Maya Anjali Buchanan, violin performs with the Civic Orchestra during Young Artist Competition finals in 2017.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
The Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition is a prestigious concerto competition for Illinois’ top young soloists. Applicants audition live at Symphony Center for a distinguished panel of judges. Following a preliminary round, four finalists are selected to perform in the final round in Orchestra Hall, accompanied by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. The winner is featured on the following season as soloist with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as part of CSO School and Family Concerts.
Congratulations to Noah Kim, winner of the 2022 Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition!
The instrument group for the 2023 Young Artists Competition is strings. Applications open Tuesday, September 6. See this year's repertoire list below and start preparing today for the preliminary round on December 10 & 11, 2022.
Presented jointly by the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and the Negaunee Music Institute at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
2023 Strings Repertoire
Applicants must audition by playing a single movement from one of the standard concertos on this list. An applicant may audition with a piece not on this list only if a request is made and approved in writing by CSOA Administration prior to the December 1 application deadline. To submit a request please send an email to The Negaunee Institute.
Violin
BEETHOVEN Concerto in D Major, Op. 61
BRAHMS Concerto in D Major, Op. 77
BRUCH Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
DVOŘÁK Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53
HAYDN Concerto No. 1 in C Major
HAYDN Concerto No. 4 in G Major
KHACHATURIAN Concerto
LALO Symphonie espagnole
MENDELSSOHN Concerto in E Minor
MOZART Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major
MOZART Concerto No. 2 in D Major
MOZART Concerto No. 3 in G Major
MOZART Concerto No. 4 in D Major
MOZART Concerto No. 5 in A Major
PAGANINI Concerto No. 2 in B Minor
PROKOFIEV Concerto No. 2 in G Minor
RAVEL Tzigane
SAINT-SAËNS Introduction and Rondo capriccioso
SAINT-SAËNS Concerto No. 3 in B Minor
VIEUXTEMPS Concerto No. 4 in D Minor
VIEUXTEMPS Concerto No. 5 in A Minor
WIENIAWSKI Concerto No. 2 in D Minor
Viola
BARTÓK Concerto
BLOCH Suite hebraique for Viola and Orchestra
HANDEL Concerto in B Minor
HINDEMITH Der Schwanendreher
HUMMEL Fantasie for Viola and String Orchestra
HOFFMEISTER Concerto in D Major
STAMITZ Concerto in D Major
TELEMANN Concerto in G Major
WALTON Concerto
WEBER Andante e rondo ongarese, Op. 35
Cello
BARBER Concerto Op. 22
BOCCHERINI Concerto in B-flat Major, G. 482
HAYDN Concerto in C Major, Hob. VIIb: 1
HAYDN Concerto in D Major, Hob. VIIb: 2
KABALEVSKY Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 49
LALO Concerto in D Minor
SAINT- SAËNS Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33
SHOSTAKOVICH Concerto No. 1, Op. 107
TCHAIKOVSKY Pezzo Capriccioso, Op. 62
TCHAIKOVSKY Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33
Bass
BOTTESINI Concerto No. 2 in B Minor
DITTERSDORF Concerto in E Major
DITTERSDORF Concerto in E-flat Major
DRAGONETTI Concerto in A Major
KOUSSEVITZKY Concerto in F-sharp Minor, Op. 3
VANHAL Concerto in D Major
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be born before December 31, 2009, and may not have completed their junior year of high school by the time of the preliminary round.
All applicants must be legal residents of the state of Illinois, residing in Illinois. Students are not eligible for the competition if they are past winners or are under professional management.
Applicants must also be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate in the competition. Proof of vaccination will be required at check-in for the preliminary round. Applicants who cannot show proof of vaccination will not be permitted to audition.
