Concerto Competition
Mason Gross School of the Arts
2027 Concerto Competition
RSO / RWE & Rutgers Sinfonia / RSW — perform as soloist with a Rutgers ensemble in the 2027–2028 season.
Monday, February 15, 2027 · 9:30–5:00
Nicholas Music Center · Exact timing will depend on the number of entrants
Key Dates
Beginning of Spring Semester
Registration DocuSign sent to all eligible students. Applications must be approved by your major teacher.
Monday, February 15, 2027
Competition day at Nicholas Music Center, 9:30–5:00.
What Winners Receive
Winners will be invited to perform the work on which they competed with the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, Rutgers Wind Ensemble, Rutgers Sinfonia, or Rutgers Symphonic Winds in the following season. The number of winners will be determined by the programming space available in that season, as well as the quality of the student performances, as determined by the judges.
Generally, undergraduate winners will be assigned a performance with Sinfonia or RSW, and graduate winners will be assigned a performance with RSO or RWE. If a contestant is presenting a work that can be performed either with an orchestra or a wind ensemble, they should make that clear in the competition registration.
Eligibility
- All graduate and undergraduate music students currently enrolled in lessons at Mason Gross in the MM, AD, or DMA performance programs, BM performance or BM music education programs, or MM or AD opera programs. Instrumental and vocal students are eligible.
- Students may enter with a concerto for more than one instrument (double concerto, sinfonia concertante, etc.).
- A student is not eligible if they were a winner in the most recent competition.
- If a student is selected as a winner but leaves their Mason Gross degree program before graduation, they will not be eligible to perform.
Repertoire & Performance Requirements
Students should prepare a complete concerto or equivalent work and perform with piano accompaniment. For a traditional three-movement concerto, the student should be ready to play the entire first movement from memory and be ready to play the other two movements with music.
In the case of a work traditionally performed without memorization, the student should get approval from their area head to compete without memorization. Vocalists are allowed to compete with a non-operatic work for voice and orchestra.
Students are encouraged to enter with nontraditional works or works written by composers from underrepresented groups. Special consideration will go to works from this approach if the performance level meets the standard.
Not Available This Cycle
Works performed in the previous season will not be repeated, so students should select their repertoire accordingly:
Larsson · Concertino for Bass Trombone
Grieg · Piano Concerto
Milhaud · Quatre Chansons de Ronsard
Saint-Saëns · Piano Concerto No. 2
Claude T. Smith · Fantasia