Above: Raymond Feng, 2017 Hertzog winner, performing Frédéric Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor Op. 11
I. Allegro Maestoso with the OSFL on March 11, 2018
I. Allegro Maestoso with the OSFL on March 11, 2018
The Doreen B. Hertzog Concerto & Aria Competition for Young Artists
CompetitionHistory
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. Award and Eligibility The 2025 Doreen B. Hertzog Competition winner will perform one movement of a concerto or aria with the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes during the 2025-26 Season. Students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to audition. Eligible instruments are: piano, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, and voice. 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. Applications and recordings are due by Thursday, May 1, 2025. Final Round A maximum of 10 contestants will be selected for the final round, to be held in-person on May 31, 2025 at 1:00 PM in Horseheads, NY. 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. |
Above: Isabel Metz, 2022 Hertzog winner, performing the first movement of Mendelssohn's Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64 with the OSFL on March 5, 2023.
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Application & Payment
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Recording:
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Application:
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$35 Application Fee
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Pay Fee |
2024 Winners
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Jocelyn Hsu is currently a senior at Lansing High School in Lansing, NY. She has studied harp since she was 9 years old with Deette Bunn and has been a founding member and principal harpist of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Youth Orchestra (CCOYO) since 2017. Jocelyn is a member of the Lansing High School Band, Symphony Orchestra, and Jazz Band. Jocelyn has attended the Young Artist Harp Seminar, where she won the 2023 YAHS Choice Awards. She has also attended the MPulse Summer Performing Arts Institutes and the Oberlin Summer Harp Intensive in 2024. Jocelyn will be performing as the 2024 CCOYO Concerto Competition winner as well as the winner of the 2024 Concerto Competition for the Onondaga Civic Symphony Orchestra. When not playing harp, Jocelyn enjoys being a part of Lansing High School’s musicals as well as being a member of the Running to Places Theatre Company. She also enjoys swimming and has recently been a member of Lansing High School’s Varsity Girls Swim Team.
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Austin Vitello is currently a Junior at Clarence High School in Clarence, New York, and has been studying the bassoon for seven years; first with Mary Kay Ortolano, and now with Glenn Einschlag, principal bassoonist of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Austin is a current member of the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra and the Clarence High School Wind Ensemble. He has performed in numerous honor orchestras and bands locally, regionally, and across New York State. During the summer of 2023, Austin was a member of the prestigious Young Artists Orchestra at the Tanglewood Institute in Lenox, MA. In addition, he was a winner in the VIVALDI International Music Competition 2023 Season 3 in the following categories: Absolute First Prize- Young Artist (Age 14-17), Absolute First Prize- Baroque A (Under Age 17), and Excellent Technique Special Prize. Most recently, Austin performed with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra as a ColORCHESTRA Concerto Competition winner, and was honored by being named as an alternate for the acclaimed 2024 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) and as a member of the esteemed 2024 National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2).
An avid chamber music performer, Austin enjoys making music with his high school woodwind quintet, youth orchestra chamber ensembles, and as a member of the Chromatic Club of Buffalo. He is a regular participant in the BRAVO International Chamber Music Workshop and has performed chamber music in venues across the Western New York area; including the Mary Seaton Room in Kleinhans Music Hall as a part of the Buffalo Philharmonic Spotlight Series. Austin would like to thank his teacher Glenn Einschlag, and his parents: mentor, conductor and music teacher, Louis, and Nicole, for their continual unwavering love and support. |
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