Young Artist Competition

The Carmel Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is committed to enhancing our community’s quality of life through creative, artistically excellent performances and educational experiences for diverse audiences of all ages.

The CSO Young Artist Competition affords student musicians from the State of Indiana the opportunity to compete with their peers at the highest level of artistic excellence. The winner receives a cash prize and performs his/her concerto accompanied by the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, as well as have the experience of performing in The Palladium at The Center for the Performing Arts.

See a list of past winners.

The online application will be available starting August 1, 2020.

Entry Deadline
November 1, 2020

Finalist Notification
November 15, 2020. Announced via email.

Final Competition
December 6, 2020 from 1 - 3pm. Competition held at Meridian Music School.

Performance Date
March 7, 2021 at the Palladium.

Eligibility
Up to and including Grade 12. Former winners are not eligible to compete. Runners-up are eligible to enter.

Residency Requirement
Applicant's legal residence must be within the state of Indiana.

Music Selection and Application
Selection must be one movement of a standard repertoire concerto or other work for piano or orchestral instrument, and must not exceed 15 minutes. (The CSO reserves the right to make cuts as needed for the concert performance.) Audition submissions must be accompanied. The audition must also be one unedited continuous performance. All students must register online this year. Due to the number of entries received, we are unable to provide comments or feedback related to the preliminary round. 

Due to the number of entries received, we are unable to provide comments or feedback related to the preliminary round.  

Final Competition

Following thorough review of the submitted entries and selection of finalists, the live competition finals will be held in the afternoon on Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 1 - 3pm. Winners will be announced that day. Final competition performance times are assigned and will not be changed or adjusted by the CSO; however, finalists may mutually agree to change times with another contestant. All Final Competition performances MUST be from memory. Piano finalists will not have an opportunity to practice on the piano to be used in the final round.

Judges
A panel of judges comprised of outstanding teachers and performers will select the competition winner.

Awards
The winner will perform March 7, 2021 at our Side-by-Side Concert at the Palladium. The student will also receive an award of $1,000, made possible by a generous sponsorship from Meridian Music, and six (6) complimentary tickets to the concert for his/her family. The winner must perform the same concerto movement that was performed in the competition, and must email a short biography and a color image of themselves in concert attire with their instrument no later than January 11, 2021.

The First Runner-Up will receive an award of $750, and the Second Runner-Up will receive an award of $500, both made possible by the CSO League.

Entry Fee
$25 (non-refundable)

Please mail checks to:
Carmel Symphony Orchestra
760 3rd Avenue SW, Suite 102
Carmel, IN 46032

memo: Young Artist Competition

Checks must be postmarked by Monday, November 2, 2020.

All final competition performances must be from memory.