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 -20 minutes.

The first stage of the event is a 10 minute audition, with 2 adjudicators. 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 if required.

Up to 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 ($2,000) and/or the People’s Choice (popular) award ($1,000). The winner of the Adjudicator’s Award will also be offered an opportunity to perform their concerto in full or similar work with Symphony Central Coast in the following year.

Please submit application via the button at the bottom of this page.

The Symphony Central Coast Prodigies Concerto Competition will be held on 19/09/27 at the Gosford Regional Library Auditorium.

 

KEY DATES

Applications open: 28/01/27

Applications close: 9/04/27

Auditions:  TBA

Rehearsals with orchestra: TBA

Concert: 19/09/27

 

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

  1. Winners of previous SCC Concerto Competitions Adjudictor’s Awards 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 adjudicators’ 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 – TBA, 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. Prize winners agree to utilize their award for purposes associated with their on-going musical development, for example, tuition, instrument purchase.

 

COMPETITION DETAILS

  1. Candidates will play the complete chosen work, or a portion thereof, nominated on the Application Form.
  2. Candidates must provide adjudicators with a score of the chosen work one week before the audition unless otherwise notified.
  3. 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. Up to four (4) candidates will be chosen to perform at the Concerto Competition Finals.
  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 the following year.
APPLICATION FORM (ACTIVE AFTER 28/01/27)

A MESSAGE TO PERFORMERS

 Who are the real “winners” and “losers” in a concerto competition? Sometimes it’s the musician who came second, or third, or even didn’t make the final group who gets into that conservatoire, or becomes a beloved soloist, or makes a revelatory recording, or starts an amazing chamber series, or gets a job at a top orchestra. Or just has a happy life.

 A first prize at a competition will not build you a successful career or meaningful life. It can help, but only if you emerge from the competition having retained your imagination, musical curiosity, good relationships, and motivation to keep working on yourself. And if “losing” a competition or failing to pass the first round puts you in a rage, makes you lash out at your fellow participants, turn on your teachers and accuse the judges and organisers of the competition of “unfairness” – then you’ve lost a lot more than the competition. You’ve lost sight entirely.

 What does a competition “win” look like? Here are some victories you can take from a competition:

  • Progress in your playing. Preparing for the competition motivated you to put your best foot forward. It compelled you to practice more, to learn and/or polish repertoire, to progress in your technique. That progress is yours to keep, prize or not.
  • Progress in your performing. You gained valuable experience performing under stressful circumstances. You gained perspective on what to do, and perhaps on what not to do, to help you perform. The performance experience is something you can continue to draw on, going forward, prize or not.
  • A mind opened by excellence around you. You noticed that other people beside you are also very talented and skilled – perhaps more so than you realised. You gained admiration for one person’s poise, another person’s amazing technique, another person’s moving musicality, and you have recalibrated your own goals as a result. You see places where you can grow, and you are excited to get going on that. That growth mindset is yours to keep.
  • New friends and colleagues. Thanks to this opportunity to be among other dedicated and talented musicians, you have connected with some new people and made new friends. Yes, it’s a competition but not among enemies. At its best, music making is a collaborative and cooperative art, and those friends you make now can turn into your colleagues and collaborators in the future, prize or not. You won’t all win first prize!

 Parents and teachers can be a model for responding to the pressure and outcome of a competition – for better or for worse. The best will help you set high expectations, with a competition being just one goal in the context of higher goals of becoming a well-rounded musician and human, skilled in your art and able to create and inspire excellence through music. Unfortunately you might have to deal with toxic viewpoints or behaviours from teachers or parents, or even from yourself. Here are some ideas that you should reject:

  • Your fellow performers are “enemies”
  • You are a failure if you didn’t pass the audition or win the competition
  • Not passing the audition or winning the competition will ruin your future
  • Your reputation is ruined
  • You lost? Fire the teacher
  • If I can’t pass the audition or win the competition, I should just quit

 If you do win a prize, it will feel good and may look good on your resume or conservatorium application. But keep in mind: the recognition will be fleeting. Someone else will win it next time. Winning, losing – they are both imposters. Don’t identify too closely with either one. Progress, encouragement, recognition, excellence, connection – these are the true prizes in any competition.

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