Each year the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony & Classical Orchestra hosts the Skip Gates Concerto Competition for its members only. Winners are selected for both the Youth Symphony and the Classical Orchestra, and the first-place winner from each group performs with their ensemble at the spring concert.
Eligibility
- Contestants must be current members of the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony or the Classical Orchestra.
- All members are eligible regardless of section, part assignment, or years in the ensemble.
Repertoire
- The choice of piece is up to the contestant, but it must be a work, or a movement of a work, for solo and orchestra.
- The piece must be pre-approved by the conductor prior to submitting an application. The applying student must email Dr. Schut GRYS (jschut@grsymphony.org) or Kristen Shoup CO (shoupish@gmail.com) and open copy their applied teacher for approval. This ensures the work is of manageable orchestral difficulty and orchestral parts are available.
- The audition piece will be the piece performed if the contestant wins.
- The piece must be performed on the student’s GRYS or CO orchestral instrument.
- Total playing time for the full piece is limited to 9 minutes. Contestants may choose the movement or portion of the concerto that best highlights their strengths.
Classical Orchestra members: Your concerto must be a baroque or classical piece (a movement from a concerto or a standalone piece) with a total playing time of no more than 9 minutes.
Below are some pieces for which we know we have accompaniment. If you want to perform something other than the concertos listed below, please check with Mrs Shoup.
Violin
- Vivaldi: Concerto in A Minor, movement 1, 2, or 3
- Vivaldi: Concerto in G Minor, movement 1,2, or 3
- Bach: Double Concerto in B Minor, movement 1 (this requires two soloists)
Viola
- Vivaldi: Concerto in D Minor, movement 1 or 3
- Telemann: Concerto in G Major, any movement
- Telemann: Double Concerto in G (this requires two soloists)
Cello
- Vivaldi: Double Concerto in G Minor, any movement (this requires two soloists)
- Vivaldi: Sonata No. 5, any movement
Bass: Check with Mrs. Shoup
Accompaniment
- Contestants must be accompanied by piano on audition video submission
- Contestants must provide their own accompanist.
Audition Process
- Apply online at the members-only site (must log in with a student account)
- Application & Virtual audition (video) submission deadline: February 13, 2025 (no late applications accepted)
- NO application fee this year
- Video requirements for the virtual audition upload. https://members.grys.org/ (must log in with a student account)
- Contestants are not required to play from memory.
- No copies are needed for the judges.
- Written critiques will not be provided.
Awards
- First Place:
- Youth Symphony members: $1,000 plus the opportunity to perform as the soloist with the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony (typically at the DeVos Performance Hall) at the Spring Concert.
- Classical Orchestra members: $500 plus the opportunity to perform as the soloist with the Classical Orchestra (typically at the DeVos Performance Hall) at the Spring Concert.
- Second Place: an opportunity to perform if the winner is unavailable.
More Information
Call the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony office at 616-842-6566 or email Manager at manager@grys.org .