SVSO Young Artist Competition
Harvey E. Mittenthal Chair Scholarship
2012 Young Artist Competition (YAC)
The 32nd Young Artist Competition will be held Saturday, April 28, 2012, at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago beginning at 11:30 a.m. Click here for an application
About the Young Artist Competition
The objective of the competition is to help ensure the future of classical music by providing the opportunity for young musicians to hone their audition skills as well as to perform with a full orchestra. At the Young Artist Concert held in January 2003, a resolution from the State of Illinois's House of Representatives was presented to the Symphony commending the SVSO for its commitment to quality classical music and its encouragement of young musicians.
Encouraging Young Musicians
The competition is held every spring at the Northeastern Illinois University campus. The competition is open to young musicians from the ages of 16 to 22.
The competition usually attracts between 60 and 75 applicants. Two winners are selected to receive a monetary award and to perform as guest soloists with the SVSO. An honorable mention will also be selected; in the event one of the two winners cannot perform, this person will perform with the Symphony.
The public is invited and encouraged to come to the finals of the competition. The finals begin at approximately 3:30 pm. Information about the competition is included on numerous web sites that list competitions throughout the country.
A Starting Point
Several winners of our Young Artist Competition have gone on to notable music careers, including:
- Stephanie Arado, assistant concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra
- Elisa Barston, principal second violin with the Seattle Symphony
- Karen Basrack, principal cello with the Fort Worth Symphony
- Joseph Gramley, percussion with YoYo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble
- Jennifer Koh, international violin soloist
- Aimee Kreston, concertmaster of the Pasadena Orchestra
- Isabella Lippi, concertmaster of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra
- Amy Oshiro, member of the first violin section of the St Louis Symphony
- Karen Pierson, bassoon with the Houston Symphony
- Frank Rosenwein, principal oboe with the Cleveland Orchestra
- Gary Stucka, cello with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Brandon Vamos, cello with the Pacifica String Quartet
- Wendy Warner, international cello soloist
- David & Timothy Ying, cello and violin members of the Ying Quartet and Grammy winners for their collaboration with the Turtle Island Quartet
The Mittenthal Chair Scholarship Audition
In addition to the Young Artist Competition, the SVSO sponsors the Mittenthal Chair Scholarship. The audition is open to string players aged 15-25. This scholarship, now in its 21st year, is named in honor of Harvey E. Mittenthal, a longtime member of the orchestra and board of directors.
The winner receives a monetary award and is required to join the Skokie Valley Symphony as a section member for the following season. This includes Thursday evening and occasional Monday evening rehearsals September through May and four to five concerts.
A musician can compete for, and be awarded, both the Young Artist Competition prize and the Mittenthal Scholarship, but they are not related.
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