History
The Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto/Aria Competition originated as a program of the Elmira Symphony and Choral Society, known as the Young Artists’ Competition that began in the late 1960s. It was later renamed in honor of one of its founders, Doreen B. Hertzog. The merged successor of the Elmira Symphony and Corning  Philharmonic, now known as the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, has continued the competition since its formation in 1995. Designed to showcase the finest young musicians, the Hertzog  Competition is a vehicle for the OSFL to nurture and support talented young performers throughout the region, from Rochester, NY to Mansfield, PA and beyond.

The Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto & Aria Competition for Young Artists

Award and Eligibility

Students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to audition. Eligible instruments are: piano, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, and voice.

The 2026 Doreen B. Hertzog Competition winner will perform one movement of a concerto or aria with the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes during the 2026-27 Season. 

The Audition

  • Preliminary Round
    Contestants will submit a good quality audio recording, performing one movement from a concerto or aria with accompaniment. Recordings should not exceed ten minutes; movements of longer duration must be cut appropriately. Format should be MP3 audio only. No video recordings please. The deadline for 2027 applications will be available soon.

  • Final Round
    A maximum of 10 contestants will be selected for the final round, to be held in-person. Contestants will perform the same movement as submitted in the preliminary round, from memory. It is mandatory that each student bring his or her own piano accompanist; the OSFL will not provide an accompanist to contestants.

​Hertzog Competition auditions are very competitive; only one student will be selected to perform with the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, and the judges may, at their discretion, decide not to select a winner. The decision of the judges is final.

Apply to be the next Hertzog Competition Winner!

Step 1:  Submit your audio-only recording.

Submit Recording

  • Submit a good quality audio-only recording (no video recordings please).

  • Recordings should not exceed ten minutes.

  • Format should be MP3 audio only.

Step 2:  Submit your application 

Download Application

​Step 3:  Pay your application fee of $35.

Pay Application Fee

  • ​To pay via check:  please mail a check made payable to "OSFL" to: OSFL, P.O. Box 15, Corning, NY 14830.

  • To pay via phone: call our office at (607) 936-2873 with your credit card information.

Congratulations to our 2026 Winner!

​Timothy Suen is the 2026 Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto & Aria Competition winner and a junior at Webster Thomas High School. He began studying piano with his mother and has been a student of Dr. E-Na Song at the Hochstein School since sixth grade.

In 2026, Timothy received the Rochester Philharmonic League’s Mildred and Julius Ness Award for Piano and earned Second Prize in the Penfield Symphony Orchestra’s Jo Amish Concerto Competition. He was also the winner of the Hochstein School Merit Scholarship Competition in 2025. As an active collaborative musician, he performs with a scholarship chamber ensemble, accompanies choirs, and plays piano in school band. In addition to piano, Timothy plays percussion in his school’s wind ensemble and has been selected twice for New York State Area All-State Ensembles.

Outside of music, Timothy is involved in Model United Nations and Tri-M Music Honor Society and serves as president of both Masterminds and Science Olympiad at Webster Thomas High School. He is also a member of the school’s track and swimming teams. In his free time, he enjoys reading, studying languages, and trying new foods.

Past Winners

  • Ashley Park, violin

  • Jocelyn Hsu, harp
    Dances for Harp and String Orchestra, “Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane” (Claude Debussy)
    ​
    ​Austin Vitello, bassoon
    Bassoon Concerto in E Minor, RV 484, Mvmt. 1 (Antonio Vivaldi)

  • ​Riley Hubisz, flute
    Concertino for Flute and Orchestra, Op. 8 (Otar Gordeli)

  • ​Isabel Metz, violin
    Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64, Mvmt. 1 (Mendelssohn)

    Runner-up:  Claire Russell, double bass
    A Carmen Fantasy (Frank Proto)

  • Christopher Tillen, piano
    Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18, Mvmt. 1 ​(Rachmaninoff)

    Nikhil Lahiri, oboe
    Oboe Concerto in C Minor​ (Marcello)

  • No Winner Selected

  • ​Sophia Werner, violin
    Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64, Mvmt. 1 (Mendelssohn)

    Runner-up: Neha Kudva, tuba
    Tuba Concerto, Mvmt. 1 (Gregson)

  • ​Raymond Feng, piano
    Piano Concerto in E Minor (Chopin)

    Runner-up: Elyse Bell, soprano
    Exsultate, Jubilate, Laudate Dominum (Mozart)

  • ​Jonathan Fenwick, violin
    Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 61, Mvmt. 3 (Saint-Saëns)

  • ​Miranda Werner, violin
    Zigeunerweisen (Sarasante)

  • ​I-hao Cheng, violin

  • ​Annie Jacobs-Perkins, cello