The Utah Baroque Ensemble is pleased to announce the call for applications for the 2024 Student Scholarship Competition. The Competition is open to both vocal and instrumental students from grades 9-12 who reside in Utah County (or students who take lessons from a teacher living in Utah County) performing a Baroque period piece.  Audition recordings in video format may be submitted online from February 5 through February 21, 2024.  ($20 application fee) Finalists will be chosen based on these audition recordings. (Click here to access the application.)

Finalists chosen from audition recordings will perform competitively in a recital at the Orem Public Library’s Library Hall on Monday evening, March 18, 2024.  One finalist will receive a $500 dollar scholarship and perform at the Utah Baroque Ensemble concert on Sunday April 14, 2024 in Orem. Other winners will be awarded smaller scholarships.

Elementary and junior high students are encouraged to apply by the same method and perform at the March 18th recital non-competitively.

If you have further questions about the competition, contact ubecompetition@gmail.com

Click here to download the flyer: 2024 Student Scholarship Competition and Master Class Flyer

Rules for 2024 Student Scholarship Competition

  1. Students (or their teacher) must be residents of Utah County and in grades 9-12. Previous 1st-place winners of this competition are not eligible to compete again.
  2. Applications with video auditions will be accepted starting February 5, 2024 and must be received by February 21, 2024. No late applications will be accepted. Submit your application online at 2024 Student Scholarship Competition Application along with the internet link to your video recorded audition and a $20 fee. In preparation for the competition, students are encouraged to participate in the Master Class at the Piano Gallery in Orem on Monday, February 5, 2024 from 3:30-6:30. Those who pay the $20 registration fee for the Master Class do not need to pay the $20 application fee for the Competition (additional instructions are on the application page). Total performance time for the audition should be no less than 2.5 minutes and no more than 8 minutes.
  3. Students must perform a composition of the Baroque Era. Compositions for one or two solo performers with or without keyboard accompaniment are acceptable. (One additional basso continuo player is allowed but will not be judged.) Transcriptions are acceptable (for example, a flute composition transcribed for oboe). Keyboard compositions requiring a second keyboard to accompany the soloist are not acceptable.
  4. Finalists from the video auditions will be invited to perform their audition piece at a juried recital at the Orem Public Library on Monday evening, March 18, 2024 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. One student will be selected to perform at the Utah Baroque Ensemble spring concert in Orem on Sunday April 14, 2024, and will receive a scholarship award of $500. Smaller awards will be given to other finalists, and at the discretion of the adjudicators, additional performance opportunities at UBE concerts may be awarded.
  5. Students will be judged on general musicianship and use of Baroque style. Implementation of Baroque performance style, phrasing, and ornamentation will be key factors for adjudicators. The Master Class on February 5th is designed to help students improve their Baroque style.  The jury’s decisions are final.

Performance opportunities for junior high and elementary school students.

Students younger than 9th grade may apply to perform their Baroque pieces at the Orem Public Library Recital as a non-juried segment of the program.   Fill out the application and send in your video recorded audition with a $10 fee. There will be no adjudication or awards, but those selected to perform will receive a certificate of participation and recognition on the program. There are no minimum required times for their selections. Junior high and elementary students are encouraged to participate in the February 5 Master Class (The $10 Master Class Fee will cover your application for the Recital.)

How to submit your recording: 

Submit your video audition recording by uploading it to a site such as YouTube. You must submit the link at the time you submit your application. Your video must be made available publicly, but may be unlisted. If you set your video to private, we will be unable to view your video. If it is unlisted, only those to whom you provide the link (like us for instance) will be able to access your video.

For information on uploading videos to YouTube, click here.
For information on YouTube privacy settings, click here.

To apply for the competition, click here.
To register for the master class, click here.

How to submit your fee

Fees should be paid by check made out to “Utah Baroque Ensemble”, with the student’s name on the check, and mailed to:

Utah Baroque Ensemble
c/o Janet Bradford
945 N 910 E
Orem, UT 84097