New Philharmonic Holds Young Peoples Competition Auditions May 9

New Philharmonic and Maestro Kirk Muspratt invites local youth instrumentalists and vocalists to audition for the seventh annual New Philharmonic Young People’s Competition. Auditions will take place 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, May 9, in room 140 of the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage. Winners selected from the auditions will have the opportunity to perform at a New Philharmonic concert at the Lakeside Pavilion or in the Belushi Performance Hall within 18 months following the competition.

“New Philharmonic knows how important it is to nurture the next generation of classical music artists so we are proud to provide this opportunity for the orchestra members of tomorrow to experience performing in front of our audiences,” says Muspratt.

The competition is open to young instrumentalists and vocalists who reside in College of DuPage Community College District 502 or who study with a teacher in District 502. Students must have completed no grade higher than the 11th grade by June 30, 2020.

Audition reservations may be made over the phone at 630.942.3008 during regular business hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Deadline for reservations is 5 p.m., Friday, May 8. There is a $20 fee per audition entry. A PDF version of the application form can be downloaded from AtTheMAC.org (click on the New Philharmonic tab). Vocal and instrumental solos, duets, trios and quartets are welcomed. Audition pieces can be no longer than two minutes or cut to that length and should be memorized. If an accompanist is required, those auditioning must provide their own accompanist.

New Philharmonic, the only professional orchestra based in DuPage County, Ill., has inspired classical music enthusiasts in Chicago and the suburbs for more than 40 years. It continues to thrive with the goal to give innovative treatment to both classic compositions and modern works while striving to make the music accessible to new audiences and youth through a variety of educational efforts. The orchestra was honored with the Illinois Council of Orchestras’ 2017 ICO Award for Professional Orchestra of the Year. Today, under the direction of Kirk Muspratt, New Philharmonic consists of more than 60 professional musicians and performs more than a dozen concerts a year, reaching more than 7,500 from the greater Chicago area annually. For more information about New Philharmonic visit AtTheMAC.org.