United States Competitions

The following are competitions held in the United States for which oboists and bassoonists living in our original six-state area may be eligible.  (Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma)  Consulting the original source is strongly recommended, particularly regarding age and residency requirements.

Midwest Double Reed Society Young Artist Competition

Astral Artistic Services National Auditions
Eligibility:  No age limit.
Frequency:  Annual

Bay State Concerto Competition
Also the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition
Eligibility: Orchestral instrumentalists between ages 18 and 30.
Frequency: Annual

Blount Slawson Young Artists Competition
(Montgomery (AL) Symphony Orchestra)
Eligibility:  students in the seventh through twelfth grades, residing and attending school in the United States.
Frequency:  Annual

Central Iowa Symphony Young Artists Program
Eligibility: Iowa residents, grade 12 or younger
Frequency:  Annual

Colonel George S. Howard Young Artist Competition
(U. S. Air Force Band)
Eligibility: All high school band instrumentalists in grades 9 through 12 who are U.S. citizens
Frequency:  alternates yearly between brass/percussion and woodwinds, woodwinds in odd years

Concert Artists Guild International Competition
Eligibility:  Suggested age limit of 30
Frequency:  annual

Des Moines Symphony Alliance High School Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Open to residents of Iowa and/or students in an Iowa high school, college or university.  High school division: 9th through 12th grade.  College/Emerging Professional division: any currently enrolled student, or anyone who has completed their college studies, up to age 25.
Frequency:  Annual

Florence Frager Young Artist Competition
(St. Louis Civic Orchestra)
Eligibility:  students must be in grades 9-12 and live within a 150 mile radius of the St. Louis metropolitan area
Frequency:  Annual

Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Junior division: 12-18, Senior competition: age limit of 25, resident of the 48 contiguous states
Frequency:  Annual

Fort Dodge Young Artists Auditions
Eligibility:  Age limit of 23, Iowa resident
Frequency:  Annual

Heritage Philharmonic Orchestra Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Students ages 14-18 who reside or study in Jackson County, Missouri
Frequency:  Annual

Hellam Young Artists’ Competition
Eligibility:  Ages 18-24 and enrolled in undergraduate or graduate studies. (Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Hellam Committee).
Frequency:  Annual

Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Students between the ages of 16 and 29
Frequency:  Annual

IDRS Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox International Competition
Eligibility:  Age limit of 31
Frequency:  Annual, bassoon in even years, oboe in odd years.  Sometimes held outside of the United States.

Imperial Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition
Eligibility: High school juniors through college sophomore students enrolled in a recognized college, university, or conservatory
Frequency:  annual

International Web Concert Hall Competition
Eligibility:  No restrictions
Frequency:  Annual

National Federation of Music Clubs Awards and Competitions
Eligibility: in most cases, participants must be American citizens and members of the NFMC. Age limits vary.
Frequency: Biennial and annual
See chart on the NFMC competition and awards page for more information.

John Shildneck Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Age limit of 22, resident of or student in Nebraska
Frequency:  Annual

Kansas City Symphony Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  High school students residing in Missouri or Kansas, ages 13-18
Frequency:  Annual

Kristo Young Artist Competition
(sponsored by the Chippewa Valley Symphony, the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire Department of Music and Kristo Orthodontics)
Eligibility:  Between the ages of 14 and 18
Frequency:  Annual

Lakeshore Wind Ensemble Association Young Artist Solo Scholarship Competition for Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion and Piano
Eligibility:  Undergraduate College Division:  up to and including age 25; High School Division: 9th through 12th grades; must be a registered student (at least part-time) at any secondary or post-secondary educational institution
Frequency:  Annual

Marilyn Minford McCoid Young Artist Competition
(Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra)
Eligibility:  High school student in one of several Iowa counties
Frequency:  Annual

The Missoula Symphony Association Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Age limit of 25
Frequency:  Biennial

Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Students between 13 and 22, Montana residents or students
Frequency:  Biennial

Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Competition
Eligibility:  Senior Performance: ages 15–18; Young Artist Performance: ages 19–26; Chamber music: average age 18-26
Frequency:  annual

The Naftzger Young Artists Auditions
(Wichita Symphony Orchestra)
Eligibility: Residents of Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, or non-residents who are enrolled at a college, university or conservatory in Kansas, Missouri, or Oklahoma, ages 18-27
Frequency:  Annual

Neale-Silva Young Artists’ Competition
Eligibility: Ages 17-26 and Wisconsin student or resident
Frequency: Annual

New World Youth Orchestras Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Junior Division – through age 13, Senior Division – age 14 -18
Frequency:  Annual

Oklahoma Community Orchestra Annual Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Ages 17-25, enrolled at a college or university in Oklahoma
Frequency:  Annual

The Philharmonic Society of Arlington Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Age limit of 29
Frequency:  Annual

Stella Boyle Smith Young Artist Competition
(hosted by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Guild)
Eligibility:  resident of Arkansas between ages 12 and 18
Frequency:  Biennial

SVSO Young Artist Competition
(Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra)
Eligibility:  Ages 16-22
Frequency:  Annual

T. Gordon Parks Memorial Collegiate Concerto Competition
(Arapahoe Philharmonic Society)
Eligibility:  Full time students between 18 and 26.  Residency restrictions apply as well.
Frequency:  Annual, winds and percussion in even years, strings in odd years.

Topeka Symphony Youth Talent Auditions
After clicking on the link, select “Youth Talent Auditions ” from the menu.
Eligibility:  High school students
Frequency:  Annual

Vivaldi Concerto Competition
Eligibility: Ages 12-21
Frequency:

Walgreens National Concerto Competitions
Midwest Young Artists
Eligibility: Junior level is 8th grade or younger. Senior level for grades 9-12
Frequency: Annual

WAMSO Young Artist Competition
(Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association)
Eligibility: resident of one of eleven Midwest states and or two Canadian provinces, age limit of 25.
Frequency: Annual

William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition
Eligibility:  Age limit of 30
Frequency:  Every 4 years, next winds and brass:  2013