To foster musical talent in our community and give young musicians the valuable opportunity to perform as soloists with an orchestra, the Hampton Roads Philharmonic is opening a portion of its season to feature a young soloist. Decided by an adjudicated competition, the winner will perform with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic as a featured soloist in its 9th annual Young Artist Competition Showcase performance on March 9th, 2025. This competition is open to instrumentalists up to age 21.

Competition

The competition will be held on Sunday, November 3rd, 2024, with times to be assigned between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at The American Theatre in Phoebus, Virginia.

Registration

The application and registration fee must be received by October 31st, 2024. After registration closes, late applicants may be taken only as time and space allow or become available. If we cannot accommodate your registration, your registration fee will not be processed.

  • Open to participants up to age 21.
  • Limited to 15 participants. 
  • With maximum entries, time on stage will be limited to 10 minutes.
  • After registration is closed and we have received all applicants, you will be assigned an audition period for your performance.  We will make an effort to accommodate a time preference, but cannot guarantee any certain time.  Please make yourself available for the duration of the competition. 
  • Participants must make arrangements for their own accompanist.
  • Participants are expected to perform their selection from memory for placement.
  • Participants must provide at least one published or legally printed edition of the music they are performing for the judges; participants are requested to provide (3) copies—one for each judge. This music is to be submitted to the judges immediately before competing and will be returned after you compete.  It is the participant’s responsibility to follow copyright permission from the publisher.
  • After each performance, please clear the hall quickly and quietly as the competitor leaves to allow for adjudication, deliberation, and to keep the schedule running smoothly.
  • If necessary, the adjudicators may recommend multiple winners.  While not anticipated, the adjudicators may also determine that none of the participants’ performances meet the requirements to perform with the HRP. 
  • Grand Prize winners may not earn that placement in consecutive years.  
  • The Music Director of the HRP will make the final programming decision for the Young Artist Competition Showcase concert in March.

The judges will choose a Grand Prize winner for a $500 award and performance opportunity with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic.  At their discretion, the judges may acknowledge additional participants in the form of Runner Up or Honorable Mention placements. An Encouragement Award is reserved for an outstanding younger soloist. The HRP will send results via your registered email, Facebook, website & social media.

The winner must be available for the following dates to rehearse & perform with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic.

  • 2/11/25 – Read through with Orchestra
  • 2/18/25 – Rehearsal with Orchestra
  • 2/25/25 – Rehearsal with Orchestra
  • 3/4/25 – Dress Rehearsal @ American Theatre
  • 3/9/25 – YAC Performance @ American Theatre 
  • 1:30 pm Call 2:30 pm Performance

Runner-up and honorable mentions may be asked to perform if the winner becomes unavailable.

Repertoire

For the competition, participants are expected to prepare a movement of a concerto or appropriate concert piece.  Participants are encouraged to come prepared with additional movements, but stage time will be limited to 10 minutes.  Judges may stop you to ask for certain movements or selections during your time. 

 

In order to create a successful musical collaboration between the orchestra and soloist, it is strongly recommended that your piece fall within the following instrumentation & guidelines.  Ideally, a winner will be chosen with repertoire that is also a good musical fit for the orchestra. 

The instrumentation of your piece may include up to:

 

2 Flutes (1 Doubling Piccolo)
2 Oboes (1 Doubling English Horn)
2 Clarinets
2 Bassoons

4 Horns
2 Trumpets
3 Trombones
1 Tuba

Timpani
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Cymbals
Triangle
Tambourine
1 Harp

String Orchestra

Your piece should require no rental fees, and have a score, parts, and materials that are in print and readily available.

As you choose your piece, keep in mind the programming and musical concerns that the orchestra would need to accommodate in order to perform your piece such as length, overall difficulty,  unusual instrumentation, or other demands.

Recent successful collaborations have been well-known and accessible concerti from the standard repertoire such as:

  • Mozart Piano Concerto in C, K. 415
  • Haydn Cello Concerto in C Major Hob VIIb/1
  • Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major K.218
  • Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor Op. 64
  • Sibelius Violin Concerto, Op 47
  • Weinawski Violin Concerto No. 2, Op 22
  • Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85
  • Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25

Location

The American Theatre

125 E. Mellen St.
Hampton, VA 23663
(757) 722-2787

To Enter

Please submit the application and a $30 non-refundable registration fee. This fee compensates our guest adjudicators and covers operational costs related to the competition. Application mailable and checks made payable to:

Hampton Roads Philharmonic
PO Box 3428
Hampton, Virginia 23663

If we are unable to accommodate your application due to capacity or late registration, your registration fee will not be processed.

**Please note: Online applications must be paid online. Paper applications must be mailed with a check. Applications without an application fee will not be processed, and you will not receive an audition time.**

Hampton Roads Philharmonic

Our vision is to build a community where classical music serves as an integral and thriving art form. Our mission is to strive for artistic excellence, increase community awareness and participation in the performing arts, program a diverse selection of repertoire, and create a variety of educational opportunities and performing experiences.

Previous Winners

Grand Prize Winner – Brendan Elliott
Runner Up – Sterling Elliott
Honorable Mention – Andrew Leobolt
Encouragement Award – Ava Shedd

Grand Prize Winners – Kendall and Kearston Gonzales
Runner Up – Mary High
Honorable Mention – Maggie Jordan

Grand Prize – Ava Shedd, violinist

Second Place – Maggie Jordan, violinist

Honorable Mentions:
Mary High, flutist
Eden Crumbly, violinist
Kaylah Walker, violinist

Grand Prize – Elza Willett, Sibelius Violin Concerto

Second Place – Kendall Gonzales, Saint-Saens Cello Concerto

Third Place – Maggie Jordan, Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3

Honorable Mentions – Kaylah Walker, Czardas, Monti

Grand Prize – Eden Crumbly, Bruch Violin Concerto

Second Place – Kearston Gonzales, Mozart Violin Concerto in G

Third Place – Tyler Hyun, Hindemith “Der Schwanendreher” Concerto for Viola

Grand Prize – Ritchie Bui performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C, K. 415

Second Place – Isabeau Spears, violinist, performing Gang/Zhanhao’s Butterfly Lover’s Concerto

Third Place – Tyler Hyun, violist, performing Weber’s Andante and Rondo

Honorable Mention – Kaylah Walker performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218

Encouragement Award – Noah Crumbly, performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto In C

Grand Prize – Benjamin Luo performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Mvt. I

Second Place – Benjamin Reed performing Saint-Saens’ Cello Concerto in A Minor

Third Place – Noah Crumbly, performing Lalo’s Cello Concerto, Mvt. III

Honorable Mentions

Tyler Hyun performing Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata, Mvt. I 

Leo Guo performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Mvt. I

Grand Prize – Angela Zhang performing Mendelssohn Piano Concerto in G Minor, I. Molto allegro con fuoco

Second Place – Joseph Varnovitsky performing Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto, I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso 

Third Place – Noah Crumbly performing Lalo Cello Concerto in D Minor, III. Andante – Allegro Vivace

Honorable Mentions

Sophie Spears performing Ralph Vaughn Williams Oboe Concerto, I. Rondo Pastorale

Tyler Hyun performing Bowen Viola Concerto, I. Allegro assai

Leo Chan performing Weber Clarinet Concerto, I. Allegro