INTRODUCTION

The Symphony Central Coast Concerto Competition is a prestigious biennial classical music event and gives young Central Coast musicians an opportunity to perform part of a concerto with a full orchestra as a step toward a career as a solo performing artist.

 

TAKING PART

Performers play one or several movements of a concerto, up to a time limit of around 15 minutes.

The first stage of the event is a 10 minute audition, adjudicated by the Artistic Director and Conductor of Symphony Central Coast, Dr Steven Stanke and the Director of the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music, Mr Patrick Brennan. This stage will be held at the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music. A grand piano is available if required and another is available for the accompanist. All applicants are required to provide their own accompanist. A list of accompanists is available from the Conservatorium of Music.

Four musicians are then selected to perform at the Prodigies Concert in September. At the Prodigies concert, all performers play the movements of their chosen concertos with Symphony Central Coast and are eligible for an Adjudicator’s Award ($1500) and/or the People’s Choice (popular) award ($500). The winner of the Adjudicator’s Award will also be offered an opportunity to perform their concerto in full with Symphony Central Coast in 2024.

Applications for the 2023 Concerto Competition will open on 30 January 2023. Please submit application via the button at the bottom of this page.

The 2023 Symphony Central Coast Prodigies Concerto Competition will be held on Sunday 17 September, from 2:30pm at Central Coast Grammar School Performing Arts Centre.

 

KEY DATES

Applications open: 30 Janurary 2023

Applications close: 8 April 2023, 4.00pm

Auditions:  7 May 2023

Rehearsals with orchestra: from Wednesday 7 Sep 2023, 7:30pm. Individual times and dates to be advised.

Concert: Sunday 17 September 2023, 2:30pm

 

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

  1. Winners of previous SCC Concerto Competitions are ineligible to enter.
  2. Applicants must be 25 years of age or under on the day of the competition and have their principal place of residence located in the Central Coast (Gosford City, Wyong or Lake Macquarie shires) or study at the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music.
  3. This competition is intended to cater for performance of published works and it is essential that orchestral material is readily available. Applicants who wish to perform a modern work or one that is rarely performed is strongly advised to enquire as soon as possible regarding the acceptability of the chosen work. The decision of the competition organizers is final.
  4. The competition organizers retain the right to declare applicants to be of unsuitable standard to compete in any stage of the competition.
  5. The adjudicator’s decision is final at all stages of the competition and no correspondence will be entered into.
  6. Applicants are responsible for providing an accompanist in the preliminary auditions at their own expense.
  7. Each entry must be on the official Concerto Competition Application Form and be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee of $50. Applicants failing to fulfil these conditions will not be considered.
  8. Competition organizers reserve the right to record or give permission to record all stages of the competition in whole or in part in any medium whatsoever.
  9. Applicants who fail to keep audition appointments at any stage may be disqualified.
  10. Audio or video recording of performances by applicants in any stage of the competition can only proceed with the prior approval of the competition organizers.
  11. Applicants must be available to rehearse on Symphony Central Coast’s regular rehearsal night – Wednesdays at 7:30pm at Central Coast Grammar School, Arundel Rd, Erina Heights, at the Artistic Director’s discretion.
  12. The availability of orchestral material must be checked by each applicant well in advance of the closing date for entries. Any works not cleared in this way could result in an applicant not being able to proceed.
  13. The competition organizers reserve the right to request applicants to nominate an alternative work for performance if, for any reason, the original choice is considered unsuitable for performance.
  14. Prize winners agree to utilize their award for purposes associated with their on-going musical development, for example, tuition, instrument purchase.

 

COMPETITION DETAILS

  1. Closing date for entries is 4.00pm, Friday, 8 April, 2023.
  2. Preliminary auditions will be held in May 2023 – exact times and dates to be confirmed. This is a closed audition, not open to the general public.
  3. Candidates will play the complete chosen work, or a portion thereof, nominated on the Application Form.
  4. Candidates must provide adjudicators with a score of the chosen work one week before the audition unless otherwise notified.
  5. The previously mentioned Entry Fee of $50 can be paid to the below account via Bank Transfer. Please use your SURNAME as the reference in the transfer.
    BANKING DETAILS:
    Bendigo Bank
    Account Name: Symphony Central Coast Incorporated
    BSB: 633 000
    Account Number: 167 729 797

 

COMPETITION FINALS

  1. Four (4) candidates will be chosen to perform at the Concerto Competition Finals, held at Central Coast Grammar School with Symphony Central Coast on Sunday 17 September 2023.
  2. Candidates are to perform minimum 10 minutes and maximum 15 minutes of their chosen concerto, preferably a movement including a cadenza. Movements lasting longer than 15 minutes will only be allowed at the discretion of the competition organizers. Candidates may perform several movements providing the complete time is not greater than 20 minutes. Finalists will be provided with two audience tickets.
  3. There will be 2 prizes awarded: Adjudicator’s Award and People’s Choice Award. The winner of the Adjudicator’s Award will be invited to perform a full concerto with Symphony Central Coast in 2024.

 

OUR SUPPORTERS

Symphony Central Coast gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the Rotary Club of Gosford North who have provided the prize money and the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music.