Young Artists Competition

The Young Artists Competition promotes excellence through competition in the field of music performance. The competition is open to classical instrumentalists who are residents of either Westmoreland or Fayette County or take private music lessons in either of those two counties and have not yet graduated from high school. Participants compete for performance opportunities as determined by a three-judge panel. Cash prizes will be awarded as determined by the judges.

February 21, 2021 —Winners’ Recital (virtual) premieres on Youtube

Congratulations to all the 2021 Winners

The 2021 Young Artists Competition Winners’ recital premieres virtually on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.

>>Click here for the Winner’s Recital Program

The recital will feature:

Level I  up to Grade 9
Instrumental 
1st place – Juliana Matteo, harp (Penn Trafford HS, teacher – Gretchen Van Hoesen)
2nd place – Anna Qin, flute (Franklin Regional MS, teacher – Dan Parasky)
Honorable Mention – Nia Hanington, flute (Franklin Regional MS, teacher – Dan Parasky)
AJ Schmidt, flute (Franklin Regional MS, teacher – Dan Parasky)

Piano
Honorable Mention – Austin An (Greater Latrobe SH, teacher – Edward J. Kuhn, Jr.)
Lucy Zheng (Franklin Regional MS, teacher – Tatyana Gelman)

Level II – Grades 10-12
Instrumental
1st place – Audrey Lawrence, piccolo (Plum HS, teacher – Dan Parasky)
Tie for 2nd place:
– Evelyn Markle, flute (PA Leadership Charter School, teacher – Michele Boulet)
– Walter Vinoski, bassoon (Yough SH, teacher – Jason Worzbyt)

Piano
1st place – Jacob Gruss, organ (Greensburg-Salem SH, teacher – Chaz Bowers)
Tie for 3rd place:
– David An (Greater Latrobe SH, teacher – Edward J. Kuhn)
– Hannah Zheng (Franklin Regional HS, teacher – Tatyana Gelman)

These performers will present a recital of pieces chosen by the judges from their audition programs. Finals judges were Alexandra Dee, Tom Godfrey, and Jacqueline Herbein.

Preliminary judges were Risé Kostilnik and Christine Loughran.

>>Click here for Participant’s Waiver 

Guidelines

• Applicants must perform a minimum of two contrasting pieces representing different periods of classical repertoire, highlighting both lyricism and facility.
• Performing from memory is required for pianists and encouraged for others.
• Due to COVID-19, we are not requiring piano accompaniment. If you do use an accompanist, you need to provide your own accompanist for the recorded and live auditions. If chosen to perform, the winner must use the same accompanist for a live audition and recital.
• Audition recording, any format (no videos allowed) must include the entire program that the applicant plans to perform in the live audition.
• Finalists must provide three copies of their music (one for each judge), with measure numbers listed at the beginning of each line. This includes full scores for instrumentalists.

Categories

Level I (up to 10 minutes performance time)
Up to Grade 9
Piano – Instrumental

Level II (up to 15 minutes performance time)
Grades 10-12
Piano – Instrumental

Contestants may only win the top prize once per level (i.e., a 1st prize winner at Level I may not enter at Level I again unless he/she applies on another instrument).

Entry Fee/Prizes

$15 – preliminary recorded audition

$15 – live audition if the contestant is accepted for the final round

Cash prizes and performance in the Winners’ Recital are determined by a panel of professional musicians.

•     Level I – 1^st place $150; 2^nd place $100, 3^rd place $75
•     Level II – 1^st place $250; 2^nd place $200, 3^rd place $150

Prizes may or may not be given in each of the four categories, at judges’ discretion.

About the Young Artists Competition

The Westmoreland Symphony’s Young Artist Competition has been in existence since the 1980s. In 2002, its format was changed from a concerto competition to a solo competition.  It is now open to students who reside or take their private music lessons in Westmoreland or Fayette County.

2018 Winners

Young Artists Competition Winners 2018