The Mad River Chorale

2010 Vermont Young Musician Award  •  7^th Annual Competition

The Vermont Young Musicians Award committee would like to thank all of last year's applicants. It was by far the strongest group of musicians from the widest geographical area that we have seen.



Now entering its seventh year, the Vermont Young Musicians’ Award remains one of the region’s most prestigious competitions. Students from across the State of Vermont compete for over six thousand dollars in prize money during an intense three-round exercise. Finalists from previous competitions have gone on to attend some of America’s finest conservatories of music including The Curtis Institute of Music, Julliard, The Eastman School of Music, The Cleveland Institute of Music, The Cincinnati Conservatory, The Peabody Conservatory and more. These outstanding musicians include singers, pianists, and instrumentalists of nearly every variety. The final round of this annual competition is held during the Mad River Valley’s “Vermont Festival of the Arts,” and is consistently one of the highlights of the festival.

The Vermont Young Musicians’ Award was established and is underwritten by the MRVCC Scholarship Fund, as part of its mission to encourage interest in the arts among the younger generation. The competition is administered by MRC & Co., Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization based in the Mad River Valley. MRC & Co. is responsible for the selection of judges and oversees the application and audition process.

Eligibility Guidelines

• All Vermont high school vocalists and instrumentalists are eligible to apply. High school aged students whose families are full or part time Vermont residents are also eligible.
• All acoustic instruments are eligible for the competition. Amplified instruments are not eligible for this competition
• Audition selections may include accompanied and unaccompanied solo repertoire. Duets, chamber music or other forms of ensemble repertoire are not eligible for this competition.
• In order to create consistent guidelines for evaluation, jazz, musical theater, rock and similar genres are not considered acceptable repertoire for this competition.

The Audition Process

The Vermont Young Musicians’ Award has three rounds of evaluation. Students will advance based on the quality and accuracy of their submissions and performances.

Round One – Written Application –
Students will submit a written application that includes the items listed below. This application will be evaluated based on its content, accuracy and overall presentation. Students should strive to present themselves well in writing.

• A personal letter explaining their interest in music in general and the competition in particular;
• A résumé that details their musical experience, festivals, camps, and continuing programs, a list of private teachers and a repertoire list;
• At least one letter of recommendation from a private instructor, teacher or other qualified person;
• Recordings will not be considered. Consideration will be based entirely on the written documents
• Advancement Notifications will be posted online and mailed.

Round Two – Live Audition –
Sixteen students will advance to Round Two. These students will audition before a panel of three judges in a live concert setting. From these sixteen applicants six will be chosen to advance to the final round.

Audition selections (criteria described above) should total no more than ten minutes and should represent both the applicant’s technical facility and musical aptitude.

• The repertoire selected for the second round will be the repertoire performed in the final round if the applicant advances.
• Students must bring three copies of their musical selections to the auditions, for the judges. These copies will not be returned, and will be used in the final round if the student advances.
• Both the student and the accompanist (if applicable) should perform from original copies of the music, or if using copies most provide proof of ownership of originals to the judges at the time of the audition.
• Students are not required to perform from memory and memorization is not a criterion used in the judging process.
• Advancement Notifications will be posted online and mailed.

Round Three – Final Competition – Tuesday, August 10, 2010
A panel of distinguished judges will review a live performance of the six finalists in the Gate House Lodge at the Sugarbush Resort. At the conclusion of the performance the judges withdraw to deliberate and then announce the winners. All contestants shall receive recognition of having been a finalist, with the prize monies being awarded as follows: winner $3,000, runner up $1,500, third place $750, and all other finalists $300. The final concert, which is open to the public, is a festive, widely attended even.