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Our 45th Season
of Classical Music:

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SVSO Young Artist Competition

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SVSO Young Artist Competition and
Harvey E. Mittenthal Chair Scholarship

2007 Young Artist Competition

The 27th Young Artist Competition will be held on April 21, 2007 (New Date) at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago beginning at 11:30a.m. We are very grateful to the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation for their ongoing support of the competition and concert. Applications received by March 28th will receive priority in setting audition times. Applications received after that date will be accepted on a space available basis. The application can be downloaded on this website.

Application (pdf - click to download)

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 40 and 50 applicants. Historically, there have been one or two winners each year. The prizes include a monetary award, and the opportunity to perform as guest soloists with the SVSO. The winners of this year’s competition will perform with the SVSO on January 28, 2007.

The public is invited and encouraged to come to the finals of the competition. The finals begin at approximately 3:30pm. Information about the competition is included on numerous web sites that list competitions throughout the country. Over 1,200 applications are also sent out to schools, music teachers, and requesting students each years.

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 18th year, is named in honor of Harvey E. Mittenthal, a long-time 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 rehearsals September through May and 4 concerts. A musician can be awarded both the Young Artist Competition prize and the Mittenthal scholarship, but they are not related.

2006 Winners Perform with SVSO

The 26th Young Artist Competition was held April 22, 2006. The winners, Noah Geller (violin, 1st place) and Noah Lambert (trumpet, 2nd place) performed with the SVSO on Sunday, January 28, 2007 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. Their full biographies are on the page for that concert.