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Concerto Competition

2023 DHS Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 7:00 P.M.
DHS Richard Brunelle Performance Hall

The DHS concerto competition is an annual event held early every Winter Semester to choose one student musician at DHS who will perform with the DHS Symphony Orchestra and receive a $500 award.  The winner will have the opportunity to play his or her piece with the DHS Symphony Orchestra in Concert.

Click here to see profiles of past winners.

Who may compete?

  • The competition is open to the entire DHS student population.
  • A musician who won this competition in a previous year may not compete again. 

What music should be played for the competition?

  • The competition piece should be a movement from a concerto.
  • It is required that the contestants memorize their piece for both the competition and the final performance.
  • The competition is a recital format.
  • Note: The musicians should provide their own accompanists and two copies of the music for the judges.

What instrument may competitors play?

  • Competitors may play any appropriate instrument for which concertos are written.

When and where is the competition being held?

    • This year’s competition will be held This year’s competition will be held Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 7:00 P.M. DHS Richard Brunelle Performance Hall. It is open to the public, free admission.

When does the winner perform with the Orchestra?

  • The winner will perform with the Orchestra at a public concert decided upon by the director.
  • Performances in the past have been featured at the end of the year Finale Concert and the Wennberg Concert held at the Mondavi Center, DHS Symphony Kids Outreach Concerts, and Carnegie Hall, NY.

Who will judge the competition?

  • The judges will be professional musicians who are familiar with orchestral performance and the expected level of the winner.

Who will be in the audience for the competition?

  • The competition will be open to the public so invite your family and friends. There will be two adjudicators seated in the back of the room along with Mr. Moreno.

How do I sign up for the Concerto Competition and what information do I need to provide?

  • Mr. Moreno has a sign up sheet posted in PA-3 on the computer lab window. Deadline to sign up is
    Friday, November 16, 2018.
  • To apply to the competition, you need to provide the following:
    • The name of your piece, the movement, and the composer
    • The approximate length of your piece
    • The instrument you will play
    • Whether two pianos will be needed
  • You must also send Mr. Moreno an email at amoreno@djusd.net with following information:
    • Your Name (first and last)
    • Instrument
    • Name of Solo and Composer
    • Total Time of Solo

Are there any further requirements?

  • The night of the competition all performers will be required to provide two (2) copies of their music for the adjudicators.
  • Appropriate concert dress for the concerto competition performance is required. Suggest “Concert Black.”

You can view and download a PDF of this information here.