We are so pleased to announce the 2025 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition!
The U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition is the premier concerto competition for aspiring young musicians in the Washington DC metro area, now in its 19th year. We are proud to serve our community with this exciting opportunity.
There will be two winners of the Young Artist Competition: one from the Strings Division and one from the Woodwind/Brass/Percussion Division! Both winners will perform with the U.S. Army Orchestra at our concert on May 16, 2025.
The Winners, Finalists, and select Honorable Mentions will be offered the opportunity to perform Side-By-Side with the U.S. Army Orchestra at our concert on May 16.
Questions? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil
Important dates for the 2025 Competition:
- Applications open: November 1, 2024
- Application deadline: February 1, 2025
- Live Final Round: March 29, 2025 at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church
- Concert: May 16, 2025 featuring Young Artist competition winners and side-by-side orchestra at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
How to Apply:
Click the "Apply Here!" button at the top of this page to start your online application. Applications open November 1, 2024, and must be submitted by 11:59 PM on February 1st, 2025.
You are required to submit a video recording of your piece with piano accompaniment (see the repertoire list below), and the online application. All applicants will receive written feedback from members of the U.S. Army Orchestra. Five Finalists from each division will be invited to the Live Final Round with piano accompaniment (provided by applicant) on March 29th, 2025. Competition participants must be available to compete in the finals.
Video Submission
- Recordings must be performed by the applicant
- Recordings may not be edited or have any effects added (reverb, pitch correction, etc.)
- Applicant and applicant's instrument must be entirely visible
- Please perform the entire piece or movement
- Piano accompaniment is required
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to have their teacher review their video before submission
- Please make sure that your video is viewable without a login. For the most privacy, we recommend YouTube “unlisted” privacy settings.
Selections not on the repertoire list must be pre-approved to ensure the availability of orchestral accompaniment parts.
Questions? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil
Competition Eligibility
The Young Artist Competition is open to Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore area string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists in grades 9-12. Applications may be accepted from students who live outside the area but who are currently affiliated with a private teacher or musical organization in the Washington, DC, Northern, VA, or Baltimore area.
Questions about eligibility? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil
Recording Information
Using the online form, submit a link (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc.) to a video recording of the applicant performing the required musical selection in its entirety. Piano accompaniment is required.
Video title should be in the following format: Name, Instrument, Composer and Piece. (E.g. Joe Blow, Flute, Mozart Concerto no. 2 in D Major, 1st movement)
Please ensure that the video is viewable without a login. For the most privacy, we recommend YouTube “unlisted” privacy settings. Do not email video files.
How to apply
A live final audition with piano accompaniment (provided by applicant) will be held for selected applicants on March 29th, 2025. Competition participants must be available to compete in the finals.
Young Artist Competition Repertoire List
Applicants should choose one (1) selection from the list below. Selections not on this repertoire list must be pre-approved to ensure availability of orchestral accompaniment parts.
Questions about repertoire? Email us at youngartistcompetition@army.mil
Repertoire
- Concerto movement by:
Barber, Bartok, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruch, de Beriot, Dvorak, Glazunov, Haydn, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian, Korngold, Lalo Symphony Espagnole, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Paganini, Prokofiev, Saint-Saens, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Vieuxtemps, or Wieniawski - Showpieces:
Bartok, Rhapsody #1 or 2; Bruch, Scottish Fantasy; Chausson, Poeme; Ravel, Tzigane; Saint-Saens, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Havanaise; Sarasate, Carmen Fantasy, Zigeunerweisen; Waxman, Carmen Fantasie
- Concerto movement by:
J.C. Bach, Bartok, Handel, Hindemith, Hoffmeister, Stamitz, Walton - Showpieces:
Bloch, Suite Hebraique; Bruch, Romanze; Enesco, Concert Piece; Hummel, Fantasy; Weber, Andante and Rondo in Hungarian Mode
- Concerto movement by:
Boccherini, Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn, Kabalevdky, Lalo, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, Shostakovich - Showpieces:
Popper, Hungarian Rhapsody; Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations; Bloch, Schelomo; Faure, Elegy
- Concerto movement by:
Bottesini, Dittersdorf, Dragonetti, Van Hal, Koussevitzky
- Concerto movement by:
Handel, Vivaldi, Dittersdorff, Ginastera - Showpieces:
Debussy, Danses; Grandjany, Aria in Classic Style; Ravel, Introduction and Allegro
- Concerto movement by:
Liberman, Vivaldi
- Concerto movement by:
CPE Bach, Ibert, Lieberman, Mozart, Nielsen, Quantz, Reinecke - Showpieces:
Chaminade, Concertino; Faure, Fantasy; Griffes, Poeme; Hue, Fantasy
- Concerto movement by:
Haydn, Marcello, Mozart, Strauss, Vaughan Williams, Vivaldi
- Concerto movement by:
Copland, Crusell, Francaix, Mozart, Nielsen, Shaw, Spohr, Stamitz, Weber - Showpieces:
Debussy, Premiere Rhapsodie; Rabaud, Solo de Concours; Rossini, Introduction, Theme and Variations; Weber, Concertino
- Concerto movement by:
Hummel, Phillips, Mozart, Vivaldi, Weber, John Williams - Showpieces:
Berwald, Konzertstuck; David, Concertino; Phillips, Concertino; Weber, Hungarian Fantasy
- Concerto movement by:
Glazunov, Muczynski - Showpieces:
Bencriscutto, Serenade; Dubois, Concerto; Ibert, Concertino da Camera; Maurice, Tableaux de Provence; Milhaud, Scaramouche; Sparke, Carnival; Villa Lobos, Fantasia (tenor or soprano saxophone); John Williams, Escapades (Catch Me If You Can)
- Concerto movement by:
Gliere, Haydn, Mozart, Strauss, Telemann
- Concerto movement by:
Arutunian, Haydn, Hummel - Showpieces:
Goedicke, Concert Etude
- Concerto movement by:
David, Grondahl, Rimsky-Korsakov - Showpieces:
Barat, Andante and Allegro; Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique
- Concerto movement (or Sonata w/Orch. accompaniment) by:
Edward Gregson, Jager, Vaughan Williams, John Williams, Bruce Broughton (Sonata)
- Concerto movement by:
Paul Creston Concertino for Marimba; William Kraft Concerto for Timpani; Toshiro Mayuzumi Concertino for Xylophone
- Concerto movement by:
Boccalari, Cosma, Horovitz, York - Showpieces:
Buckley, The Yellow Rose of Texas Variations
Submission Instructions
Apply by clicking the red “Apply Here!” button at the top of this page. Remember to add our email address to your contact list to prevent our correspondence from being flagged as spam. Follow up within one week if you have not received an email reply.
Past Winners
Strings Division
| Year | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | First Place: Ryan Chun, violin | McLean High School |
| 2024 | Second Place: Joshua Thrush, bass | James Madison High School |
| 2024 | Third Place: Katherine Song, viola | Winston Churchill High School |
| 2023 | First Place: Jessica Zhu, violin | Thomas S. Wootton High School |
| 2023 | Second Place: Runa Matsushita, violin | Towson High School |
| 2023 | Third Place: Katherine Song, viola | Winston Churchill High School |
| 2022 | First Place: Audrey Goodner, violin | Langley High School |
| 2022 | Second Place: Brandon Du, violin | Centennial High School |
| 2022 | Third Place: Runa Matsushita, violin | Towson High School |
| 2021 | First place: Adrian Cheung, violin | Broad Run High School |
| 2021 | Second place: Romain-Olivier Gray, cello | Home school |
| 2021 | Third place: Claire Xu, viola | Montgomery Blair High School |
Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion Division
| Year | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | First Place: Issac Won, trumpet | Winston Churchill High School |
| 2024 | Second Place: Lydia You, oboe | River Hill High School |
| 2024 | Third Place: Nathan Chou, marimba | Winston Churchill High School |
| 2023 | First Place: Kyle Cho, oboe | Winston Churchill High School |
| 2023 | Second Place: Hannah Cho, oboe | Orange County School of the Arts |
| 2023 | Third Place: David Seol, flute | Gilman School |
| 2022 | First Place: Arturo Salvalaggio, oboe | Walt Whitman High School |
| 2022 | Second Place: Eunice Park, harp | Lake Braddock Secondary School |
| 2022 | Third Place: Jackson Bernal, saxophone | Thomas S. Wootton High School |
| 2021 | First Place: Amy Hwang, flute | Glenelg High School |
| 2021 | Second Place: Helen Freeman, flute | West Springfield High School |
| 2021 | Third Place: Joshua Kucharski, trumpet | DeMatha Catholic High School |
