School of Music > Community Music > Concerts & Events > Concerto Festival

DePaul Concerto Festival

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concerto
Students in piano, violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon and saxophone in 12th grade or younger are invited to audition for the annual DePaul Concerto Festival for Young Performers.

All participants are provided with written performance evaluations from outstanding judges. Winners perform a movement of a concerto with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago.

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Register Here​

Registration for the 2022-2023 Concerto Festival opens September 15​, 2022 and closes on Sunday, December 4 at midnight. 


Fees ​
  • Registration fee for the 2022-2023 competition is $150.
  • This year, we are offering Early Bird registration for $120. 
  • Early Bird registration closes on October 15. ​
  • All fees are non-refundable.
  • Online payment required.

Audition Information
  • For 2023, we will be holding blind auditions. 
  • Auditions will take place in person on January 7 and 8 with results posted online by 9:00pm CT on January 8, 2023.
    • ​January 7: Piano, Cello, Winds 
    • January 8: Violin, Viola 

​​Eligibility 
  • Open to students in 12th grade or younger.
  • Students who were winners​ in the 2022 Concerto Festival may not audition for the 2023 Concerto Festival on the same instrument.
  • A student who has been a winner three times may not audition again regardless of instrument.

Accompaniment
  • Participants must provide their own piano accompaniment and ensure that their accompanist is available for their assigned warmup and audition times. Piano accompaniment required, no other accompaniment instruments allowed. 
    • A list of area accompanists can be provided upon request.​​ Please email communitymusic@depaul.edu if you need assistance.
  • Teachers may accompany their own students.

Repertoire
  • Participants must perform one of the selections on the repertoire list.
  • Selections must be performed from memory with piano accompaniment.
  • Appropriate accompanist cuts are requested.

Judges
  • Judges for the 22-23 Concerto Festival will be announced closer to auditions.

Winners
  • Winners will be recommended by the judges​.
  • Only winners and honorable mentions will be awarded; there will be no alternates.
  • Winning soloists will perform with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago. This year, the final performance will feature a rehearsal/recording session with the Oistrakh Symphony. 
  • Winners will receive a high resolution video recording of the performance.​
  • Winners must perform the same concerto movement for both their audition and Winners Concert performance. 
  • If, in any division, the judges decide that no contestant is sufficiently qualified, no winner will be selected.​​
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​2022-2023 Concerto Festival Repertoire​

1. Elgar, E.: Romance, Op. 62
2. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in Bb Major, K. 191, Mvt. 1
3. von Weber, C. M.: Concerto in F Major, Op. 75, Mvt. 1 

1. Boccherini, L.: Concerto in Bb Major, G. 482, Mvt. 1
2. Bruch, M.: Kol Nidrei, Op. 47
3. Elgar, E.: Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85, Mvt. 1 & 2, or 4
4. lFauré, G.: Élégie, Op. 24
5. Haydn, F. J.: Concerto in C Major, Hob. VIIb:1, Mvt. 1, 2, or 3
6. Lalo, E.: Concerto in D Minor, Mvt. 3
7. Popper, D.: Hungarian Rhapsody, Op. 68
8. Saint-Saens, C.: Allegro Appassionato in B Minor, Op. 43
9. Saint-Saens, C.: Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33, any movement

1. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in A Major, K. 622, Mvt. 1 or 3
2. Rossini, G.: Introduction, Theme and Variations in Eb Major
3. Stamitz, C.: Concerto No. 3 in Bb Major, Mvt. 1
4. von Weber, C. M.: Concertino, Op. 26
5. von Weber, C. M.: Concerto No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 73, Mvt. 1 or 3
6. von Weber, C. M.: Concerto No. 2 in Eb Major, Op. 74, Mvt. 1 

1. Bach, J.S.: Suite in B minor - Overture
2. Chaminade, C.: Concertino, Op. 107
3. Griffes, C.: Poem, A. 93
4. Hue, G.: Fantaisie
5. Ibert, J.: Flute Concerto, Mvt. 1
6. Liebermann, L.: Flute Concerto, Op. 39, Mvt. 1
7. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in G Major, K. 313, Mvt. 1
8. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in D Major, KV. 314, Mvt. 1  
9. Reinecke, C.: Flute Concerto in D Major, Op. 283, Mvt. 1

 

1. Barber, S.: Canzonetta for Oboe and Strings
2. Cimarosa, D.: Concerto in C Minor, Mvt. 1 & 2 or 3 & 4
3. Haydn, F. J.: Concerto in C Major, Hob. VII:C1, Mvt. 1
4. Hummel, Johann Nepomuk: Introduction, Theme and Variations, Op.102
5. Marcello, B.: Concerto in C Minor, Mvt. 1 & 2 or 2 & 3
6. Martinů, Bohuslav: Oboe Concerto, H.353 Mvt 1 or 3
7. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in C Major, K. 314, Mvt. 1
8. Vaughan Williams, Ralph: Oboe Concerto Mvt. 1, 2 or 3

1. A Glazunov: Concerto for alto saxophone, Op. 109
2. J. Ibert: Concertino da Camera for alto saxophone (1935) – Mvt. 1 Allegro con moto
3. J. Ibert: Concertino da Camera for alto saxophone (1935) – Mvt. 2 Larghetto; Animato molto
4. H. Villa-Lobos: Fantasia for soprano or tenor saxophone, W. 490 – Mvt. 1 Animé
5. H. Villa-Lobos: Fantasia for soprano or tenor saxophone, W. 490 – Mvt. 2 & 3 Lent; Tres Animé

 

1. Bach, J. S.: Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052 – Mvt. 1
2. Bach, J. S.: Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056 – Mvt. 1
3. Beethoven, L. van: Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 – Mvt. 1
4. Beethoven, L. van: Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major, Op. 19 – Mvt. 3
5. Beethoven, L. van: Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 – Mvt. 3
6. Haydn, F. J.: Concerto in D Major, Hob. XVIII:11 – Mvt. 1 or 3
7. Grieg, E.:  Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16 - Mvt. 1 or 3
8. MacDowell, E.: Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 23 - Mvt. 3
9. Mendelssohn, F.: Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25 – Mvt. 1
10. Mendelssohn, F.: Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 40 – Mvt. 1
11. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414 – Mvt. 1 or 2
12. Mozart, W.A.: Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 – Mvt. 1 or 2
13. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 – Mvt. 3
14. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488 – Mvt. 1
15. Saint-Saens, C.: Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22 - Mvt. 1 or 3
16. Schumann, R.: Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 – Mvt. 1

 

1. Casadesus, H.: Concerto in B Minor in the style of Handel, Mvt. 1
2. Clark, R.: Viola Sonata with Orchestra (arr. Ruth Lomon), Mvt. 1
3. Hoffmeister, F. A.: Concerto in D Major, Mvt. 1
4. Telemann, G. P.: Concerto in G Major, Mvt. 1, 2, or 4
5. Stamitz, C.: Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Mvt. 1
6. von Weber, C.: Andante & Rondo Ungarase Op. 35 (Primrose edition only)

 

1. Bach, J. S.: Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041 – Mvt. 1 or 3
2. Bach, J. S.: Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042 – Mvt. 1
3. Bologne, J.: Concerto in A Major, Op. 5, No. 2, Mvts 1 or 3
4. Bruch, M.: Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26 - Mvt. 1, 2, or 3
5. Haydn, F. J.: Concerto in G Major, Hob. VIIa:4 – Mvt. 1
6. Kreisler, F (Pugnani): Preludium and Allegro
7. Massenet, J.: Meditation from Thais
8. Mendelssohn, F.: Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64 – Mvt. 3
9. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in G Major, K. 216 – Mvt. 1
10. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in D Major, K. 218 – Mvt. 1
11. Mozart, W. A.: Concerto in A Major, K. 219 – Mvt. 1
12. Wieniawski, H.: Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 22 – Mvt. 1

 

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Additional Notes

  • Written performance evaluations will be e-mailed to teachers and participants.​
  • Auditioning with incorrect repertoire automatically disqualifies a participant.
  • No repeats, unless specified in repertoire list.
  • Judges will be selected by the DePaul University Community Music Division.
  • All decisions are final.
  • Judges are prohibited from judging their own students.

DePaul Concerto Festival History    

Click here to learn about past Concerto Festival Winners

The DePaul Concerto Festival for Young Performers was founded in 2003 to provide an opportunity for intermediate level pianists in the Community Music Division to perform with an orchestra. Repertoire was selected from sonatina movements and short piano pieces for which string accompaniments were available. Auditions were held and eight winners were selected to perform with the DePaul Youth String Orchestra. 


In 2004, the Festival was expanded to include violin students and also offered a wider range of repertoire for pianists. In 2006, cello and flute were added to the roster of instruments. To accommodate the increasing difficulty of repertoire, a decision was made to conduct the Festival with a full symphony orchestra. A partnership was formed in 2007 with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago under the direction of Mina Zikri. That year, thirteen winners had the privilege of performing a concerto movement in concert. 


In 2008, the Festival was opened to students outside of the Community Music Division. Viola was added in 2009, clarinet in 2012, and oboe and bassoon in 2013. 

Today the DePaul Concerto Festival attracts nearly 150 participants in piano, strings, and woodwinds from the Midwest who audition for a chance to perform with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago. We invite and encourage young musicians to audition for an opportunity to participate in the Concerto Festival.