BSO Concerto Competition

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce a world-class educational opportunity for up-and-coming teenage musicians: the 2024–2025 Concerto Competition. The competition is open to all advanced high school instrumentalists in Massachusetts in the 10th through 12th grades, and the winner will have the unparalleled opportunity to perform onstage as a soloist with the BSO!

Audition Timeline

Preliminary Auditions
All applicants must fill out and submit the online application form and $30 registration fee by Friday, December 13, 2024. 
Please note: The BSO charges a $30 application fee, but a scholarship fund allows us to waive this fee for students with financial need. Just check the “Scholarship Fund” box in the application, and we will automatically waive your fee! 

Final Auditions
Selected applicants will be invited to Symphony Hall for the live final audition round on Thursday, February 6, 2025.

Awards

The top prize is the Cornelius A. & Muriel P. Wood Award. The winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000 and the opportunity to perform with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, March 22, 2025. The first and second runners-up will also receive cash prizes.

Preliminary Auditions/Online Application

1. Repertoire: A list of your current repertoire saved as a PDF.
2. Audition: A video recording of you performing a piece or a movement from a work that can be accompanied by an orchestra, no longer than 10 minutes.
   1. PLEASE BE SURE TO TEST YOUR VIDEO RECORDINGS TO MAKE SURE THEY PLAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE AUDIO SHOULD BE OF THE HIGHEST AUDIO FIDELITY.
   2. ONLY the following video formats will be accepted by the performance application system: .mp4, .wmv, .mov, and .avi.
3. Letter of Intent: A two–three sentence statement about your intent to enter the competition, verifying that
   you’re a Massachusetts resident, and signed by your parent/guardian and music instructor, saved as a PDF.
4. Registration fee: A $30 check made payable to Boston Symphony Orchestra and mailed to the following address:
   
   Boston Symphony Orchestra Education Dept./Concerto Competition
   301 Massachusetts Ave.
   Boston, MA 02115
   **NOTE: If you require a fee waiver, just check the “Scholarship Fund” box in the application 

All competitors will be notified by the week of January 6-10, 2025, whether they have qualified for the live final audition round.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact us at (617)-638-9375 or education@bso.org.

Concerto Competition students learn about the importance of preparation and perseverance as they progress through the competition. The winner is offered the unparalleled experience of performing as a soloist with the BSO.

For students who are at an earlier stage of musical development, BSO musicians offer insight on preparation and practice of solo repertoire, as well as audition advice.