Talented students who love to play music are encouraged to apply for the 2015 Dorothy Vanek Youth Concerto Competition by Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
Competitors vie for $1,000, $500 and $250 prizes. Judges also may invite the winner to perform their selection with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra on April 10, 11 and 12.
SASO sponsors this annual competition that is open to Arizona high school students who play any orchestral instrument, including piano. The competition will be held in Tucson on March 7 and 8.
Students need to prepare and perform one movement from the standard concerto repertoire for solo instrument and orchestra. The music should be memorized.
Public, private and home-schooled student musicians are eligible. To enter, students age 13 to 18 should complete an online application at www.sasomusic.org/ycc.htm. Students under age 13 may apply if recommended by their teacher
Longtime arts patron Dorothy Vanek is passionate about nurturing the next generation of classical musicians. The competition named in her honor is designed to recognize and support outstanding young musicians in the community, encourage them to polish performance skills and build real-life experience. Vanek is SASO’s season sponsor for the eighth consecutive year.
Pianist Rebecca Shiao, a senior at Catalina Foothills High School, won the 2014 competition. Previous first-place winners include pianist Joyce Yang, a Desert View High School student from Phoenix, who won in 2012. Three cellists from University High School have won the competition—Benjamin Nead in 2013, Sara Page in 2011 and Nicholas Mariscal in 2010.