Annual Berkshire Student Soloist Competition
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Williams College Department of Music will present the annual Berkshire Symphony Student Soloist Competition Competition on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 6 p.m. in Chapin Hall on the Williams College campus. There will also be two pre-competition optional studio recitals on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 15, at 3:00 p.m. in Chapin Hall. These free events are open to the public. (The snow date is Tuesday, Feb. 24. Check the hotline for updates.)The award for this competition is to appear as soloist with the Berkshire Symphony at the fourth and final regular season concert on Saturday, April 25. This is always the most rewarding concert of the season as it showcases the remarkable talents of our Williams students.
The Berkshire Symphony will be conducted by guest conductor Julian Kuerti and includes nearly 70 members, half of whom are students and half of whom are professional musicians. The ensemble presents four major concerts each season; the programs balance orchestral standards with contemporary works.
The competition is open to Williams College students who have completed certain required instrumental or vocal studies and enrolled in qualifying courses. The students must be recommended by their instrumental or vocal teachers. The works may be one movement from a concerto, a single-movement work, a concert or operatic aria, song cycle, etc. for soloist and orchestra. The students are accompanied by professionals for both the optional studios and the competition itself.
Winners of the competition are chosen by a distinguished panel of judges consisting four professional musicians from outside the Williams community. They are Michael Sussman, clarinet ; Jennifer Ashe, soprano; Dan Schulman, piano; and Joel Pitchon, violin The auditions will be overseen by David Kechley, Chairman of the Department and one other music department faculty member.
