Young Artist Competition

Challenge Guidelines 

1. Participants must be residents of Albany, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Jefferson, Lewis, Onondaga, Oneida, Oswego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, St. Lawrence, Warren, or Washington Counties.
2. The Challenge is open to instrumentalists and vocalists in Grades 7 – 12.
3. The Challenge will take place Saturday, April 12, 2025.
4. Students must submit an application, complete with teacher(s) recommendation to be considered for the event.  The selected work must be from the current NYSSMA Manual, Level 5 or 6. Memorization is NOT required.
5. Participants must submit a copy of their music with their application.
6. All photos submitted and taken the day of the event are the property of The Orchestra of Northern New York and may be used for publicity purposes without compensation.
7. Applications must be postmarked by March 29, 2025.   No late entries will be accepted. Each complete application must include:
   
   1. Application form, including student and teacher certifications.
   2. A selection from the current NYSSMA Manual, Level 5 or 6.
   3. A non-refundable application fee of $25 payable to “ONNY.”
   4. An electronic copy of applicant’s photo
   5. 100-word bio
   6. A pdf of your music

NOTE: Email completed application and all required materials by Saturday, March 29, 2025 to: challenge@onny.org OR mail them to: ONNY, Challenge for Young Artists, PO Box 488, Potsdam, NY 13676.

Where are they now? 

Former First Prize Winners

James and Katherine Andrews Young Artists Competition

2023 Soren Alexander Krantz, piano, performed Edvard Grieg's Concerto in A Minor for Piano, Op. 16 (1868).  He took piano lessons from his mother as soon as he could reach the piano bench. For the last three years, he has studied privately with John Spradling, Syracuse. Last year, he won second place in the YAC and in 2021 he placed third in the CNY AMT advanced piano competition, senior division.

2022 Victoria Huffman, piano, performed the First Movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453 (1784). A sophomore at Indian River High School, she studies piano privately with John Spradling, Syracuse. In 2021, she won second place in the CNY AMT Advanced Piano Competition.

2021 Alex Wu, piano, performed the First Movement, Allegro, of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 in Eb Major, Op. 73 "Emperor." A junior at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Alex also plays cello in the Symphoria Young Artist Orchestra and his school string orchestra. He studies privately with John Spradling, Syracuse.

2020  Joyce Cheng, cello, performed the 4th Movement of the Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor. A senior at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, NY, Joyce began playing cello at age 9.  She joined the Empire State Youth Orchestra in 2015 and has been its principal cellist since 2018.  

2019  Carole Wilay, violin, performed the First Movement from Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor. She is attending Cornell University, studying environmental engineering. She’ll continue to play music in their orchestra.

2018  Silas Smith, harp, performed Introduction and Allegro by Maurice Ravel. Silas is studying mathematical economics at Clarkson University, where is also taking introduction to computer science courses. He is also involved in musical theater and Atonement Theology.

2017  Hannah Sohn, cello, performed the Third Movement of Saint Saëns’ Concerto No. 1 in A Minor. Hannah graduated from Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park and is working on a future in cello performance.

2016  Kathryn Kovarik, violin, performed the Third Movement of Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E Minor. Kathryn is currently attending Brown University where she is majoring in English.  Katie takes private violin lessons at Brown and plays in local ensembles when she is home in Syracuse.

2015 Christopher Spinelli, piano, performed the First Movement of Mozart’s Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K 414.  Chris currently attends SUNY Oswego where he is studying with Professor Robert Auler and has a busy schedule performing and recording.

2014 Sabrina Johnson, trumpet, performed Concerto in E Flat, First Movement, by Neruda. Sabrina attended SUNY Potsdam where she was in the trumpet studio of Dr. James Madeja and the Frackenpohl Honors Brass Quintet. She also attended the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore for graduate studies.

2013 Noah Landers, piano, performed Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, first movement, by Saint Saëns. A student of Professor Robert Auler of SUNY Oswego, Noah is looking to a future in piano performance.

2012 Lillia Woolschlager, oboe, performed the First Movement of Haydn’s Concerto in C Major. As an undergraduate in oboe performance, Lillia studied oboe under Dr. Anna Hendrickson, Professor, Crane School of Music. She is currently attending De Paul University for her Masters in Performance, studying with Professor Alex Kline.

2011 Lillia Woolschlager, piano, performed the first movement of Mozart’s Concerto in A Major. As an undergraduate, Lillia studied piano with Dr. Francois Germain, Professor, Crane School of Music.

2010  Nicole Moody Canull, cello, performed Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, first movement, by Saint Saëns. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Drake University. She has performed in Italy, states throughout the Midwest and New York. She is a recipient of a German cello from the Carlsen Cello Foundation. Nicole currently lives in New York where she performs and maintains a private cello studio.

2009  Andrew Horwitz, saxophone, performed Concerto in E Flat Major, first movement, by Glazunov. Andrew graduated from Ithaca College where he studied music and computer science. Upon graduation, he continued his studies at McGill University in Montreal. Andrew currently works for RILM in New York City where he combines his love of classical music and computer science.

2008  Benjamin Hull, violin, performed the first movement of  Bruch’s Concerto No. 1. Ben graduated from St. Lawrence University and then received an MBA from RIT. He is the former Director of Oncology at Canton Potsdam Hospital. Ben is married and living in Madrid where he bought the oldest house in town and is renovating it with his father. 

2007  Nicholas Hartman, French horn, performed the first movement of Mozart’s Concerto No. 3. Nicholas attended the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University where he studied horn performance with Professor William VerMeulen. After graduation, he won the position of 4^th horn in the National Arts Center Orchestra in Ottawa. He is now 4^th horn in the Toronto Symphony.

James and Katherine Andrews Young Artist Competition

Applications Due January 3, 2025

The James and Katherine Andrews Young Artist Competition is back for 2025!

2025 Competition Event Page
2025 Competition Application (Due January 3, 2025)
Rules
Repertoire
Past Winners

Vernice N. Church Challenge for Young Artists

Junior High and High School students from Northern and Central New York as well as the Capital Region who are “Pursuing Artistic Growth” are invited to participate in this event to be held on April 12, 2025. Students will perform live in-person at a 9 a.m. recital at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Participants must perform a piece from the current NYSSMA Manual, Level 5 or 6. See your school’s copy of the current NYSSMA Manual for repertoire.

All young artists performing in the recital will receive a Certificate of Participation and written feedback from a panel of professional musicians.
 
2025 Challenge Event Page
2025 Challenge Application (Due March 29, 2025 April 9, 2025)
Guidelines

The repertoire list for the 2025 Young Artist Comepetition may be downloaded here.

Students and teachers are welcome to contact Music Director Michael J. Colburn at musicdirector@onny.org or 315-212-3440 if they wish other works or movements to be considered for the 2025 competition.

Competition Rules

1. Contestants must be residents of Albany, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Jefferson, Lewis, Onondaga, Oneida, Oswego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, St. Lawrence, Warren, or Washington Counties. 
2. The competition is open to instrumentalists in Grades 9 through 12. 
3. Contestants may use music and are NOT required to play from memory. They must be prepared to play a piece or movement from the Repertoire List. The length of the work is limited to 15 minutes or one movement. Please click here for the Repertoire List.
4. Contestants must audition live in person.  
5. Contestants must submit a copy of their audition piece (solo part and piano reduction or score) at the in-person audition. If there are any questions about the availability of an extra score, please contact Music Director Michael J. Colburn at musicdirector@onny.org.
6. At the discretion of the judges, contestants may be interrupted, subject to time restrictions.
7. The decision of the judges is final, and the judges reserve the right not to award any level of the prizes.
8. The competition will take place in Hosmer Hall, Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam, NY on January 25, 2025. If plans change, notice will be posted on this website.
9. The First Place winner will be invited to perform, if possible, with the Orchestra of Northern New York on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27, 2025. This performance should not exceed ten minutes, and concerto may be truncated accordingly. 
10. Second & Third Place winners will be presented their $300 and $150 cash prizes respectively at the Saturday, April 26, 2025 concert.
11. All photos submitted and taken the day of the event are the property of The Orchestra of Northern New York, and may be used for publicity purposes without compensation.
12. Entries must be post-marked by Friday, January 3, 2025. No late entries will be accepted. Each entry must include:
         A. Completed Application/Teacher Certification Form. Only complete forms will be considered. 
         B. Non-refundable application fee of $75 made payable to: The Orchestra of Northern New York.
         C. Electronic file of photo and 100-word bio (Both are required for the application to be considered complete.)
         D. A PDF of required music.

Email completed application and ALL required materials by January 3, 2025 to: competition@onny.org

OR mail them to:

ONNY Young Artists Competition 
P.O. Box 488 
Potsdam, NY 13676