Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta

Musicians from the Middle Tennessee area are invited to apply for the Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta’s 2026 Concerto Competition.

We will be accepting applicants from the following categories:

1. Young Musicians
   Students who are currently studying in middle or high school, typically ages 13-17.
2. Collegiate Musicians
   Students who are currently studying in a full-time collegiate program, typically ages 18-22.
3. Adult Musicians
   Musicians not currently enrolled in school and who do not make their living as a professional performing musician, typically ages 23 and above. MTS trusts that applicants will respect this guideline and use their own judgement accordingly.

Round I: Virtual Submissions

To be eligible for submission, concertos must be submitted per the specific details outlined below. Submissions that do not abide by the rules and regulations will not be eligible for evaluation. Virtual submissions will be due by 11:59pm on Monday, October 13, 2025. Each virtual submission will be evaluated anonymously by members of the MTS Staff. Round I decisions will be announced on October 17, 2025.

• The entrant may submit only one concerto submission for their respective category, with repertoire guidelines listed below
• The recording submitted should be a recent performance, recorded no more than two months prior to the deadline
• The recording is recommended to have live piano accompaniment, but not required for the first round
• The applicant, hand placement, and instrument must be fully visible in the recording
• Previous Concerto Competition Winners are not eligible for consideration

Round II: Finalists

Selected finalists from the first round of virtual submissions will be chosen to compete in a live performance on Saturday, November 15, 2025 in front of a panel of judges. The winning concerto applicant from each category will be announced by December 1, 2025. Each winning applicant will receive a featured performance of their concerto at the Spring 2025-2026 Season Concert in March 2026, as well as an audio and video recording of the performance for personal usage and small stipend.

• Contestants are asked to provide their own accompanist for this round, but an accompanist will be available for hire through MTS if needed
• Contestants are asked to provide up to five copies of piano scores of their concerto selection for the judging panel
• Only judges, competition staff, applicants, and accompanists are allowed in the warmup and audition areas
• The winner from both categories must be available for subsequent rehearsal and performance dates

Repertoire:

The concerto selection must be written for a solo instrument and orchestra. Concertos for two instruments and concerto premieres will be considered only with approval of MTS prior to the Virtual Submission deadline. The video submission should be the entirety of the movement or concerto. Cuts for an orchestral introduction and large sections of rest are allowed for the video submission. For Young Musicians: the concerto selection should not be shorter than 3 minutes or longer than 10 minutes. For Collegiate Musicians: the concerto selection should not be shorter than 5 minutes or longer than 15 minutes. For Advanced Musicians: the concerto selection should not be shorter than 5 minutes or longer than 20 minutes. Works that are either shorter or longer than the requirements listed for each category will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and should be pre-approved by MTS before submission. Works in the public domain are preferred, but those under copyright will be considered. Each contestant’s selection is subject to approval. Should they proceed to the final round, applicants must be prepared to perform the entire movement of the selection. The same piece must be performed during both rounds of the competition and performance, if selected.

Please contact our Director of Outreach, Erika Easterly at erika.easterly@mtsinfonietta.com with any questions or for pre-approval of your concerto submission.