2024 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition

2024 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition

***Applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm EST on February 1st!***

***If you are experiencing difficulty with the online application, please contact us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil and we will assist you.***

We are so pleased to announce the 2024 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition! 

The U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition is the premier concerto competition for aspiring young musicians in the Washington DC metro area, now in its 19th year. We are proud to serve our community with this exciting opportunity. 

There will be two winners of the Young Artist Competition: one from the Strings Division and one from the Woodwind/Brass/Percussion Division! Both winners will perform with the U.S. Army Orchestra at our concert on May 17, 2024.

The Winners, Finalists, and select Honorable Mentions will be offered the opportunity to perform Side-By-Side with the U.S. Army Orchestra at our concert on May 17.

Questions? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil

Important dates for the 2023 Competition:

  • Applications open: November 1, 2023
  • Application deadline: February 1, 2024
  • Live Final Round: March 15, 2024
  • Concert: May 17, 2024 at Schlesinger Concert Hall featuring Young Artist competition winners and side-by-side orchestra

How to Apply:

Click the "Apply Here!" button at the top of this page to start your online application. Applications open November 1, 2023, and must be submitted by 11:59 PM on February 1st, 2024

You are required to submit a video recording of your piece with piano accompaniment (see the repertoire list below), a resume, and the online application. All applicants will receive written feedback from members of the U.S. Army Orchestra. Five Finalists from each division will be invited to the Live Final Round with piano accompaniment (provided by applicant) on March 15th, 2024. Competition participants must be available to compete in the finals. 

Video Submission

  1. Recordings must be performed by the applicant
  2. Recordings may not be edited or have any effects added (reverb, pitch correction, etc.)
  3. Applicant and applicant's instrument must be entirely visible
  4. Please perform the entire piece or movement
  5. Piano accompaniment is required
  6. Applicants are strongly encouraged to have their teacher review their video before submission
  7. Please make sure that your video is viewable without a login. For the most privacy, we recommend YouTube “unlisted” privacy settings.

Selections not on the repertoire list must be pre-approved to ensure the availability of orchestral accompaniment parts. 

Questions? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil

Competition Eligibility

The Young Artist Competition is open to Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore area string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists in grades 9-12. Applications may be accepted from students who live outside the area but who are currently affiliated with a private teacher or musical organization in the Washington, DC, Northern, VA, or Baltimore area.

Questions about eligibility? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil

Recording Information

Using the online form, submit a link (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc.) to a video recording of the applicant performing the required musical selection in its entirety. Piano accompaniment is required.

Video title should be in the following format: Name, Instrument, Composer and Piece. (E.g. Joe Blow, Flute, Mozart Concerto no. 2 in D Major, 1st movement)

Please ensure that the video is viewable without a login. For the most privacy, we recommend YouTube “unlisted” privacy settings. Do not email video files.

Young Artist Competition Repertoire List

Applicants should choose one (1) selection from the list below. Selections not on this repertoire list must be pre-approved to ensure availability of orchestral accompaniment parts. 

Questions about repertoire? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil

Repertoire

  • Concerto movement by:
    Barber, Bartok, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruch, de Beriot, Dvorak, Glazunov, Haydn, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian, Korngold, Lalo Symphony Espagnole, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Paganini, Prokofiev, Saint-Saens, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Vieuxtemps, or Wieniawski
  • Showpieces:
    Bartok, Rhapsody #1 or 2; Bruch, Scottish Fantasy; Chausson, Poeme; Ravel, Tzigane;  Saint-Saens, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Havanaise; Sarasate, Carmen Fantasy, Zigeunerweisen; Waxman, Carmen Fantasie
  • Concerto movement by:
    J.C. Bach, Bartok, Handel, Hindemith, Hoffmeister, Stamitz, Walton
  • Showpieces:
    Bloch, Suite Hebraique; Bruch, Romanze; Enesco, Concert Piece; Hummel, Fantasy; Weber, Andante and Rondo in Hungarian Mode
  • Concerto movement by:
    Boccherini, Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn, Kabalevdky, Lalo, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, Shostakovich
  • Showpieces:
    Popper, Hungarian Rhapsody; Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations; Bloch, Schelomo; Faure, Elegy
  • Concerto movement by:
    Bottesini, Dittersdorf, Dragonetti, Van Hal, Koussevitzky
  • Concerto movement by:
    Handel, Vivaldi, Dittersdorff, Ginastera
  • Showpieces:
    Debussy, Danses; Grandjany, Aria in Classic Style; Ravel, Introduction and Allegro
  • Concerto movement by:
    Liberman, Vivaldi
  • Concerto movement by:
    CPE Bach, Ibert, Lieberman, Mozart, Nielsen, Quantz, Reinecke
  • Showpieces:
    Chaminade, Concertino; Faure, Fantasy; Griffes, Poeme; Hue, Fantasy
  • Concerto movement by:
    Haydn, Marcello, Mozart, Strauss, Vaughan Williams, Vivaldi
  • Concerto movement by:
    Copland, Crusell, Francaix, Mozart, Nielsen, Shaw, Spohr, Stamitz, Weber
  • Showpieces:
    Debussy, Premiere Rhapsodie; Rabaud, Solo de Concours; Rossini, Introduction, Theme and Variations; Weber, Concertino
  • Concerto movement by:
    Hummel, Phillips, Mozart, Vivaldi, Weber, John Williams
  • Showpieces:
    Berwald, Konzertstuck; David, Concertino; Phillips, Concertino; Weber, Hungarian Fantasy
  • Concerto movement by:
    Glazunov, Muczynski
  • Showpieces:
    Bencriscutto, Serenade; Dubois, Concerto; Ibert, Concertino da Camera; Maurice, Tableaux de Provence; Milhaud, Scaramouche; Sparke, Carnival; Villa Lobos, Fantasia (tenor or soprano saxophone); John Williams, Escapades (Catch Me If You Can)
  • Concerto movement by:
    Gliere, Haydn, Mozart, Strauss, Telemann
  • Concerto movement by:
    Arutunian, Haydn, Hummel
  • Showpieces:
    Goedicke, Concert Etude
  • Concerto movement by:
    David, Grondahl, Rimsky-Korsakov
  • Showpieces:
    Barat, Andante and Allegro; Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique
  • Concerto movement (or Sonata w/Orch. accompaniment) by:
    Edward Gregson, Jager, Vaughan Williams, John Williams, Bruce Broughton (Sonata)
  • Concerto movement by:
    Paul Creston Concertino for Marimba; William Kraft Concerto for Timpani; Toshiro Mayuzumi Concertino for Xylophone
  • Concerto movement by:
    Boccalari, Cosma, Horovitz, York
  • Showpieces:
    Buckley, The Yellow Rose of Texas Variations

Past Winners

Strings Division

Year Winner School
2024 First Place: Ryan Chun, violin McLean High School
2024 Second Place: Joshua Thrush, bass James Madison High School
2024 Third Place: Katherine Song, viola Winston Churchill High School
2023 First Place: Jessica Zhu, violin Thomas S. Wootton High School
2023 Second Place: Runa Matsushita, violin Towson High School
2023 Third Place: Katherine Song, viola Winston Churchill High School
2022 First Place: Audrey Goodner, violin Langley High School
2022 Second Place: Brandon Du, violin Centennial High School
2022 Third Place: Runa Matsushita, violin Towson High School
2021 First place: Adrian Cheung, violin Broad Run High School
2021 Second place: Romain-Olivier Gray, cello Home school
2021 Third place: Claire Xu, viola Montgomery Blair High School

Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion Division

Year Winner School
2024 First Place: Issac Won, trumpet Winston Churchill High School
2024 Second Place: Lydia You, oboe River Hill High School
2024 Third Place: Nathan Chou, marimba Winston Churchill High School
2023 First Place: Kyle Cho, oboe Winston Churchill High School
2023 Second Place: Hannah Cho, oboe Orange County School of the Arts
2023 Third Place: David Seol, flute Gilman School
2022 First Place: Arturo Salvalaggio, oboe Walt Whitman High School
2022 Second Place: Eunice Park, harp Lake Braddock Secondary School
2022 Third Place: Jackson Bernal, saxophone Thomas S. Wootton High School
2021 First Place: Amy Hwang, flute Glenelg High School
2021 Second Place: Helen Freeman, flute West Springfield High School
2021 Third Place: Joshua Kucharski, trumpet DeMatha Catholic High School

2023 Winds, Brass, Percussion Division Winner Performance - Kalliwoda “Oboe Concertino”


2023 Strings Division Winner Performance - Korngold Violin Concerto


2023 Young Artist Competition Finals: Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion and Strings


2022 YAC Finals: Strings Division


2022 YAC Finals: Winds, Brass, Percussion Division


2021 Young Artist Competition Winners Concert


YAC 2021 Finals: Strings Division


YAC 2021 Finals: Winds, Brass, Percussion Division


YAC 2020 Winning Strings


YAC 2020 Winning Woodwinds