The 2007-08 BachSoc Concerto and Composition Competitions are now closed. The two winners will be featured at BachSoc's February 29th, 2008 concert - to learn more about the winners and the concert, click here. Details about the 2008-09 competitions will be posted in late summer or early fall.
The Bach Society Orchestra hosts two annual competitions: the Concerto Competition and the Composition Competition. These competitions serve to promote the recognition of musical excellence in Harvard's student body. These competitions are open to all Harvard undergraduates.
The winner will be the featured soloist at the Bach Society Orchestra's concert on Friday, February 29th, 2008. Accompaniment is strongly recommended, but only required for the final round. In selecting the concerto you will play, please consider the orchestral forces available to you in an orchestra of our size. When you audition, please provide 3 copies of the piano score for the judges.
There will be two rounds of auditions:
Round I :: Saturday, October 27th, 2007, 10AM-4:30PM, Paine Hall
10-15 minutes from selected movements of your concerto (both technical and lyrical passages). Entrants will be responsible for stopping themselves. Piano accompaniment is recommended, but not required for this round.
Round II :: Tuesday, October 30th, 2007, 7PM-9:30PM
The 3-4 contestants that advance to the final round will perform their entire concerto before the judges. Piano accompaniment is required for this round.
To enter, submit your name, piece, and any time preferences in an email to Competitions Coordinator Jeremy Hsu, hsu2@fas.harvard.edu. The deadline for entry is 5PM on Monday, October 22nd, 2007.
A printable (.pdf) set of the competition guidelines is available here.
Submission Length: Please keep submissions under 12 minutes.
Instrumentation: Applicants will be restricted to the orchestral forces of the existing orchestra as specified on the members roster of the BachSoc website here (strings, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, one other percussionist, harp, piano). Previously composed pieces are allowed, SO LONG AS THEY HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN PERFORMED.
Deadline: all materials must be received by Noon on Saturday, December 1st, 2007. Please place 2 copies of the score and a set of parts in a manila envelope in the Bach Society Orchestra box in the Music Building. Music software printouts are strongly preferred. Applicants also have the option of submitting a Midi file recording of their pieces. Each piece will receive a reading by the orchestra on Wednesday, December 12, 2007. Applicants will not be allowed to attend, but will be provided with a recording of their reading following announcement of the winner. Winners and PerformanceWinner: 1 Grand Prize Winner, selected by the Music Director and members of the orchestra, will have their work performed at the BachSoc concert on Friday, February 29th, 2008, in Paine Hall.
*The Bach Society Orchestra reserves the right to dismiss any piece for any reason*
Submission Instructions: There is no application form. Submit three copies of the score and a complete set of parts to the BachSoc mailbox in the Music Building, CLEARLY marked with the entrant’s Harvard University ID number. Do not indicate your name, age, sex, year, or any other personal information ANYWHERE on the music. Instead, use your HUID number.Entrants must complete their entry to BachSoc with an email notification, to hsu2@fas.harvard.edu, of their submission, their HUID number, and contact information (email and phone number).
**Please direct questions specific your composition to the Competition Coordinator (Jeremy Hsu, hsu2@fas) and/or General Managers (Cindy Wang, xinwang@fas; Bev Chu, chu@fas), NOT the Music Director. Your questions will then be relayed anonymously to the Music Director.**
Please email us at bachsoc@hcs.harvard.edu with any inquiries.
View the recent winners of these competitions.