The CYSO Concerto Competition
Each year CYSO holds a concerto competition among current active members of CYSO and PSE.
Who can participate: Any active CYSO or PSE student, including coaches under the age of 23.
What instruments: All instruments are welcome, including voice and piano. You do not need to compete on the instrument you play in CYSO or PSE. You may compete on more than one instrument, but each instrument requires a separate entry form.
Entry Fee: None.
When: Saturday, October 12, 2024 between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Performance times will be assigned as entries are received.
Where: Claremont Community School of Music, 951 W. Foothill Blvd., Claremont, CA 91711
Prize: $500 cash and performance as featured soloist with the adult Claremont Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
Who can participate: Any active CYSO or PSE student, including coaches under the age of 23.
What instruments: All instruments are welcome, including voice and piano. You do not need to compete on the instrument you play in CYSO or PSE. You may compete on more than one instrument, but each instrument requires a separate entry form.
Entry Fee: None.
When: Saturday, October 12, 2024 between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Performance times will be assigned as entries are received.
Where: Claremont Community School of Music, 951 W. Foothill Blvd., Claremont, CA 91711
Prize: $500 cash and performance as featured soloist with the adult Claremont Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
Competition Rules
1. Choose your division.
There are two participation divisions: Concerto and Recital. The Concerto division is for students who wish to compete for a cash prize and an opportunity to perform with Claremont Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, January 25, 2025. The Recital division is for students who do not wish to compete but who wish to gain experience in a performance setting in front of judges.
2. Choose an appropriate piece.
Concerto Division:
- Your chosen piece must be a minimum difficulty level of 3 on a scale of 1 to 5. If you are unsure of your piece's difficulty level, please contact Gloria Cangahuala at [email protected] for verification. Ms. Cangahuala is the Concerto Competition coordinator.
- Your chosen piece must have an orchestral accompaniment. Therefore, it must be a concerto or some type of solo piece with orchestral accompaniment (i.e., not a sonata).
- You must provide a piano reduction of the orchestral part, as you will be accompanied by a pianist during the competition.
- Maximum length of the piece is 12 minutes. This may be an entire piece or one movement of a piece. If the movement goes attacca into another movement, please decide with your private teacher regarding how to end the movement.
- In case you are named the winner, you must be available to rehearse with Claremont Symphony Orchestra on Monday nights in January 2025, and must be available to perform on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
Recital Division:
- The chosen piece may be any difficulty level. There is no minimum requirement.
- The chosen piece may either have an accompaniment or be a solo unaccompanied piece.
- Maximum length of the piece is 12 minutes.
3. Submit an entry form (click button below).
You may participate on more than one instrument, but please submit a separate entry per instrument. All instruments are welcome, including voice and piano. There is no entry fee. All entry forms should be emailed to Gloria Cangahuala at [email protected].
4. Schedule a rehearsal with the accompanist.
Dr. Robert Sage will be the accompanist for ALL participants in the competition, across both the Concerto and Recital divisions. You may NOT use your own accompanist. If you require accompaniment, please schedule rehearsals directly with Dr. Sage, keeping in mind that his schedule will fill up quickly, depending on how many participants there will be. If you need Dr. Sage's contact information, please reach out to Gloria Cangahuala at [email protected].
Questions?
If you have any questions about the 2024 CYSO Concerto Competition, please contact Concerto Competition coordinator Gloria Cangahuala at [email protected].
Past Concerto Competition Winners
2023
Phineus Choi, cello
Jammie Park, cello
2022
No competition held, due to COVID-19
2021
No competition held, due to COVID-19
2020
No competition held, due to COVID-19
2019
Michael Chu, piano
2018
Alexis Cai, piano
Charlotte Tu, flute
2017
Jonathan Recomanta, clarinet
2016
Elisar Elgaouny, cello
Chloe Harsojo, piano
Allen Lin, clarinet
2015
Anselm Knecht, cello
Jo Ann Sun, violin
2014
JJ Alvarez, trumpet
Talia Knecht, violin
Kyra Madunich, flute
2013
Gaeun Moon, violin
ShihZan Yao, cello
2012
Evangeline Tsai, cello
Shih-Jing Yao, violin
2011
Jahnavi Curlin, flute
Alicia Lee, violin
Phineus Choi, cello
Jammie Park, cello
2022
No competition held, due to COVID-19
2021
No competition held, due to COVID-19
2020
No competition held, due to COVID-19
2019
Michael Chu, piano
2018
Alexis Cai, piano
Charlotte Tu, flute
2017
Jonathan Recomanta, clarinet
2016
Elisar Elgaouny, cello
Chloe Harsojo, piano
Allen Lin, clarinet
2015
Anselm Knecht, cello
Jo Ann Sun, violin
2014
JJ Alvarez, trumpet
Talia Knecht, violin
Kyra Madunich, flute
2013
Gaeun Moon, violin
ShihZan Yao, cello
2012
Evangeline Tsai, cello
Shih-Jing Yao, violin
2011
Jahnavi Curlin, flute
Alicia Lee, violin