Applications Open for the Cooper International Competition at Oberlin Conservatory

$40,000 in prize money is available at this competition for young musicians aged between 13 and 18

Founded in 2010, the Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition alternates annually between accepting candidates on the violin and the piano. Open to young musicians aged between 13 and 18, a total of $40,000 is available in prize money, with the First Prize carrying a value of $20,000.

The Violin 2025 edition will take place between January 5 and January 10, with the finalists each performing a concerto with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra on the final day.

For the preliminary round, applicants should record the fugue movement from any of the three solo sonatas by J. S. Bach, one Paganini caprice, and the first movement of a concerto from the following list: Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, and Prokofiev. Applicants will also need a letter of recommendation from their teacher.

Past violin winners of the Cooper competition include Seohyun Kim, Eric Charles Chen, VC Young Artist Johan Dalene, Gallia Kastner, and Belle Ting.

In 2025, the jury will comprise Sibbi Bernhardsson (Chair), Catherine Cho, Francesca dePasquale, Peter Herresthal, Xie Nan, and William van der Sloot.

You can read more and apply here. The deadline for applications is October 1, 2024.