Scholarships & Competitions

Young Composers Festival

The winner of the 2^nd annual Young Composers Festival (students in grades K-12 are eligible) will have his or her piece performed by the Portland Symphony Orchestra during the PSO’s spring Youth Concert. Presented through a partnership with the Maine Music Educators Association, the student compositions may be in any style and genre. Each student who submits a composition will receive a Certificate of Participation and written feedback on his or her piece from a professional composer. Composers of selected pieces will also participate in the MMEA Young Composers Workshop – a master class with professional composers. Download the Young Composers Festival application and guidelines here or visit www.mainemmea.org for more information. (grades K-12) The winner of the 1^st annual Young Composers Festival in spring 2010 was Falmouth’s own Christopher Staknys – a student at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts.

Concerto Scholarship

Every other year, in partnership with USM School of Music, the Portland Symphony Orchestra offers a $500 Scholarship honorarium to one winner of the USM School of Music Concerto Competition. The winner is selected from the competition finalists and is offered a chance to perform at the PSO’s spring Youth Concert. Past winners of the Scholarship include saxophonist Jason Giacomazzo and Trumpeter Micah Maurio. The next competition is scheduled to be held during the 2011-12 season. (currently open only to students of the University of Southern Maine.)

Sounds Like Art Painting, Poetry, & Performance Contest

This spring, painting and poetry presentations from student artists will be featured alongside the Portland Symphony. Students are encouraged to create paintings and write poetry to the music on the program and winners will be featured at the concert.  Please note that contest entries are only accepted from schools and families who register for the Spring Youth Concert. Ready to enter the Sounds Like Art: Painting, Poetry and Performance Contest? Download the entry form here!