Orchestral Studies | College of Music

(1) The FINALS for the COM Concerto Competition will take place on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, 2019 starting at 6:00 pm in Winspear Hall. The winners’ concert with the UNT Symphony Orchestra will be WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2020.

(2) All semi-finalists must thoroughly complete the following “Concerto Competition Materials Acquisition” form, and return it to the Orchestral Studies office, in order to  compete in the finals, if chosen as a finalist.

(3) As competition repertoire, students are to perform either one movement of a multi-movement work, the entirety of a single movement work, or multiple movements of a multi-movement work in which the selected movements’ combined duration is, preferably, less than 10 minutes. A selection of more than 10 minutes is not a disqualifying or score reducing issue, but students are highly encouraged to avoid extremely lengthy selections as such selections may diminish the chances of being included in the final concert.

(4) In order to achieve the highest possible level of fairness, students are discouraged from selecting works/movements in excess of 10 minutes duration (or single movements that are substantially in excess of this length). Students choosing such lengthy repertoire who are then selected as competition winners would functionally exclude the participation in the concert of the greatest number of qualified winners. In addition, repertoire may be excluded from the winners’ concert based on the difficulty of the orchestral material, and in consideration of limited rehearsal time, the participation of student conductors, and the needs of other student soloists.

(5) In order to be fair to all students, divisions/departments are asked to adhere strictly to the following limits for finalists: Woodwinds 5; Brass 5; piano 5; strings 5; voice 5; percussion 3; organ 2; guitar 1; harp 1.

(6) Students who have been past winners of the competition (as a solo performer) may not compete again as a soloist, regardless of any change in status or degree program. However, previous (solo) winners may compete as part of a double (or other multiple) concerto, as long as at least one entire academic year has passed since the student’s previous successful attempt.

(7) All students performing on instruments whose concerto repertoire is traditionally performed from memory in professional performance should compete and perform from memory. This decision is left to the discretion of applied faculty in the student’s division and/or department. Students performing in the finals with music will be presumed to have such performance approved by their department/division.

(8) The finals are performed with piano accompaniment only. Finalists should not bring other performers on stage as further accompanying forces, as this provides an unfair performance advantage.

(9) Students must not only be enrolled as active degree-seeking students during the semester in which the competition takes place (Fall 2019) but must also be of similar status in the semester in which the concert takes place (Spring 2020).

(10) In selecting repertoire, students should be mindful of the fact that the work’s artistic and/or educational value (in the opinion of the jury) may be taken in to consideration when selecting competition winners.