2023 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition

We are so pleased to announce the 2023 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition!

The U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition has been the premier concerto competition for aspiring young musicians in the Washington DC metro area for over 15 years. 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 19, 2023.

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 19.

Questions? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil

Important dates for the 2023 Competition:

Applications open: November 1, 2022
Application deadline: February 1, 2023
Winds, Brass, Percussion Division Final Round: March 16, 2023 4:30-6:00pm at Vienna Presbyterian Church
Strings Division Final Round: March 16, 2023 7:00-9:00pm at Vienna Presbyterian Church
Concert: May 19, 2023 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.

You are required to submit a video recording of your piece (see the repertoire list below), a resume, and the online application. All applicants will receive feedback from members of the U.S. Army Orchestra. Finalists will be invited to the Final Round at Vienna Presbyterian Church (see dates above).

Video Submission

Recordings must be performed by the applicant
Recordings may not be edited or have any effects added (reverb, pitch correction, etc.)
Applicant and applicant's instrument must be entirely visible
Please perform the entire piece or movement
Piano accompaniment is required
Applicants are strongly encouraged to have their teacher review their video before submission
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. For repertoire questions, contact the Young Artist Competition Coordinator, SFC Rob Martin.

Questions? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil

Competition Eligibility

The Young Artist Competition is open to Washington, DC-area high school string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists in grades 9-12. (DC-area to include the District of Columbia, Prince Georges Co., Montgomery Co., Howard Co., Anne Arundel Co., Fairfax Co., Fairfax City, City of Falls Church, Prince William Co., Loudoun Co., Arlington Co., Alexandria City, and Baltimore Co.) Applications may be accepted from students who do not live in these jurisdictions but have a connection through either a musical organization or a private teacher.

Young Artist Competition Repertoire List

Applicants are encouraged to choose one (1) selection from the list below. Selections not on this list must be approved, to ensure availability of orchestral accompaniment parts, prior to submission of application and recording.

Questions regarding 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; Sarasate, Carmen Fantasy, Zigeunerweisen; Saint-Saens, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Havanaise

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

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

Submission Instructions

Please request an application by sending an email using the red “Apply Here!” button. Remember to add our email address to your contact list to prevent our correspondence from being flagged as spam. Follow up within one week if you have not received an email reply.

Past Winners

Strings Division

Year	Winner	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
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