Musicians aged 25 and under are invited to strut their stuff before a panel of judges in the new Emerging Artists Competition, a partnership between Sudbury Music Festival and the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra.
The new concerto competition is “designed to recognize and support outstanding young musicians on their path to excellence,” the two groups said in a news release last week.
The competition is open to instrumentalists and vocalists 25 years of age and under. The competition offers the participants the opportunity to perform before a panel of jurors, receive feedback and compete for scholarships.
"This partnership embodies our belief in supporting and mentoring the next generation of extraordinary musicians," said SSO Artistic Director William Rowson in the news release. "A concerto competition can set off a cascade of motivation and inspiration. The Sudbury Music Festival challenges students to reach new heights within a wonderfully positive and collegial experience, and the symphony is honoured to collaborate with SMF in this new opportunity."
Rowson will be one of the jurors for the competition.
The grand prize winner will be invited to perform as a soloist with the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra during its 2026-27 concert season.
The SSO-SMF Emerging Artists Competition is an adjunct activity of the Sudbury Music Festival. Participants may also enter regular festival classes using the same or different repertoire and must adhere to all Sudbury Music Festival general rules and code of conduct.
The competition will be held May 4-5, 2026 at the Church of the Epiphany, 85 Larch St. Participants must be aged 25 or under of May 5, 2026. Participation is open to residents of Greater Sudbury, Espanola, or Manitoulin Island.
The repertoire will include one movement of a concerto or concerted work for soloist and orchestra. Participants will compete in two divisions:
- Competitive Division, with the grand prize winner performing as soloist with the SSO
- Exhibition Division, intended for students preparing to enter the Competitive Division in future years
Scholarships are available in both divisions.
The piece “Kol Nidrei” by Max Bruch is ineligible for the competition as it will be performed by the SSO during the 2025-26 season
Teachers are encouraged to consider the availability of orchestral materials and may contact the SSO for guidance if needed. Applications are submitted through the Sudbury Music Festival registration portal, following the festival's standard application process and deadlines. The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2026.
Full syllabus details and registration information are available at SudburyMusicFestival.ca.