2024 Young Artist Competition

Apply Now

How to Apply:

1. Complete the application and submit your audition video online here. Applications and videos are due by Friday, October 30, 2023.
2. Pay the $25 application fee here.

Application Categories:

Instrumental and voice students throughout the U.S. are encouraged to compete. Please read ALL of the information carefully before applying. Please direct any administrative questions to OSO Executive Director at pamela@reillyartscenter.com and musical questions to the OSO Music Director and Conductor at mwardell@ocalasymphony.com.

Junior Division (12 to 18 at time of competition, have not completed high school)
Senior Division (18 to 25 at time of competition, have completed high school)

Audition Rules

• Applications and video auditions are due by Friday, October 30, 2023. All auditions must be submitted digitally (YouTube or Vimeo link preferred.)
• Auditions are strictly limited to 10 mins. Accompanist cuts are encouraged to reduce audition time. If your video is longer than 10 mins, the judges will stop the video at the 10 min mark.
• All audition submissions must be a single take and with a live accompanist.
• All repertoire must have readily available orchestral parts and be available for the March 2024 performances with the OSO. If you are not sure orchestra parts are available, please research by asking your teacher, other players, etc. If still not sure, email the OSO’s Music Director and Conductor, Matthew Wardell at matt@ocalasymphony.com.
• Finals/Honors Recital performance duration should not exceed 15 minutes, and will be restricted to a single movement in most circumstances. If you are chosen as a division winner, the Music Director may consult with you re: your ability/desire to play more than a single movement if the concert duration allows. In most cases, only a single movement will be performed.
• Applicants are responsible for their own expenses (i.e. travel to the finals recital).
• Applicants must provide an accompanist and at least two copies of the piano score for the judges at the finals recital.
• Previous winners are ineligible for competition, but all other previous competitors (including finalists) are encouraged to audition.
• Finalists are required to perform with their accompanist (you must supply your accompanist) during the Finals/Honors Recital on Sunday, January 14, 2024 at 3PM at the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala, Florida.
• Winners must be available to perform their concerto live with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra at the subscription concert “Bold Brahms” on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 3:00 PM (And also attend rehearsals on Friday, March 22, 2023 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, March 23, 2023 at 11:00 AM.) Inability to perform at this concert, will cause forfeiture of the winner’s additional cash award.

Awards

• Finalists will perform with their accompanist (you must supply your accompanist) during the Finals/Honors Recital on Sunday January 14, 2024 at 3PM at the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala, Florida. The Finals will be performed in front of a live audience.
• Finalists from each division will receive a cash award of $200.
• Winners will perform their concerto live with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra at the subscription concert “Bold Brahms” on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 3:00 PM (And also attend rehearsals on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 11:00 AM.)
• The two winners will each receive an additional cash award of $1,800 during the March concert series.

The 32nd Young Artist Competition Winners

Jay Julio, viola – Senior Division Winner

From Uniondale, New York, first-generation Filipino-American Jay Julio (25) began studying music formally at the age of 14; since then, Jay has been recognized in national competitions held by the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Music Teachers National Association, and the YoungArts Foundation. Festival appearances include the Thy, Pacific, Spoleto, and Aspen Music Festivals (the latter as a New Horizons Fellow), as well as the New York String Orchestra Seminar and Music Academy of the West. Jay is grateful for crucial support in recent years from the Virtu Foundation, the American Viola Society, the FilAm Music Foundation, and the WeInspire Foundation, which named Jay a WeInspire Ambassador for justice work in 2021. Jay was a full-scholarship student at the Manhattan School of Music (BM) and the Juilliard School (MM), studying with Karen Ritscher, Misha Amory, Matthew Lipman, and Heidi Castleman, and has recently joined the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra as their Assistant Principal Viola.

Isabelle Tseng, violin – Junior Division Winner

Isabelle Tseng is a violinist from Gainesville, FL. She has played violin in numerous festivals including the BUTI Young Artists Orchestra, All-National Symphony Orchestra, and the Honor Orchestra of America. Awards have included First Prize at the New York International Young Musician Competition and the top prize of the Florida Federation of Music Clubs, the Connie-Tuttle All-Performance award. As concertmaster of the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, she enjoys chamber music as well as her soloist endeavors. She currently studies with Ms. Rimma Bergeron-Langlois. Previous mentors have included Dr. Lev Gurevich, Ms. Bing Wang, Dr. Klaudia Szlachta, and Ms. Melissa White. Outside of violin, Isabelle is an avid debater, composer, biker and journalist.

They performed live for our audience during “Youthful Renderings.“

Congratulations to all the 32nd Young Artist Competition finalists!