young artists application information

Applications will be accepted from February 1 – 28, 2025

Audition date: March 8, 2025

The Pittsburgh Concert Society (PCS) encourages applications for highly qualified classical musicians in the Young Artists category who live or study in the Pittsburgh area. Winners are provided live concert performance opportunities and financial support.

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

The adjudicator for the 2025 Young Artists auditions is: Jose Garcia-León, Dean of the Yale School of Music.

Audition Requirements

• 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.
• Instrumentalists must be 19 years of age or younger as of June 30 of the year of their audition. Singers must be 22 years of age or younger as of June 30 of the year of their audition.
• Previous Young 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.
• A non-refundable application fee of $35 must be included with the application.
• Applicant’s program must be approximately 20 minutes in length and may be of their own choosing.

Additional Information

• Applicants must audition with the same program they will perform if selected.
• The submitted program must be properly formatted according the the PCS Style Sheet and Concert and Recital Assistance Manager (CRAM) Guide.
• Applicants must provide their own pianist and page turner if needed. If a candidate is in need of a pianist, PCS could suggest, not recommend, a list of pianists.
• Limited funds are available to help candidates cover pianists fees.
• There is no age restriction for accompanists.
• Proper audition attire is recommended.
• 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.
• Up to 30 qualified applications will be accepted in the order they are received. Additional applicants may be placed on a waiting list.
• 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 does not meet the standards of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Young Artist Auditions.
• Additional audition instructions and cards will be e-mailed to all candidates prior to the audition date. They will be emailed to the address given on the application form.

Winners

• Winners receive a concert performance opportunity and a scholarship as outlined below.
• Winners will be contacted individually. The judge’s decision is final. Additionally, the results will be posted on the News page of the Pittsburgh Concert Society website as soon as they are received.
• Young Artist Audition winners receive a scholarship upon completion of their concert: $600 for a solo performer, $400 each for duo, trio or quartet members and a maximum of $1,600 for an entire group or ensemble larger than a quartet.

Young Artist Concert Dates

Sunday, April 6, 2025 and Sunday, April 27, 2025

Questions may be submitted by email to info@pittsburghconcertsociety.org