Youth Symphony of DuPage
Nurturing young musicians to inspire a love of the art and profession of music to last a lifetime
Concerto Competition 2026
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2026 YSDP Concerto Competition Announcement:
The Annual YSDP Concerto Competition took place on January 5, 2026. This event is open to members of both the Youth Symphony of DuPage and the Concert Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra each year, and we were pleased to see so many students rise to the challenge of preparing and performing at such a high level.
We extend our sincere thanks to all participants for their effort, dedication, and musical energy. The preparation required for this event represents a significant commitment, and every student who performed should be proud of their accomplishment!
Participants can pick up their packet at the check-in desk today, which includes the judges’ critique sheets and copies of their music.
This year, we were honored to welcome three distinguished judges from outside of YSDP, who brought their expertise and thoughtful evaluation to the event. Following their deliberation, the competition concluded with the following results:
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2026 YSDP Concerto Competition Results:
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1st Place
Eliana Bartlebaugh, Concert Orchestra Solo Division 2026
Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Major – Movement I, by Franz Joseph Haydn
Cynthia Trowbridge, accompanist
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1st Place
Owen Spell, Symphony Orchestra Division 2026
Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major – Movement I, by Franz Joseph Haydn
Cynthia Trowbridge, accompanist
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2nd Place
Isabella Feng, Symphony Orchestra Division 2026
Cello Concerto in A minor – Movement I, by Camille Saint-Saens
Chris Garofalo, accompanist
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3rd Place
Max Zheng, Piano, Symphony Orchestra Division 2026
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major, Op. 102 – Movement I. Allegro, by Dmitri Shostakovich
Chris Garofalo, accompanist
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Congratulations to our winners and to all who participated in this inspiring musical event.
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Click this blue button to register for the Concerto Competition 2027.
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The 2027 Annual Youth Symphony of DuPage Concerto Competition information
Students are encouraged to start preparing for the 2027 Annual Concerto Competition. They must obtain their conductor’s prior approval for their music selection before beginning rehearsals and memorization for the next competition. Please email your music to your conductor for approval and copy to audition@ysdp.org upon approval. The music will be returned to the student after the competition.
Your music must be a PDF containing all pages (in 1 file). Please do not submit each page.
The student must play one complete movement of a piece, lasting 8-10 minutes. Submit a scanned copy (one PDF, not multiple pages) of your music with measures marked for the judges. Please email it to audition@ysdp.org or drop it off at the check-in desk in an envelope labeled with your name.
A piano accompanist is required. The student will provide the name of their piano accompanist at the audition registration. Please contact info@ysdp.org if you need a list of Chicago area accompanists.
Final decisions concerning solo performances are at the sole discretion of the Music Director.
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To Symphony Orchestra Members:
If you are selected to perform with the Symphony Orchestra at the April concert, orchestral accompaniments must be readily accessible and affordable. You are encouraged to research and inform YSDP of the cost and availability of your music selection before receiving approval.
Students will discuss where / how to access the orchestral accompaniment parts with their private teacher.
Students must play complete movements of pieces. Appropriate cuts may be used if the piece is too long. Only one movement can be used for the audition.
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PAST WINNERS: Previous 1st-place winners must wait 1 year before reapplying to the competition.
We are looking forward to seeing you at the Concerto Competition!
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Winners of the 2025-2026 Youth Symphony of DuPage’s Annual Concerto Competition:
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2025 Concerto Competition Concert Orchestra Division Winners
1st Place: Laine Van Cleave, Violin, Romanze by Johan S. Svensden, piano accompanied by Cindy Trowbridge.
2nd Place: Audrey Ho, Violin, Concerto No. 5 in D, Opus 22, 3rd movement by Seitz, piano accompanied by Chris Garofalo
3rd Place: Andre Cheng, Violin, Violin Concerto No. 2 in G major by Joseph Haydn
The Concert Division 1st Place winner, Laine Van Cleave, has the honor of performing solo at the upcoming Winter Concert on February 7th, accompanied by piano and Cindy Trowbridge.
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2025 Concerto Competition Symphony Orchestra Division Winners
1st Place: Adi Bawiskar, Violin, Barber Violin Concerto Movement 1 by Samuel Barber, piano accompanied by Chris Gu
2nd Place: Tazuma Koh, Trombone, Trombone Concerto Mvmt. 1 by Launy Grondahl, piano accompanied by Haeyoung Han
3rd Place: Emily Park, Violin, Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22 by Henryk Wieniawski, accompanied by Haeyoung Han
Honorable Mention: Bianca Bares, Harp, performed Concerto in D Major by Antonio Vivaldi, accompanied by Julie Spring
The Symphony Division 1st Place winner, Adi Bawiskar, has the honor of performing as a violin soloist in the Spring Concert on April 13, 2025, with the YSDP Symphony Orchestra accompanying him.
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Concerto Competition Scholarship Awards
The first-place winners of each division will receive monetary Scholarship Awards and perform at one of the upcoming concerts, with careful consideration of their pieces and the concert venue.
The 1st-place Symphony Concerto Winner will receive $200 and perform their piece with the Symphony Orchestra. The 1st-place Concert concerto winner(s) will receive $100 and will perform their work with their piano accompanist.
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