2027 Young Person’s Concerto Competition

Terms and Conditions

  1. Eligibility

    • Applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 21 as of March 13, 2027.

    • Applicants must be US residents.

  2. Accepted Instruments

    • The following instruments will be considered: flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, harp, classical guitar, violin, viola, cello, double bass.

  3. Application Process

    • Applications must be completed online at fenimore-orchestra.org no later than November 30, 2026.

    • Late applications will not be considered.

  4. Submission Requirements

    • The application must include a link to a video recording of the student performing one complete work from the Required Repertoire list which is available at fenimore-orchestra.org.

    • Applicants must provide their own accompanists.

    • Video recordings must be uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo or Google Drive, with accessibility provided to the jury via the provided link.

    • Video recordings must not include any third parties, including minors, celebrities, and friends, who have not expressly authorized the entrant to display their image or likeness in a submitted video.

  5. Application Fee

    • A non-refundable application fee of $25.00 must accompany each submission, due no later than November 30, 2026.

  6. Winners Announcement

    • The winners will be announced no later than January 4, 2027.

  7. Performance Requirements

    • To qualify for the $1,000 award, the first-place winner must perform the auditioned work as a soloist with Fenimore Chamber Orchestra at the March 13, 2027 concert in Cooperstown, New York.

    • The winner must be prepared and available to rehearse between March 10–12, 2027.

  8. Second-place Winner

    • A second-place winner will be chosen who must also be prepared and available to rehearse and perform during the above dates to qualify for the $500 award.

    • In the event that the second-place winner performs at the March 2027 concert instead of the first-place winner, they will be named co-winner, and their award will be adjusted to $1,000.

  9. Teacher Recognition Award

    • A Teacher Recognition Award equal to 50% of the winning students’ awards will be given to the primary instrumental teachers of the first- and second-place winners.

  10. Competition Cancellation

    • Fenimore Chamber Orchestra reserves the right to cancel the competition if there is an insufficient number of applicants necessary to conduct a competitive competition or if in the opinion of the judges, there is no qualified contestants.

  11. Refund Policy

    • In the event of competition cancellation per Article 10, all application fees submitted in accordance with Article 5 shall be refunded.

    • The decision of the Orchestra regarding the cancellation of the competition and the subsequent refund of the application fee shall be final and binding.

    • The applicant acknowledges and agrees that the application fee is non-refundable under any circumstances other than the cancellation of the competition by the Orchestra as specified in Article 10.

  12. Judges’ Decisions

    • All decisions of the judges shall be final.

  13. Contact Information

    • Any queries should be directed to: competition@fenimore-orchestra.org.