Competitions & Awards

David Hubbell Concerto Competition

Since 1995, the Alachua County Youth Orchestra has hosted the David Hubbell Concerto Competition which highlights its winner as the ACYO’s spring concert guest soloist.  Young musicians are invited to submit an application to audition in February of each year.  Once their proposed concerto or aria is approved by the ACYO Conductor, they perform the piece by memory in the presence of adjudicators who determine if there is a winner.  This prestigious award has launched the music careers of successful musicians from our area; the ACYO is proud to support their growth and exposure.

Please note the following important dates for the 2024 Concerto Competition:

  • Application and fee payment due to ACYO by Wednesday, January 31, 2024 .
  • Competition Auditions will be held February 25, 2024, beginning at 1:00 pm, in the UF Music Building, Room 101.

The competition winner performs at the ACYO Spring Concert at 7:00 pm on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at UF’s University Auditorium.

Complete the 2024 Hubbell Concerto Application  and return via email to Mr. Langford. Additional information, including eligibility, procedures, audition and selection details, are found in the attached application.

Pay the $25.00 application fee for the Hubbell Concerto Competition here, or mail a check to PO Box 358023, Gainesville Fl 32635. Checks must be postmarked by January 31st.


David Hubbell Concerto Competition Past Winners

YearWinnerGradeSelectionComposer
2019Karla Meijas 12Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor Mendelssohn
2018Maxwell Remmer10Cello Concerto #1, AllegrettoShostakovich
2017Jenny Baik112nd Piano ConcertoSibelius
2016Ellen Li12Piano Concerto in A Minor Grieg
2015 Skyler Covert 10 Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 Tchaikovsky
2014 MinJia Zhong 12 Piano Concerto No. 2 Chopin
2013 Bailey-Michelle Collins 10 Piano Concerto in A minorGrieg
2012 Julia Lee 6 Concerto for Violincello and Orchestra Elgar
2011 Michael Helvey 9 Symphonie Espagnole for Violin and Orchestra Lalo
2010 Kimberly Fang 12 Violin Concerto no. 5 in A minor Vieuxtemps
2009 Katherine Shen 12 Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor Chopin
2008 Jimmy Wong 12 Violin Concerto in D minor Sibelius
2007 Lucy Zhong 9 Piano Concerto Grieg
2006Christine Shen 11 Concerto No. 3 in B minor Saint-Saëns
2005 Vivia Chengsi 8 Shostakovich Piano Concerto Shostakovich
2004 Alan Clark 7 Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 50 Kabalevsky
2003 Victoria Brown 12 Piano Concerto in A minor Grieg
2002 Jung-Yun Lee 9 Cello Concerto in E minor Elgar
2001 Taiko Pelick 10 Piano Concerto No. 1 G minor Mendelssohn
2000 Dwanleen Eric. Shen 12 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major Tschaikowsky
1999 Angela Simmens 8 Suite Hebraigue for Viola and Orchestra Bloch
1998
Micah Killion
12
Concerto for Trumpet in E flat
Arutunian
1997
Shu-Ping Shen
12
Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for Violin
and Orchestra
Saint-Saëns
1996
1996
Elaina Cook
Prentis Lee
10
11
Violin Concerto # 5
Violin Concerto in E minor
Mozart
Mendelssohn

Dorothy Reaves String Competition

sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Music (FPM)

The Dorothy Reaves String Award is presented annually to outstanding 9th-12th grade string students living in Alachua or contiguous counties. The first and second place winners will receive a monetary prize, a plaque and perform at the annual FPM meeting.

Auditions are held in March of 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church. For more information, contact Bill Dishman, FPM Audition Chair.


Betsy Schnell Youth Award in Music 

sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Music (FPM)

This Spring competition is for piano performance and is open to students in Alachua and contiguous counties. Winners will receive a monetary prize and the opportunity to perform at the FPM’s Annual Meeting. There are two levels of competition:

Middle school students are required to perform a memorized program (minimum of 8 min., maximum 12 min.) representing at least two different periods of music.
High school students are required to perform a memorized program (minimum of 13 min., maximum 20 min.) representing at least three different periods of music. Piano concertos are not allowed.

Each student must bring music for the adjudicator’s use, clean and with measures numbered. Xerox or other duplicated copies are not permitted. Please time music accurately and indicate those times on the repertoire list.

Note that previous winners may not compete at the same level a second time.

Application letters must include the following:

1. Student’s name, address, and phone number
2. Age, grade and name of school
4. Parents’ names
5. Teacher’s name, phone number, and a chronological list of previous teachers
6. Repertoire, including accurate timings

Application forms and a $10 non-refundable fee (checks made out to FPM) must reach Barbara Young no later than 6 April 2019.

Audition date: 13 April at Oak Hall School
Send application to: BETSY SCHNELL YOUTH AWARD
2020 NW 56th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32605


Sarah Baird Fouse Wind Award

sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Music (FPM)

The Sarah Baird Fouse Wind Award is presented annually to an outstanding high school (9th – 12th grades) brass or woodwind player living in Alachua or contiguous counties. The first and second place winners will receive a monetary prize, a plaque and will perform at the FPM Annual Meeting.

The auditions are scheduled for March 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Contact Bill Dishman, FPM Audition Chair, for more information.