November 1st, 2022
Application Deadline December 1st
Mankato, MN – Thanks to a generous gift from the Mary Suedbeck Fund of the Mankato Area Foundation, the Mankato Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will offer two new competitions for high schoolers, one for soloists and one for ensembles. Both will be held on Saturday, February 25 at the Schaefer Fine Arts Center at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, MN. Cash prizes totaling $5,000 will be awarded and winners will have an opportunity to perform in a concert with the
Mankato Symphony Orchestra. The Ensemble Competition is open to all area 9th- 12th grade students who perform on band or orchestral instruments. High school teachers who coach the ensembles will also receive a stipend. The Solo Concerto Competition is open to all high school solo instrumentalists throughout Minnesota. The deadline for applying is December 1st. The goal of the competition is to encourage high schoolers towards excellence in the arts. “A competition is an incredible motivator for young students,” says Bethel Balge, executive director of the MSO. “The prize money will help support the cost of their music lessons, musical scores, and instruments. And it’s incredibly exciting to perform with an orchestra, either as a section member or as a soloist. The Mankato Symphony is very thankful for the funding that has made this competition possible.”
All information, including repertoire requirements, may be found at mankatosymphony.org/competition or contact Competition Chair Megan Wehrwein at competitions@mankatosymphony.org