Celebrating South Florida Young Talent: The Ray Millette Young Artists Concerto Competition
In honor of Ray Millette, a cherished founder of the esteemed Alhambra Orchestra, we proudly present the annual Ray Millette Young Artists Concerto Competition. Now in its 21st year, this competition is hosted and managed by Alhambra Music Inc.
The competition is dedicated to showcasing and supporting the exceptional young talent of South Florida. Open to middle and high school students, it offers participants the unique opportunity to perform with a full orchestra and compete for scholarships. Finalists will have the honor of performing before a distinguished panel of judges.
Young musicians from South Florida, spanning from middle school through senior year of high school, including graduating seniors, are encouraged to apply. Instrumentalists proficient in flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, harp, piano, violin, viola, cello, guitar, or double bass are eligible to participate.
Join us in celebrating the next generation of orchestral talent and nurturing their musical aspirations.
APPLY TODAY. IT’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE!
Apply Online: The 2024-2025 Concerto Competition Application is Completely Digital!
We are excited to once again offer talented youth the opportunity to participate in our annual concerto competition. This initiative reflects our commitment to identifying and recognizing exceptional young musicians aspiring to pursue a career in music.
All auditions must be submitted online in video format. Please note that piano accompaniment is required, including prerecorded or “music minus one” accompaniment.
There is a $30 fee to enter the competition. Applications and video submissions are due by midnight on November 10, 2024. Once your application and fee have been submitted, you will receive an email confirmation with additional details.The final rounds will take place on Sunday, December 1, 2024, at Encore Academy of the Arts, 4651 SW 72nd St., #110, Miami, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Applicants are required to provide a brief biography (not exceeding two paragraphs), a list of all repertoire they are prepared to perform, proof of age (such as a passport, state ID, or birth certificate), and a high-resolution headshot photo.
To begin the application process, review and gather all your information and submit your online application form when ready.
This competition is open to young musicians from middle school through senior year of high school, including graduating seniors. Applicants must be residents of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, or Monroe Counties and enrolled at the middle school or high school level as of August 2024.
The competition is open to any young aspiring orchestral musician trained in one of the following instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone; French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba; percussion, harp, piano; violin, viola, cello, guitar, or double bass. Previous winners who have performed with the Alhambra Orchestra are eligible to compete again, provided they did not win first place on the same instrument.
To prepare for the February live performance, finalists are required to attend three Wednesday evening rehearsals (7:30 PM – 10:00 PM) with the Orchestra on January 15, 22, and 29, 2025. An afternoon dress rehearsal will be scheduled before the concert.
Musicians can select one movement of a standard concerto written for solo instrument with orchestral accompaniment. The list below is not a requirement, just some recommendations.
| Bassoon Mozart Concerto in Bb Major, K 191 (3rd Movement) Vivaldi Concerto in A Minor, RV 497 (1st Movement) Weber Concerto in F Major, Op. 75 (1st or 3rd Movement) Cello Boccherini Concerto in Bb Major (3rd Movement) Haydn Concerto in C Major (1st Movement) Haydn Concerto in D Major (1st Movement) Lalo Concerto in D Minor (2nd Movement) Saint-Säens Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33 (1stMovement) Clarinet Mozart Concerto in A Major, K 622 (1st Movement) Spohr Concerto No. 1 (1st Movement) Weber Concerto No. 2 in Eb Major (1st Movement) Double Bass Bottesini Concerto in B Minor (1st Movement) Dragonetti Concerto (1st of 3rd Movement) von Dittersdorf Concerto in E Major (1st Movement) Flute Mozart Concerto in G Major (1st or 3rd Movement) Mozart Concerto in D Major (1st Movement) Stamitz Concerto in G Major (1st Movement) French Horn Haydn Concerto No. 1 (1st Movement) Mozart Horn Concerto No. 2 (1st Movement) Strauss Concerto No. 1 in Eb Major (1st Movement) Oboe Bellini Concerto in Eb Major (Allegro Polonese) Haydn Concerto in C Major (3rd Movement) Mozart Concerto in C Major, K. 314 (1st Movement) |
Harp |
All auditions must be submitted online in video format. Piano accompaniment is required, even if pre-recorded. Submissions without accompaniment will not be accepted.
Submissions, along with a completed application, are due by midnight on Sunday, November 10, 2024. Only one submission per applicant is allowed. Once a submission is received, no further submissions from the same applicant will be accepted. The judging panel will review recordings from November 11-18, 2024. Applicants will be notified of their advancement to the final round no later than November 21, 2024. The final round will be held on Sunday, December 1, 2024, between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
Three winners and one alternate may be selected from those who compete. The first place winner receives a prize of $700. Second place receives a prize of $300 and third place receives $200 towards their music education.
The audition committee reserves the right to award no winner and/or to award alternate cash and performance prizes to honorable mention performers at the committee’s discretion. The audition committee reserves the right to withhold or redistribute cash prize at its discretion.
Winner and alternate must complete a W-9 form and waiver. The three winners will be featured in a concert at FIU Wertheim Performing Arts Auditorium on Saturday, February 1, 2025, and the alternate will perform if one of the three cannot do so. If the scheduled performance cannot happen, the Alhambra Orchestra may, at its discretion, afford the winner(s) alternative performance opportunities. Performance with the orchestra is not guaranteed.
Chronological list of Winners Of Alhambra Orchestra’s Ray Millete Memorial Young Artist Competition
2024Gabe Rodríguez, Cello 2023Raveena Cherry, violin 2022Ian Barnett, violin 2021Sophia Molina, violin 2020Angelina Ning, piano 2019Sahana Shravan, violin 2018Madison Yan, piano 2017Laura Liu, viola |
2016George Zhou, piano 2015Annabel Chyung, violin 2014Jacob Mason, piano 2013Joanna Gonzalez, piano 2012Kerstin Yu, piano 2011David Fernandez, violin 2010Elisha Willinger, clarinet 2009Gabrielle Chou, violin |
2008Arianne Urban, violin 2007Anna Litvinenko, cello 2006Thomas Mesa, cello 2005Carmine Miranda, cello |
