Scholarship Competition Regulations

Details of Awards

Senior Division

$500 and a trophy for first place*
$325 second place
$250 third place

Intermediate Division

$300 and a plaque for first place
$250 second place
$200 third place

Junior Division

$250 and a plaque for first place
$200 second place
$150 third place

*Senior division winners may be featured as soloists at Wintertide and/or Sounds of Spring Concerts at the discretion of the conductor.

*Should the winner choose a Concerto not in the public domain, they are responsible for all rental fees associated with the performance.

Competition Eligibility and Registration

The Scholarship Competition is open to any WYO member in good standing. When applying to enter the competition, students must indicate the Scholarship Division that they have chosen to compete in.

Scholarship Division

Open to WYO members who play in:

RCM Grade Level of Selected Piece(s)

Junior Division

Youth Strings

Up to, and including, Grade 5

Intermediate Division

Youth Strings
Youth Concert orchestra

Grade 6 to Grade 8, inclusive

Senior Division

Youth Strings
Youth Concert Orchestra
Youth Symphony Orchestra

Grade 9 to ARCT level.

Students may compete on the instrument of their choice, whether or not it is their orchestral instrument. However, keyboard/piano is not accepted in this competition.

Competition Regulations

Maximum times for selections:

Junior Division

6 minutes

Intermediate Division

10 minutes

Senior Division

12 minutes

First place Scholarship award for a division may be won only once.

The first place scholarship award for a division may be won only once by any one individual. The Junior Division winner must proceed to the Intermediate Division and the Intermediate Division winner must proceed to the Senior Division in future competitions.

Students must compete in a division appropriate to their orchestra level.

No student may compete in a Scholarship division lower than their orchestra level. Youth Concert Orchestra members cannot compete in the Junior Division and Youth Symphony Orchestra members cannot compete in Intermediate Division. Youth Strings members may choose to compete in the Intermediate Division and Youth Concert Orchestra members may enter the competition in the Senior Division. If a student plays in two orchestras, they must enter the higher level division competition.

No student may perform a piece at a grade level that is higher than the grade level for the division that they have chosen to enter.

Piece(s) must be selected and checked for grade level before the registration deadline.

The name and grade level (Provincial, Royal Conservatory or Conservatory Canada) of the selection(s) must be included in the competition registration. If grade level is not known or a piece is not listed in these syllabi, it must be reviewed and approved by the Scholarship Competition Committee at least one week in advance of the registration deadline.

Do not wait until the last minute to do this. If a piece is deemed ineligible for the division that you have chosen to enter, you will need to choose something else to play before the registration deadline, or change divisions.

IMPORTANT

After the deadline, neither the name(s) of the piece(s) nor the division entered can be changed.

  • Registrations must be accompanied by a registration fee of $50.00
  • Registrations and payment must be received no later than October 25, 2025

Procedures

  • Each competitor must provide their own accompanist, if required, and their own instrument. A piano will be provided for the accompanist.
  • Competitors must bring a copy of their selection(s) for the adjudicators. No photocopies will be allowed. If digital copies or legal downloads are used, the original written proof of authenticity or receipts must be presented with the copies (where applicable).
  • After the registration deadline, neither the name(s) of the piece(s) nor the division entered can be changed.
  • The adjudication will be based on several criteria including accuracy, intonation, phrasing and dynamics, musicality, and overall presentation.
  • Please ensure that bar numbers are included at the beginning of each line of music. This will help the adjudicators with their evaluation.
  • The winners will be encouraged to play in one of the Winnipeg Youth Orchestras for at least one more year (with the exception of senior WYO Symphony members who are moving on to different involvements).
  • Competition results will be posted on the WYO website as early as possible; typically this is before 8:30pm on the day of the competition.

Important

If you find that after registering to enter the competition that you are unable to compete, please let the organizers know as soon as possible.

There are no refunds given after sending in your registration form.

Scholarship Competition Registration Form