UTSO STRINGS CONCERTO COMPETITION

Any string student registered for studio lessons and approved by her/his studio teacher is eligible to participate in the UTSO Strings Concerto Competition.  Students chosen as winners of the UTSO Strings Concerto Competition become ineligible to compete in the competition for the remainder of their degree program.  Past winners who continue or return to the BSOM to pursue another degree program may compete again. 

Two sets of preliminary auditions for the UTSO Strings Concerto Competition will be held: one set for upper strings (violin and viola); the other, for lower strings (cello, double bass, harp and guitar).  A maximum of three (3) students will advance from each preliminary audition for a maximum total of six (6) finalists.  The collective faculty of upper strings (violin and viola) will be in charge of how they would like their preliminary round to be conducted.  Likewise, the faculty of lower strings (cello, double bass, harp and guitar) will be responsible for the operation of their preliminary round.  These procedures include setting the date for the preliminary round, sign-up process, room reservation for the event, length of time to be performed, procurement of the adjudicator(s) and coordination of pianists with Professor Valentine.  A list of those selected for the finals must be submitted to the Division Head one week prior to the date of the final round.

The Final Round of the UTSO Strings Concerto Competition will be held on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at 2pm in the Recital Studio (MRH 2.608) in a concert open to the public.  The winner will be selected by a panel of outside adjudicators.                                                                           

Competition repertoire should come from each instrument’s concerto repertoire and must be a minimum of seventeen (17) minutes in length. Works that do not fit the time requirement are not eligible (such as Kreisler’s Praeludium and Allegro for Violin and Orchestra, Tchaikovsky’s Pezzo Capriccioso for Cello and Orchestra, etc.).  Works such as the Bernstein Serenade and Bruch Scottish Fantasy are acceptable works.  All works must be performed by memory.  Only works for one soloist are eligible; works for two or more solo instruments are not eligible. 

In order to maximize diversity of repertoire, works performed by the winner(s) of the competition are not eligible again for consideration for two full academic years after being selected for performance by UTSO.  For example, the repertoire of the winner of the 2022-23 competition would not be eligible again for consideration until the 2025-26 season

Works currently ineligible for consideration

• Igor Stravinsky Concerto in D Major (1931) for Violin and Orchestra  (eligible 2026-27)
• Dmitri Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 77 (99), for Violin and Orchestra  (eligible 2027-28)
  
  The winner of the Strings Concerto Competition will perform with the UTSO on either Thursday, February 26, 2026 or Saturday, April 25, 2026 in Bates Recital Hall.