Lois Lyman Concerto Competition ’20-‘21 Student Guidelines
Competition Date: Saturday, March 6, 2021
Eligibility/Choice of Competition Music:
- The competition is open only to members of the Symphony Orchestra in good standing.
- Previous ESYO Lois Lyman Concerto Competition Winners are not eligible to re-apply for consideration during the season following their concerto performance.
- For the 2020-2021 season applications will be accepted for all orchestral instruments except percussion and piano. Applicants may audition on only one instrument in any given year, and it need not necessarily be the instrument played in the Symphony Orchestra.
- Applicants may choose any concerto or other published work for solo (soloists) with orchestral accompaniment. For the 2020-2021 season the instrumentation is restricted. The instrumentation should not exceed:
2.2.2.2—4.2.3.1—1perc—str [4.4.4.4.2]
2 flutes (one could double piccolo)
2 oboes (one could double English horn)
2 clarinets (one could double bass clarinet or E-flat Clarinet)
2 bassoons
4 horns
2 trumpets
3 trombones
1 tuba
1 percussion (or timpani)
Strings with limited divisi
- Concertos for smaller instrumentation (string orchestra) are highly encouraged.
- The length of the concerto must not exceed 20 min., shorter concertos are highly encouraged.
In order to fulfill this length requirement, for the 2020-2021 season, you do not have to perform complete concertos if they are longer than 20 minutes, but complete movements from concertos will be accepted.
- Your choice must be pre-approved by the Music Director using the Repertoire Approval Form before you submit the full application. You will be notified by email when approval has been granted.
Repertoire Approval Form is due by Jan. 5, 2021
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfI0CkPa3q_TPYXzaU377MHCouC1ZmAPtnlc-68ulXI328sAQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
- Permission is partly dependent upon the availability of parts and score, and availability of instrumentation.
Competition Application and $25.00 Participation Fee Due: Jan. 19, 2021
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScLNf_tsv8Yn5A85GEkC73yeR4p2ITyziEWwMwFMtBEmTC4bA/viewform?usp=sf_link
- Submit the online application after your selection has been approved and you have arranged for an accompanist.
- Mail your participation fee by check to -
Empire State Youth Orchestra, 432 State St., Schenectady, NY 12305 OR
Contact Lisa Stulmaker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to pay by credit card.
- Your competition registration is not complete until your application and fee have been received. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Preparation and Competition Audition:
- Applicants must prepare the entire concerto or movement but the judges will determine what portions of your selected piece will be played during the audition. The length of the audition will be approximately ten minutes.
- For both the audition and the performance, applicants are required to play from memory, unless, as per standard performance practice, this requirement has been waived by the Music Director. All applicants will be permitted to have music available at the audition in order to facilitate finding particular sections in the concerto as requested by the judges.
- Applicants must provide the judges with a clean copy of the music.
- Applicants must provide their own accompanist and must supply the required information about the accompanist on their application by the Jan. 19 deadline.
- Warm-up rooms will be available on the day of the competition.
- With the exception of the judges, the accompanist, page-turner for the accompanist (if needed), and the individual competition.
Competition Results
- Judges will select one winner to perform with the Symphony Orchestra. ESYO reserves the right to declare no winner based upon the decision of the judges.
- Applicants will be notified by email or phone of the judges’ decision within 48 hours of the competition.
- The work selected for the audition will be the piece the winner performs with the orchestra.
- Participants will receive a copy of their adjudication forms.
If you have any questions about your application and/or participation in the competition, please contact Sue Lascoe, ESYO Operations Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
