Concerto Competitions

University Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition

The USO Concerto Competition will be held on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022 from 9:30am-3:40pm in Ted Mann Concert Hall.  The winner(s) will perform with the University Symphony Orchestra (USO) on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023 at 7:30pm. Registration for this competition will open at 8:00am on Wednesday, October 5th, 2022 using a form found here.

2022-23 USO Concerto Competition Guidelines

2022-23 USO Concerto Competition Registration Form

Bands Concerto Competition

The UMN Bands Concerto Competition will not be held in the 2022-23 academic year.

2021-22 Bands Concerto Competition Guidelines (archived)

University Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition Past Winners

2022-2023

  • Yilin Bao, piano
    Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor

2021-2022

  • Jeduthun Kim, voice
    Mahler: Rückert Lieder

2020-2021

  • Competition not held due to COVID-19

2019-2020

  • Seongkyeong Kim, piano
    Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1

2018-2019

  • Michael Min, piano
    Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

2017-2018

  • Fanya Lin, piano
    Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
  • Wayne Ching, piano
    Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor"

2016-2017

  • Hannah Hickman, saxophone
    Boutry: Divertimento for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra
  • Katrina Clements, clarinet
    Copland: Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra

2015-2016

  • Gabriel Quenneville-Bélair, piano
    Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

2014-2015

  • Pei-Lei Lin, piano
    Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
  • Christine Killian, soprano
    Dvorak: “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka

2013-2014

  • Rosalind Leavell, cello
    Elgar: Concerto for Violoncello

2012-2013

  • Jing Chang, piano
    Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major

2011-2012

  • Jessica Jasper, viola
    Britten: Lachrymae
  • Laura Hynes, soprano
    Bernstein: “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide

2010-2011

  • Preston Duncan, saxophone
    Ibert: Concertino da Camera

2009-2010

  • Eric Neseth, marimba
    Creston: Concertino for Marimba and Orchestra
  • John Hammarback, oboe
    Mozart: Oboe Concerto

2008-2009

  • Natalia Moiseeva, violin; Nick Donatelle, violoncello; Ivan Koven, piano
    Beethoven: Concerto for Piano, Violin, Violoncello, and Orchestra

2007-2008

  • Denis Evstuhin, piano
    Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 19

2006-2007

  • Soojung Hong, piano
    Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1

Bands Concerto Competition Past Winners

2021-2022

  •  Cameron Vinson, saxophone - Maarten De Splenter: Concerto Comenia for Alto Saxophone and Symphonic Wind Band 

  • Michael Valois, cornet - Jean-Baptiste Arban: Fantaisie Brilliante for Cornet and Symphonic Wind Band

2019-2020

  • Russell Sweet, saxophone
    Maslanka: Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble

2018-2019

  • Ariel Detwiler, bassoon
    Ewazen: Concerto for Bassoon and Wind Ensemble
  • Sofia Mycyk, piano
    McPhee: Concerto for Piano and Wind Octet

2017-2018

  • Judy Gaunt, trumpet
    Stephenson: The Storyteller
  • Emily Green, horn
    Hermann: Concerto for Horn