57th Annual Young Artist Award
Strings
Rules of the Concerto Competition, 2026–2027
Eligibility:
Open to string soloists born after April 1, 2003. An applicant may not be employed full time as a professional musician. Documentation of age and/or employment may be required at the discretion of the coordinator.
Requirements:
1. Applicants must submit a video recording of a memorized concerto of the applicant’s choosing, with an accompanist, for possible selection to participate in the final round on November 15, 2026.
2. At the competition finals, the entire piece must be performed from memory with an accompanist provided by the applicant.
Registration:
Send the $25 application fee, the completed application, and the link to your YouTube video recording to the competition coordinator.
Deadline:
The application must be postmarked no later than October 16, 2026. File uploading of the YouTube recording must also be completed by October 16, 2026.
Schedule:
The recordings will be reviewed to determine which applicants qualify for the competition. Checks of applicants not selected will not be returned. Competition acceptance will be announced in [month] 2026. A scheduled time for each contestant will be mailed at that time.
Competition:
The final round of the competition will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on November 15, 2026, at a Walnut Creek location being determined. The Diablo Symphony cannot provide accompanists, so contestants must bring their own.
Judges:
The judges’s decision is final.
Awards:
First Prize: $1500 Honorarium, and a contract to perform the previously auditioned composition in three concerts in Walnut Creek (February 16 and February 21, 2027, at the Lesher Center for the Arts, and at Rossmoor on a date to be determined).
Second Prize: $750.
Audience:
Contestants are encouraged to invite friends and relatives to the competition. No one may enter or leave during performances.
For further questions about the competition, please e-mail Christine Hsia at christinehsia@gmail.com.