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UNCSA History

Facts and information about the history of the UNCSA campus and programs.

Time Capsule #10

November 30th, 2012

University of North Carolina School of the Arts Concerto Competition Winners and Featured Soloists

Derived from UNCSA student orchestra concert programs, performance calendars, press releases and personal recollection from faculty and alumni.

A complete and accurate list of UNCSA School of Music Concerto Competition winners does not exist in the school archives and we are asking for alumni or faculty assistance in authenticating this list and/or verifying the identity of competition winners.

In an effort to begin the process of recognizing our concerto competition winners, past and present, one of our generous volunteers from the Associates offered to research and compile the following list. He asks that you make note of the following issues:

It has long been assumed that the majority of soloists highlighted at UNCSA orchestra concerts were given the honor of soloist because they were also winners of the UNCSA Concerto Competition. There was often no mention in concert programs or press releases that the soloist featured in a particular performance was, in fact, the Concerto Competition winner. Therefore, NO assumptions were made in compiling this list. Concerto soloists are designated by an asterisk (*). This designation does NOT indicate a competition winner, however, the possibility exists that s/he was, in fact, a winner though no confirmation of this could be found.

When students were specifically credited in one or more printed concert programs, performance calendars or press releases as a UNCSA Concerto Competition winner, those names were of course included in the list without question. These students are designated ‘CCW’- (Concerto Competition Winner).

In January 1970, seven students were designated as ‘winners’ with no other information given. These students will be designated by lower case ‘w’. 

A very few featured concerto soloists in 1971-1972 were listed as having been “chosen by audition”, although the nature of the audition was not qualified. These students are designated by lower case ‘a’. 

It should be noted that the specific concerto that a student may have played which resulted in winning a particular concerto competition might not have been the same piece played at the concert at which the student is recognized in the program as having been a concerto competition winner. The concerti noted in the list below were all played in public performance. 

Some information was obtained from lists and notes previously gathered by the school archivist and from her conversations with faculty and alumni. These notes did NOT refer to a particular performance program or press release in the files. If there was no supporting evidence of a competition winner other than the recollection of a faculty member (or alum) these students were designated as CCW-FR.