The 2010 Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition is open to all instrumentalists under 18 years of age who are residents of, or students in, New England. Contestants must perform a concerto movement.
The competition consists of two rounds: an initial pre-screening round based on recordings submitted with applications and a live competition in the early fall. The winners will perform with the orchestra in its Wunderkinds of Music subscription concert on February 13, 2011, and they will also receive recordings of their performances.
Repertoire chosen for the competition must be suitable for performance with a chamber orchestra — Baroque, Classical, and many new works lend themselves especially well for this purpose. Selections should be one movement of a concerto (or a self-contained piece of similar length). Suggestions for repertoire can be found here.
Applicants may choose different selections for the pre-screening round and the live competition round, but these selections should be limited to 12 minutes in length. Applicants must arrange their own accompanists for the pre-screening and live competition rounds.
To participate, please fill out and submit an application along with a $35 application fee, two letters of recommendation, and a CD or cassette for the pre-screening round. The deadline for applications is August 18, 2010, but we strongly encourage early applications. If you are unsure about your pre-screening or competition selections, please consult with your teacher or contact Nina Moe at (617) 779-0900 or moen@proarte.org before submitting your application.
Pro Arte will consider waiving the application fee for those who can demonstrate financial need. Waivers will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Nina Moe before submitting your application if you would like to apply for a fee waiver.
Submitting an application does not guarantee a place in the live competition round. All decisions of the jury will be final.
The finalists, who will advance to the live competition round, will be announced in mid-September, and the winners will be announced in October.