​Rules and Regulations

ELIGIBILITY

  • Auditions are restricted to musicians graduating classes of 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 residing in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties on Long Island. 
  • Eligibility is limited to legal residents of the United States.
  • Applicants must play one of the following instruments

                   Winds: Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, OR Bassoon
                   Brass: Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, OR Tuba
                   Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, OR Double Bass
                   Other: Harp OR Piano                   

AUDITION REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

  • An application fee of $40 is required of all applicants. Payments can be made by PayPal or by check payable to “The Friends of NSSO.”
  • Completed applications must be received by NSSO at nssoyaac@gmail.com, no later than January 15, 2024.
  • Entrants will receive email confirmation of the receipt of their application.
  • The applicant's current teacher (either private instructor or school music teacher) must sign the application.
  • The applicant's parent or guardian must sign the application.
  • First round auditions must be unedited video using a single position camera and live accompanist, commencing with a clear, spoken introduction giving the name of the performer and the repertoire about to be performed.
  • Video submissions are due no later than January 15, 2024. You may provide links to uploaded videos for streaming through a video sharing site (ie YouTube, Vimeo, GoogleDrive, etc) or send videos through a file sharing service (ie Dropbox, Hightail, etc).
  • Applicants are required to perform a concerto movement for solo instrument and orchestra in its entirety. Performing from memory is not required. All concertos must meet with the approval of NSSO’s Music Director and the Friends of NSSO. Email nssoyaac@gmail.com with repertoire eligibility questions.
  • Those chosen as finalists will be alerted by February 15, 2024 and will be required to perform their concerto selection in the finalist’s recital on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Please note that the final round is open to the public and that you are welcome to invite audience members to attend.
  • Applicants must bring their own accompanist for the finalist’s recital.
  • If selected as winner, the applicant agrees to perform the concerto movement with which they auditioned with the NSSO on June 14, 2024 at 8:00PM at the Adelphi Performing Arts Center.
  • All NSSO concerts, programs, and repertoire are subject to change. In the event NSSO has to postpone or alter the program of the June 2024 concert, NSSO will make every effort to reschedule the winner’s performance.


The North Shore Symphony Orchestra reserves the right to review the credentials of all applicants and limit the number of contestants.​

 

Past Young Artist Award Winners
1993 – Inaugural Year

Anton Polezhayev – Sarasate Carmen Concert Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25

1995
Xilun Chen, piano – Grieg Piano Concerto

1999 
Dan Bassin, trumpet – Haydn Trumpet Concerto

Adam Krauthamer, horn – Mozart Horn Concert No. 3
Dan Pellegrini, violin – Saint-Saens Violin Concert No. 3 in B minor 

2001
1st Prize - Meena M. Bhasin, violin – Mendelssohn Concerto in E minor
2nd Prize – Nan Aomori, flute – Mozart Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major

2003
Shane Helfner, oboe (oboe d’amore) – J.S. Bach Concerto in A minor

2005
Sho Omagari, violin – Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 4 in D minor, Op. 31

2009
Lukas Bentel, cello – Lalo Cello Concerto

2011
Elizabeth Oh, piano – Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor

2013
Harrison Li, piano – Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor

2015
Crystal Kim, cello – Elgar Cello Concerto (3rd movement)


2017

​1st Prize -  Christian Verfenstein, piano - Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor
2nd Prize - Alexandra Woroniecka, violin - Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2


2019

Sarah Ma, violin - Brahms Violin Concerto in D major


2022

Carolyn Lao, flute - Nielsen Flute Concerto

YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION


​The NSSO’s Young Artist Award Competition (YAAC) was initiated in 1993 by Dr. Susan Deaver, Music Director and Conductor, 1990–2016, to recognize outstanding high school musical talent on Long Island. Many past winners have gone on to illustrious careers in music as conductors of orchestras, members of professional music ensembles, and founders of new music groups. Other past winners have integrated their musical lives with diverse career choices. One thing in common is the Young Artist Award Competition enriches the lives of all the participants by providing a local opportunity to hone performance skills and for the winner to play with a full orchestra.