Solo Competition

Each year, the West Suburban Symphony provides an opportunity for young musicians to compete to perform a solo work with orchestra and earn a $500 prize. The winner of our 2026-27 contest  will perform with us on April 10, 2027, at Wentz Hall in Naperville. 

The competition is open to high-school wind and string players and vocalists. Solo pieces must be between 8 and 20 minutes in length and written to be accompanied by an orchestra. We will provide an orchestra with the instruments required by Gustav Mahler's Symphony 4, the other piece on the April concert program:  Strings; timpani and percussion; up to 4 flutes; up to 3 oboes, clarinets, and bassoons; up to 4 horns; and up to 3 trumpets. If the winner's accompaniment calls for trombones and/or tuba, we will seek players to cover those parts.

Applicants will be required to provide a url link to a YouTube audio and video recording of themselves playing/singing the entire piece they would perform if they win the competition. Applicants to be invited to audition in person will be selected based on our review of their recordings.

Application forms and deadline will be posted here soon, along with the live-audition date. Please contact us if you have questions.