and movement to be performed.

Audition Application