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

  1. 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.
  2. 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 .