Concerto Competition

Each year ULSO holds a concerto competition, open to its current and recent members. Winners are invited to perform a concerto with the Orchestra in a future project.

2021/22 Season

This season's competition will be held early in 2022. Applications will open in January; first round auditions will be held in February and the final round in mid-March. Winners will have the opportunity to perform in Summer 2022 or during the 2022-23 season.

2019/20 Season

Before the pandemic took hold, ULSO accompanied Gabrielė Bekerytė playing Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto in Duke's Hall at the Royal Academy of Music. We hope to share the recording of the performance soon!

The competition is held over two rounds:

In Round One, applicants are expected to play the first movement of a concerto lasting no longer than 10 minutes. Successful candidates will progress to Round Two.

In Round Two, for which the Music Director will be present, candidates should present selected passages from ALL movements of their concerto, totalling no more than 25 minutes. The panel may also ask to hear specific passages, so be prepared to play any part of your concerto.

For all rounds:

  • You must provide the panel with a copy of the piano or orchestral score of the piece your are peforming
  • It is strongly recommended that you to perform with accompaniment, especially for Round Two. Unfortunately, ULSO will not be able to provide an accompanist.
  • If you are successful in the Competition, the concerto you perform with ULSO will be chosen in consultation with the Music Director, but is not limited to the work played during the Competition.

The winners of the 2018/19 competition were:

Anna Roder - Violin

Gabrielė Bekerytė - Piano

Alexei Watkins – French Horn

Previous winners of the competition include: