The Community School of the Arts at NIU is holding their annual CSA Sinfonia Concerto Competition once again

Auditions will be held in the Recital Hall of the NIU Music Building at 11 a.m. on Nov. 12. One audition winner will receive a $200 cash prize and the opportunity to perform with the school’s youth orchestra on May 10, 2023. Applications must be submitted by Oct. 28, and applicants must be aged 18 or younger and live within a 75-mile radius of DeKalb.

Auditions will be eight minutes long, and contestants will have to memorize one movement of a standard solo concerto or a one movement composition and perform it for the judges. Musicians are also expected to bring their own accompanist.

The CSA Sinfonia is a full youth orchestra, directed by Linc Smelser, that performs a diverse repertoire. This Sinfonia has been performing at NIU’s Boutell Memorial Concert Hall since 1999.

The competition began in 2001, making this the 21st year since the competition was held. The first winner of the competition was Andrew Parsons, and the most recent winner was Sofia Radovic.