50th Annual Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Competition
Melissa Dvozenja-Thomas, Director, Development & Marketing, Arts Mid-Hudson
Have you ever wondered where some musicians got their start? As an elementary school student, I remember going into the assembly room with all the other third and fourth graders and getting the opportunity to select an instrument. I chose the viola. I thought it was wonderfully special to learn this new skill that was like a foreign language to so many others. Although I only stayed with the orchestra for a few years before moving to piano and voice lessons, I still have an affinity for string instruments. Coming up on March 11 and 12, some of the most talented young musicians in the country will come to Vassar College’s Skinner Hall in Poughkeepsie to compete in the 50th Annual Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Competition.
Initiated in 1966 by Claude Monteux, former director of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the competition has provided devoted, young classical musicians a chance to further their careers. Winners from past years have gone on to perform with symphony orchestras throughout the United States including at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and abroad.
Competitors must be between the ages of 18 and 25, and play the violin, viola or cello. For the first round, they will perform pieces by Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms, as well as one of the famous concertos written for their instrument. The three finalists will perform their concertos on Sunday afternoon, March 12, at 3 pm. All are welcome to attend and admission is free.
This competition offers the public a golden opportunity to witness some of the best young violinists, cellists, and violists in the world before their careers have taken off. The competition has always engaged some of the finest conservatory string players in the world, and many participants have gone on to enjoy prominent classical music careers.
“This competition has been an important stepping stone in the careers of many well-known musicians, such as Judith Ingolfsson and Fred Sherry (who will be judges this year), Ani Kavafian, Arnaud Sussman, Marcus Thompson and others,” said Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Competition Chair Paul Stoddard. “It also gives young players a chance to perform as a soloist with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. Many of them consider that opportunity more valuable than the prize money!”
The first-place prize is $4,000 and a trip to perform at Musical Landscapes of Tuscany during the summer. The winner will also perform their concerto at the Bardavon Opera House of Poughkeepsie with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic in an upcoming season. The second-place prize is $2,000 and third place wins $1,000.
Randall Fleischer, the beloved music director and conductor of the Philharmonic for 28 years, passed away in August 2020. Fleischer’s enthusiasm and musical skill brightened many concerts in the Bardavon Opera House. In his honor, a new $1,000 prize was established for the competition for the best performance of a non-classical piece. Fleischer loved combining classical and non-classical music and was well known for his Broadway show “Rocktopia” which featured an orchestra and rock band. The winning Fleischer Prize video will be shown in Skinner Hall while the audience waits for the judges’ decisions to be announced.
Famous winners from prior years include Ani Kavafian (violin), Fred Sherry (cello), Marcus Thompson (viola), and many others. Winners have played in the nation’s top orchestras and many now teach at the best conservatories. Take this rare opportunity to see the upcoming virtuosos as they perform for all to hear.
If you go:
50th Annual Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Competition
Saturday, March 11, 2023, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (first round auditions)
Sunday, March 12, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (second round auditions)
Sunday, March 12, 2023, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (finalists perform full concerto)
Skinner Hall at Vassar College, 100 Raymond Avenue, Arlington, NY
www.bardavon.org/show/hvp-50th-string-competition
