Campus Closure Wednesday, January 15

• Applications were due no later than midnight on Saturday, April 6, 2024 and are now closed.
• Preliminaries for the 2024 Competition will be held April 13. (Audition times will be assigned after applications are received.)
• The final Competition will take place Saturday, July 20 (Category A) & Sunday, July 21 (Category B).

There will be two categories of competition (please specify your category upon entry form submission).

(A) Competition participants will perform a full concerto of their choosing from memory at the final competition

(B) Competition participants will perform a movement of their choosing from the 17th or 18th century repertoire at the final competition, sheet music may be used.

The Preliminary Audition Competition

• Students will arrange their own piano accompanist for preliminary competition
• Students will be notified through email concerning their selection to advance to the final competition
• Preliminary Auditions will take place at Ventura College PAC.

Two Judges selected from the Schwab Academy will view auditions

• Judges will choose three students from category (a) to move forward to the finals
• Judges will choose five students from category (b) to move forward to the finals

All students audition with their own accompanist - one movement and a Bach partita (sheet Music may be used).

Category (A) – student will perform one movement from their chosen multi-movement concerto that they will perform at the final if chosen to move on to the finals.

Category (B) – student will perform the one movement they will perform from the 17th or 18th century repertoire (one movement 19th century exceptions may be approved) the same composition they will use if chosen to move on to the finals.

Audition for category A

• Play one movement from the concerto you intend to perform at the final competition
• Play one movement from J.S Bach’s Sonatas or Partitas for solo Violin, Violas may choose a movement from J.S. Bach’s cello suite
• The selections may be performed with sheet music
• Mail 2 copies of the partita and movement of the concerto you will perform at the VC campus (address will be provided in separate email)
• Participant must provide their own Accompanist.

Audition for category B

• Play the movement from the concerto you intend to perform at the final competition
• Play one movement from J.S Bach’s Sonatas, Partitas, or study for solo Violin, Violas may choose a movement from J.S. Bach’s cello suite, or study
• The selections may be performed with sheet music
• Mail 2 copies of the partita and movement of the concerto you will perform at the VC campus (address will be provided in separate email)
• Participant must provide their own Accompanist

To audition, students must fill out and submit the competition application form by the deadline. Contestants will be notified of their audition time and date after sending in application form.

Final Competition

• Two Judges selected from the Schwab Academy will judge the finalists.
• Certificates and Awards will be given at the final performances.
• Rehearsals and performances will take place in the Helen Yunker Auditorium with Academy Symphony Orchestra.

CATEGORY (A) Three finalists selected from the preliminary competition by the panel of judges will advance.

CATEGORY (B) Five finalists selected from the preliminary competition by the panel of judges will advance.

• Category A
  At the Final Competition, participants will perform a full multi-movement concerto of their choosing from memory with the Schwab Academy Symphony Orchestra at the final competition.
• Category B
  Competition participants will perform a movement of their choosing from the 17th or 18th century repertoire with the Schwab Academy Symphony Orchestra at the final competition.

Final Competition Dates

CATEGORY A:   

• Saturday, July 20, 2024, 4:00pm downbeat

     Required Rehearsals: 

• Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 5:30 - 8:30pm (50 minute time slots TBD)

• Saturday, July 20, 2024, 12:00-3:00pm (before concert)

CATEGORY B:   

• Sunday, July 21, 2024, 4:00pm downbeat

     Required Rehearsals: 

• Thursday, July 18, 2024, 5:30 - 8:30pm (30 minute time slots TBD)

• Sunday, July 21, 2024, 12:00-3:00pm (before concert)

All participants will receive a certificate of achievement  

Judging Criteria: - Finalists will be chosen based on their stage presences, accuracy, articulation, intonation, and overall musicianship skills. Judges will consider the difficulty of the repertoire as well as accurate interpretation of style.

Eligibility requirements to compete as a Soloist in the Henry Schwab Violin & Viola Competition

• Student age is 8 to 23 on or before the final competition
• Must be a registered resident of Ventura County or Santa Barbara County,
  • Or currently studying with a Ventura County registered resident, recognized by the HSV&VC board as an established prominent string instructor in Ventura county.
  • Or con-currently enrolled in Schwab Summer Academy of Music on the campus of Ventura College. All Academy students regardless of their registered resident location are eligible to apply and compete in the competition).

Financial awards and certificates will be given to each finalist.

• Awards – Category A:
  • 1st prize $2000
  • 2nd prize $1500
  • 3rd prize $1000
• Awards – Category B:
  • 1st prize $1000
  • 2nd prize $750 
  • 3rd prize $500

2023 Henry Schwab Violin & Viola Competition Winners
(Guest judges: Mark Kashper and Melissa Phelps)

CATEGORY A

SKYLER LEE, First Place

BEATRICE JIANG, Second Place

KARL BAUMGARTNER, Third Place

•••

CATEGORY B

LEONORA VUKOVITZ, First Place

KYLER CHU, Second Place

CARLOS OZUNA, Third Place