Eligibility: All Instrumentalists and vocalists are welcome, including strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, and percussionists (percussionists will need to bring their own equipment). Vocalists are welcome to enter the competition with an aria(s) or a set of songs accompanied by orchestra. We recommend that vocalists' sets be from the same composer, or at least from the same time period (i.e., Baroque, Classical, Romantic). There are NO age restrictions on this year’s competition. There are NO distance requirements as long as you can be present for the live final round.

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PLEASE NOTE: Musicians entering the competition must select a Concerto with an orchestral accompaniment that does not exceed LVCO’s standard instrumentation. Any entries that fail to meet this requirement will be given the option to select a different piece or have their application fee refunded. See LVCO’s maximum standard instrumentation below:

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2222 / 4200 / Timpani / Piano or Harpsichord / Strings

(2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 percussionist, piano or harpsichord, strings)

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Some examples of works that fit this instrumentation include: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Brahms Double Concerto for Violin & Cello (dual-applicant submissions are also welcome!), Saints-Saëns Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Mozart Piano Concertos, Beethoven Piano Concertos, Strauss Horn Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Haydn Trumpet Concerto, Reinecke Flute Concerto, Beethoven "Ah, Perfido!" Op. 65, Stravinsky 3 Japanese Lyrics K16, Mozart “Per Questa Bella Mano," among numerous others.

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Winner of the Competition: A selected winner of the 2025-2026 Concerto Competition will receive a $250 prize along with the opportunity to perform their Concerto with LVCO during the 2026-2027 concert season. The winner will be notified by April 1, 2026.

 

Pre-Screening Round: Applicants must submit a video containing at least 10 minutes of music from their selected Concerto with their application. It is not required that the applicant record with piano (or orchestral) accompaniment, but it is recommended. However, please note that the Final Live Round will require performing with a piano accompaniment (except for pianists). The recording submission may include one or more movements of the Concerto, or excerpts from each movement of the Concerto (as long as it totals 10 minutes in length). Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo, and include a link to your recording with your email submission. Recordings must be recorded within the past 12 months to be considered. No audio editing, reverb, or enhancement is allowed — Different movements or excerpts may be from separate takes, but each individual movement or excerpt must be from a single take.

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How to Submit Application: Send an email to info@lvchamberorchestra.org with the subject line “LVCO Concerto Competition Entry - Last Name” to submit your application. Include the performer’s full name, instrument, and video link in the body of the email. Confirmation of your application will be sent upon receipt of the email and payment of the application fee.

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Application Fee: There is an application fee of $25 to enter the Concerto Competition. You can pay the fee online via the listing on our Tickets page (or click here for the direct link). Our checkout system accepts credit/debit cards and PayPal payments. This payment must accompany the materials you submit via email.

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Alternatively, to fulfill the application fee, you can submit a $25 PayPal payment as a One-Time Donation through the following link:

https://www.lvchamberorchestra.org/donate

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Pre-Screening Round Due Date: Application Fee and Pre-Screening materials are due on Sunday, February 1, 2026.

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Final Live Round Date and Location: Saturday, March 21, 2026, from 11 AM to 3 PM

Christ Lutheran Church — 1245 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18102

(Musicians are welcome to use the church’s free parking lot directly across Hamilton Street)

**Winds/brass/percussion/voice finalists are required to perform with an accompanist for the final round. Piano finalists will NOT perform with accompaniment during the final round since there is only one grand piano available at the venue. The grand piano will be available for warm-up before the final round starts, and a keyboard will be available for warm-ups during the final round.

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For general questions, feel free to reach out to: info@lvchamberorchestra.org