Several prestigious competitions take place each academic year at Manhattan School of Music.
Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition
Auditions are held each February by the department chairs of strings, piano, woodwind and voice; brass auditions alternate years with harp/percussion/guitar. Participants must have their entire concerto prepared by memory and bring their own accompanist. Winners are assigned concert dates for the next school year, performing with one of the school orchestras.
Artur Balsam Competition For Duos
The Artur Balsam Competition for Duos takes place on alternate years in the spring semester and includes preliminary and final rounds. Repertoire includes complete sonatas from various periods including one specified sonata for each type of instrument. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winning duos receive cash prizes and perform a recital in Greenfield Recital Hall. The next competition will be in the spring 2025 semester.
Lillian Fuchs Memorial Chamber Music Series
The Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition takes place each semester and includes outstanding groups nominated by the chamber music faculty. Winning groups are invited to perform in a public concert in Greenfield.
Ruth Widder String Quartet Competition
The Ruth Widder String Quartet Competition, funded by the Widder Foundation in consultation with faculty member Laurie Carney, honors the memory of Ruth Widder, whose lifetime of generosity to Manhattan School of Music, the American String Quartet, and other arts institutions has had a lasting effect on the cultural life of New York. The competition was created in 2015 to encourage high-level study of the string quartet literature by MSM students, and is open to quartets of current students who have played together for at least two semesters. The two winning quartets, selected by a jury comprising members of the American String Quartet and other MSM chamber music faculty, receive cash prizes and are showcased in the annual winners’ concert.
Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition
The Ades Vocal Competition is held each spring and is open to graduating voice majors ready to embark on their professional career. Substantial monetary prizes are awarded to the winners to use as they transition from school to establishing a career. Singers who are completing their formal education are eligible to audition.
The Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition is made possible by generous support from Joan Taub Ades and the late Alan M. Ades, longtime friends and benefactors of the school. Mrs. Taub Ades is an MSM trustee emerita.
The Dora Zaslavsky Koch Competition
The Dora Zaslavsky Koch competition is an annual concerto competition for the Piano Department established by Dora Zaslavsky. The repertoire choices are selected and announced before the start of each school year. The winner receives a $1000 prize and an appearance with one of the school’s orchestras.
For additional information regarding MSM competitions, including application deadlines and repertoire, please refer to your program’s Department Handbook.
Outside Competitions
Students and alumni seeking information about regional, national and international competitions sponsored by other organizations should visit the Center for Music Entrepreneurship.
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