Competitions · Humanities and writing · American Protege Concerto
American Protege, the Concerto Competition.
The one in the series that judges by instrument as well as by age - winners are chosen separately in piano, strings, voice and wind. And singers here have their own rule: an opera aria or a folk work, from memory.
What makes this one different
Winners are chosen by instrument, not just by age.
Six of the seven American Protege competitions select winners within age groups. This one adds a second axis, which changes the field a performer is actually competing in.
Four instrument categories
Piano, strings, voice and wind. Winners are selected from each category and each age group, so a wind player is not competing against the pianists.
And a simpler age structure
Students 12 and under, students 13 to 18, and adults 19 and over - the adults split into amateurs without a professional degree and college and professional musicians. No five-band ladder.
Singers have a specific requirement
Vocal entrants must perform an opera aria or a folk or traditional work, from memory, accompanied by orchestra or piano. Instrumentalists may choose any work from the standard repertoire.
Special awards on the judges’ recommendation
Beyond the placings, additional special awards may be given where the judges recommend them.
At a glance
The essentials.
Like the rest of the series, everything is decided on a submitted video. The application requirements, fee structure and Carnegie Hall recital arrangements are common to all seven competitions and are set out in full on our Piano and Strings page.
- Who can enter
- School students and adults, of any nationality. Adults have no upper age limit
- Instruments
- All - strings, piano, voice and wind
- Student groups
- 12 and under, and 13 to 18
- Adult groups
- 19 and over - amateurs without a professional degree, and college and professional musicians
- Time limits
- Students aged 6 to 12, five minutes. Students 13 to 18, six minutes. Adults, six minutes
- Repertoire, instrumental
- Any work from the standard repertoire - Baroque, Classical, Romantic or Contemporary
- Repertoire, vocal
- An opera aria, or a folk or traditional work, from memory, with orchestral or piano accompaniment
- How winners are chosen
- From each of four instrument categories and each age group. Multiple winners per group
- Application deadline
- Late February
- Results
- Late March, published on the organiser’s website
- Fee
- $200 solo, $150 per member for an ensemble. Non-refundable
The calendar
Where this one sits in the series year.
The seven competitions are spread across the year, so a serious performer can plan more than one. These are the application deadlines.
| Competition | Deadline | What it wants |
|---|---|---|
| We Sing Pop! | Mid-November | Pop, from any Billboard chart or your own writing |
| Piano and Strings | Late January | One or two works from the standard repertoire |
| Concerto | Late February | Standard repertoire, judged by instrument category |
| Music Talent | Early April | Six repertoire routes including jazz and your own compositions |
| Vocal | Mid-June | Anything but pop, in four minutes |
| Romantic Music | Mid-October | Works written between 1815 and 1910 |
| Woodwinds and Brass | Late October | One standard-repertoire work, on its own age bands |
Note that a first-prize winner may not submit the same audition programme for the next season. Entering two competitions in one year with one prepared work is possible; repeating a winning programme the following year is not.
For singers
The vocal rule here is narrower than it looks.
Vocalists thinking of this competition should read the requirement carefully - it rules out a lot of repertoire that would be fine elsewhere in the series.
An aria or a folk work
The requirement is an opera aria, or a folk or traditional piece. Art song, musical theatre and contemporary classical are not named.
From memory, always
The vocal requirement specifies memorised performance with orchestral or piano accompaniment. This is stated separately from the general memory rule.
Compare the Vocal Competition
The series runs a dedicated Vocal Competition in June with a broader repertoire - anything except pop - and a four-minute limit. For many singers that is the better fit.
And We Sing Pop for pop singers
Pop repertoire is excluded from the classical competitions entirely. The series directs pop singers to its separate contest.
The mechanics
What every entry in the series needs.
Common to all seven competitions. Our Piano and Strings page sets out the fees and the Carnegie Hall arrangements in full.
One unedited video
A single take, from memory, within the time limit. Spliced or edited clips are not accepted. Your name and the exact title of the work go in the video description.
A 150-word CV and a portrait
The CV lists past competitions, festivals and public performances. The photograph is printed in the programme.
Judging is 0.0 to 10.0 by four judges
On technique, rhythm, difficulty, musicality and tone. Comments are not released and decisions are final.
And over-length costs $50
An audition exceeding the time limit has to be re-submitted for an extra $50, and only then is a recital slot arranged.
Preparation
How Hanlin prepares a concerto entry.
The instrument-category split changes how repertoire should be chosen, and the time limits are tight for concerto movements.
Fitting a concerto into five or six minutes
Most concerto movements run longer. Choosing which section to record - and where to start and stop so it reads as a complete musical statement - is the first piece of work.
Choosing within your instrument category
You are judged against others on your instrument, so the comparison is direct. Difficulty is a scored criterion and the field knows the repertoire.
Arranging accompaniment
Orchestral or piano accompaniment is expected for singers and usual for instrumentalists. The recording has to sound like a concerto, not a practice room.
And reading the vocal rule before committing
Singers should confirm that their chosen work counts as an aria or a folk piece before recording it.
Talk to an advisor
Hanlin does not coach American Protege Concerto. Ask what it does coach.
The services below are real, but not for this competition. An advisor will say plainly whether there is a route here and what is worth entering instead.
Competition entry and planning
Which competitions suit this student, in what order, and by when - then we handle the registration, including the ones that can only be entered through a school or a centre.
Competition coaching
Taught by full-time subject tutors, on a course tier chosen by placement paper rather than by year group.
International curriculum tutoring
IB, AP, A-Level, IGCSE and the US high school curriculum, taught alongside school and timed around the exam calendar.
Competition past papers, free
A large library of past papers, mark schemes and syllabus breakdowns across every competition on this site. No charge and no enrolment.
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Or call +86 21 6352 6630FAQ
The Concerto Competition, briefly answered.
What students and families ask before entering.
What is different about this competition?
Winners are selected from four instrument categories - piano, strings, voice and wind - as well as by age group, so you are judged against players of your own instrument. It also uses a simpler three-way age structure rather than the five bands used elsewhere in the series.
What are the age groups?
Students 12 and under, students 13 to 18, and adults 19 and over, with adults split into amateurs without a professional degree and college and professional musicians. Note that the timing table gives the youngest band as 6 to 12, so confirm with the organiser if the entrant is under six.
How long can I play?
Students aged 6 to 12 have five minutes, students 13 to 18 six minutes, and adults six minutes.
What can I play?
Instrumentalists may choose any work from the standard repertoire - Baroque, Classical, Romantic or Contemporary. Singers must perform an opera aria or a folk or traditional work, from memory, with orchestral or piano accompaniment.
How are winners chosen?
From each of the four instrument categories and each age group, with multiple winners per group. Additional special awards may be given on the judges’ recommendation.
What does it cost?
$200 for a solo entrant and $150 per member for an ensemble, non-refundable. Further charges apply to over-length re-submissions, repertoire changes and extra recital time - our Piano and Strings page lists them all.
When does it run?
Applications close in late February and results are published on the organiser’s website in late March.
Can I enter more than one competition in the series?
Yes - the seven run on different deadlines across the year. But a first-prize winner may not submit the same audition programme for the following season.
What happens if my video is too long?
You are asked to submit another within the time limit, for an extra $50. Only after that second audition is a recital performance arranged.
Related
The other American Protege competitions.
Seven run each year, on different calendars and repertoire rules.
Concerto Competition enquiries
Judged against your own instrument.
The instrument-category split makes this the most direct comparison in the series, and the five or six minute limit makes choosing which part of a concerto to record the real work. Tell us the instrument and the piece and an advisor will help plan the recording.