Des Moines Symphony Academy

This American Symphony Orchestra League award–winning project offers high school musicians in Iowa the opportunity to compete in the following categories:

• string
• piano
• brass/woodwind/percussion/harp

Participants compete in high school and college divisions for a jury consisting of professional musicians, collegiate faculty and educational leaders.

COMPETITION DATE: TBD
Competition Location: Temple for Performing Arts, 1011 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Important Competition Information

The Temple for Performing Arts, 1011 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309

High School Division

Eligibility:

This division is open to any 9th through 12th grade student performing on piano or standard orchestral instrument who is either a resident of Iowa or a student at an Iowa High School.

Requirements:

Each participant must perform a first movement or comparable movement from a standard concerto. This performance must be accompanied by piano. Accompanists will not be provided.

Total performance time shall not exceed 12 minutes.

Performers are required to perform the concerto movement from memory.

College/Emerging Professional Division

Eligibility:

This divisiton is open to any studetn performing on piano or standard orcehstra instrument who is either enrolled in an Iowa College or University or an Iowa native studying at a College or University outside of Iowa. To be eligible for thsi divisio, competitors must not  have reached thier 25th birthday at the time of competition.

1. Currently enrolled as a full or part-time student in an undergraduate or graduate program at an Iowa college or university.

2. A native resident of Iowa currently enrolled as a full or part-time student in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college or university outside of Iowa.

Each participant must perform a standard concerto in its entirety. This performance must be accompanied by piano. Accompanists will not be provided.

Total performance time shall not exceed 20 minutes.

Performers are required to perform the concerto from memory.

Application Procedure

Send the following to:

Young Artist Competition
c/o Des Moines Symphony Academy
1011 Locust Street
Des Moines, IA 50309

• Completed Young Artist Competition Application Form.
• A non-refundable application fee of $30. Please make checks payable to the Des Moines Symphony Academy.
• A compact disc recording of the concerto movement(s) to be performed in the competition. Only compact discs will be accepted and all recordings must be accompanied by piano. Please find specific information regarding the recording below.
• A panel of professional musicians and music educators will "blind–screen" each recording for evidence of advanced performance ability to select contestants.

Participants will perform for jury of professional musicians and music educators at the live competition. This jury will rate each participant's performance and assign awards accordingly.

Recording Information

The recording should be new and of good quality. It does not need be studio produced.

Label the recording with participant's name, title of piece, and composer.

Audition tapes/recordings will be returned upon request.

Musical Score Information

Participants must present one original copy of each work for use by the jury during competition.

Measures must be numbered.

Approximate performance time marked at the beginning of the movement.

PLEASE NOTE: Photocopied music is in infringement of copyright laws. Photocopies of any type will not be permitted.

The Des Moines Symphony Academy and/or Young Artist Competition jury reserves the right to refuse selection of a winner in any category in which participants fail to meet the established standards of the competition.

Prize Stipulation

Awards will be used for the advancement of the student's musical development. Prize money can be used for, but not limited to, music lessons, camp/workshop tuition, the purchase of a new instrument or instrument accessory.

Collegiate Division

$1000 Grand Prize

$500 1st Runner Up

$250 2nd Runner Up

High School Division

$1000 Grand Prize

$500 1st Runner Up

$250 2nd Runner Up

General Reminders

All music for the competition must be memorized.

This competition is free and open to the public.

Download and print a Young Artist Competition Registration Form

2009 Young Artist Competition Winners

High School Division

Collgiate Division

 Please contact Joshua Barlage, Academy Registrar, for more information or to register
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  or 515-280-3332