Competition
Awards:
1st Place - $2000
2nd Place - $1500
3rd Place - $1000
Finalists - $100
Encouragement - $100
Most Promising Sophomore - $100
Eligibility:
High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors, from the host state or contiguous states, recommended by their choral directors or vocal teachers. Singers are only allowed to enter one Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition per year. Residents of other states will be considered on a case by case basis.
Competition Repertoire:
Applicants must be prepared to present three (3) musical compositions from standard literature representing different periods and styles, for example, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary Art Song. One selection may be from Broadway theatre repertoire. All selections must be memorized. A professional accompanist will be selected and provided for the competition by the Schmidt Foundation. (No individual, personal accompanists may be used.) Singers will need to provide one (1) copy of printed music that is clear and easy to read for each of their songs. The printed music should be in a binder and well marked to convey cuts, stops and starts. It is not necessary to send your music ahead. It should be brought with you the day of the competition.
Judging Criteria:
There will be three (3) to five (5) judges. The young artists will be judged on beauty of voice, technical skill, musicality, accuracy, and presentation.
Competition Procedure:
The first round of competition will begin early in the morning and each singer is allotted seven (7) minutes. All singers will have the opportunity to perform two (2) pieces - the first selected by the singer, the second selected by the judges. After the first round there will be a break. After the break the participants for the master class are announced and a free master class will be presented for all the participants. After the master class the finalists are announced and asked to sing in the final round. The number of finalists is at the discretion of the judges but cannot exceed ten (10). During this final round the singers will again be asked to sing two (2) pieces - their third selection and either of the first round pieces they prefer. To be eligible for prizes, competitors must stay until all prizes have been awarded. This is an all day event. If you have a conflict and cannot remain until prizes have been awarded, please do not enter. The competition is free of charge and open to the public.
How to Apply:
See your music teacher for an application or download the application (PDF).
Questions?:
Contact the Schmidt Competition Coordinator, by phone at (859) 257-4536, or via email at schmidtcompinfo@gmail.com, with any questions regarding the Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition.
Schmidt participants are required to wait twelve (12) months before competing in another Schmidt Foundation event. Failure to comply will result in disqualification from the competition.