Major Artist Audition Information

Applications will be accepted from March 1 through March 25, 2025

Audition Dates: April 4 and 5, 2025

The Pittsburgh Concert Society (PCS) encourages auditions applications for highly-qualified classical musicians in the Major Artist category who live or study in the Pittsburgh area. Winners are provided live concert performance oppotrunities and financial support.

The auditions are judged by an independent adjudicator from outside the Pittsburgh area.

The adjudicator for the 2025 Major auditions is Thomas Novak, Director of Artistic Planning, Production and Administration, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

The online application will become available on this page on March 1, 2025.

Audition Requirements

• Musicians must be at least 18 years old to apply.
• All applicants must live or study within a 75 mile radius of Pittsburgh. This requirement extends to every member of an ensemble that wishes to apply. Previous Major Artist winners are ineligible to audition again in the same solo instrument or ensemble category.
• A candidate may not apply more than twice in any given season, as a soloist or as a member of an ensemble.
• Up to 40 qualified applicants will be accepted in the order their applications are received. Additional applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
• A non-refundable application fee of $50 must be included with the application. Applicants must submit and perform a program of approximately 30 minutes.
• Applicants are encouraged to submit programs that include works from at least two periods, and of varied and contrasting repertoire.
• The program for all applicants must include a work by an American (USA) composer.
• Singers must include selections in English and at least two other languages.
• The program for any application by an ensemble must consist entirely of works written for the full ensemble. Such program may not include any works written for fewer performers than the full ensemble.
• For an instrumentalist or singer with pianist to qualify as a duo, piano parts may not be orchestral reductions, piano arrangements or adaptations.
• Solo applicants with collaborative pianists (accompanists) may include works with arranged piano parts or orchestral reductions (opera arias, movements from instrumental concertos, etc.) Applicants in this category may also program solo, unaccompanied works.
• The PCS reserves the right to reject an application for inadequate program quality, for failure to meet the program requirements, or for any reason it determines that an applicant has not met the standards of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Major Artist Auditions.
• Applicants will be notified of any issues that may cause a submitted program to be rejected, and, time allowing, will be given the opportunity to submit a revised program.
• If selected, winners must perform the same program that was submitted for their audition.
• Applicants must provide their own pianist and page turner if needed. If a candidate is in need of a pianist, PCS may suggest, but not recommend, a list of pianists.
• Audition instructions will be e-mailed to all candidates at the appropriate time. They will be emailed to the address given on the application form.

Winners

• Winners receive a concert performance opportunity and an honorarium as outlined below.
• Winning soloists and ensembles will perform their programs—two winners per recital—on one of three Major Artists concerts scheduled for the following autumn.
• Major Artist Audition winners receive an honorarium upon completion of their concerts: $1,500 for a solo performer, $850 each for duo performers, $850 each for a trio, $850 each for a quartet, and a maximum of $3,400 for an entire group or ensemble larger than a quartet.
• Winners of the Major Auditions will be contacted individually. The judge’s decision is final. Additionally the results will be posted on the News page of the PCS website.

Application Deadline: March 25, 2025

Questions may be submitted to info@pittsburghconcertsociety.org