Under 23 Concerto Competition

 

 

The 2025 finals were held on Sunday February 23, 2025 at Harcourt United Church.  

Congratulations to Grace Lau (violin) who will perform a full concerto with GSO in the 25-26 season and to Khloe Wu (piano) who will perform one movement with GSO next season!

 

For queries or additional information, contact

gm [at]guelphsymphony.com

Past Winners

• 2002 Sarah Choi (piano)
• 2003 Judith Manger (cello)
• 2004 Cecilia Kang (clarinet) and Mark Laver (saxophone)
• 2005 Todd Yaniw (piano)
• 2006 Desiree Abbey (cello)
• 2007 joint winners Colin Liu (clarinet) and Winston Hind (tuba)
• 2008 Ben Chapman (piano)
• 2009 Amir Safavi (violin)
• 2010 Afendi Yusuf (Clarinet) and Hugo Lee (oboe)
• 2011 Sarah Whynot (piano)
• 2012 William McLeish (cello)
• 2013 Laura Andrews (flute)
• 2014 William Bellehumeur (piano)
• 2015 Emma Meinrenken (violin)
• 2016 Coral Soloman, piano
Runners-up: Leslie Ashworth (violin), Morgan Melbourne (piano), Felix Hong (piano)

• 2017 Jillian Carney (flute)
• 2018 (tie) Samuel Choi (viola) and Lynn Sue-A-Quan (viola)
Runners-up: Natania Fok (piano) , Livia Coburn (cello)
•2019 : Emily Bosenius (violin)
Runners-up: Veronika Manchur, (violin), James David Conquer (saxophone)
•2020 : Emad Zolfaghari (viola)
Runner-up: Tiffany Yeung (violin)

•2024 : Anthony Vu (piano)
Jennifer Armor (violin)

* 2025: Grace Lau (violin)

Runner-Up: Khloe Wu (piano)

General Information about the Competition

* Candidates will be required to submit an application form, with a link to a performance of one movement of a concerto or concerted work, in which they are the featured soloist. An application will be considered incomplete if the application fee has not been paid.

*NOTE: Applicants must arrange for their own piano accompaniment A list of local accompanists will be provided upon request.
The second piano provided will be a digital one.

Applicants may enter the competition with any concerto of their choice, but the winner may be asked to select another work to perform in consideration of the program and cost/availability of orchestral parts.

* Candidates may elect to play a different concerto than in the link provided, if selected for the final round.
Finalists will be invited to audition live before a jury.

*The finals are open to the public. Admission is free.

*Applicants must be under the age of 23 on the day of the finals.

The Winner will be invited to perform a full concerto, at a concert in the GSO’s next season.