First Coast Wind Symphony 2025 Concerto Competition for High School Musicians

The First Coast Wind Symphony and Jacksonville University are pleased to announce the FCWS 2025 Concerto Competition for High School Musicians. This 14th annual young artist event is designed to promote music education in Florida by providing talented students an opportunity to perform a solo work with wind symphony.

The winner will be chosen through a competitive audition process, and will perform with the First Coast Wind Symphony in concert on May 4, 2025 at Jacksonville University. The winner will receive a $1,500.00 cash award. The second-place student will receive a $500.00 award.

Eligibility

The concerto competition is open to woodwind, brass or percussion musicians enrolled in a Florida high school (grades 9-12.) Previous concerto winners are not eligible to apply again.

Application Guidelines

• Applicants must provide an unedited video recording with piano accompaniment of the first or last movement of a work for their instrument, or a complete work of about 8-12 minutes. Repertoire selected by the applicant must exist as a published band arrangement available for sale (not for rent). Consult the approved repertoire list provided for suggestions. Applicants may also post a video recording on YouTube or provide a download link from cloud storage. Send the link (or any questions) to
  Artie Clifton at artieclifton@fcwinds.org.
  Download the Application and Repertoire List
• Application form, recording and non-refundable $25.00 application fee (check payable to First Coast Wind Symphony) must be postmarked by March 1, 2025 and sent together in one packet to: Artie Clifton, FCWS Concerto Competition Committee, 3842 Musket Trail, Jacksonville, FL 32277.
• Applicants will be notified by March 8th regarding their selection as a finalist in the live audition.
• Live auditions will be held before a selection committee at Jacksonville University on Sunday, March 16. Finalists are required to provide their own accompanist for the audition. Finalists are encouraged, but not required, to perform from memory.
• The winner will be announced by March 23. The decision of the judges is final.

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2024 Concerto Competition Results

The winner of the competition was Madelyn Urbine, who performed the first movement of the Richard Strauss "Horn Concerto No. 1" on May 5. Madelyn attends Buchholz High School in Gainesville. She has been playing horn for five years under the guidance of teacher Margaret Dixon. Madelyn was selected for the Florida Music Education Association All-State Concert Orchestra, Concert Band, and Symphonic Band. As a sophomore and a junior, she was selected as a finalist in the U.S. Navy Band Young Artist Solo Competition, performing with the band twice in Washington, D.C.

The second-place winner of the 2024 concerto competition was Noah Marsh. Noah performed the James Curnow "Rhapsody for Euphonium" with the FCWS on May 12. Noah is a senior at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville. He plays euphonium in the DA Wind Symphony, as well as trombone in Jazz Ensemble 1. Noah has played in ensembles that have performed at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, College Band Directors National Association, the New York Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall, and the Western International Band Clinic in Washington. He has also played in the Florida Music Education Association All-State Symphonic Band during his junior and senior years.

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2023 Concerto Competition Results

The winner of the competition is flutist Samuel Lewis, who will perform the Doppler "Hungarian Fantasy" with the First Coast Wind Symphony in concert on May 7, and will receive a first-place award of $1,500. Samuel is from Middleburg, FL and attends Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville. His private flute teacher is Rhonda Cassano.

The second-place winner is trumpeter Thomas Roberts from Niceville, FL, who will receive an award of $500. His private teachers are Jon Yates and Todd Craven.

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