TCW Cello Competitions

Overview

The TCW Cello Competitions are meant to provide inspiration, stimulation, enjoyment, and encouragement to all who enter and all who attend the finalists’ performances. The process of preparing the required literature to the highest level an entrant is able is of great value. The opportunity to have a chance to perform and get written feedback from members of the TCW faculty is also of great significance. The finalists’ concert on Sunday provides performers and audience members wonderful opportunities for shared musical experience. Finally, for those who receive awards, the competitions provide tangible assistance in the winners’ journeys with cello playing and music making, as well as public validation and encouragement for the excellence in cello playing and music making they have achieved.

Categories

The three categories for the TCW Cello Competitions are based on the contestant’s age on February 24, 2012:

1. Junior Division: cellists who have not yet turned 15.
   
   
2. Senior High School Division: age 15 through 18, and not yet graduated from high school
   
   
3. Collegiate and Professional Division: age 17 and up, having at least started collegiate study.
   
   
4. UN-competition category: any age or level.
   
   
   1. This division is for anyone, from adult amateur to young cellist, who would like the experience of preparing for the competition, and performing for the panel of faculty jurors, without the competition element in the equation. These cellists will still get written comments from the evaluators, and will have the chance to put themselves “on the line” for this private performance.

Preliminary Round

1. All competition entrants will play a preliminary audition on Friday, February 24, starting in the mid morning.
   
   
2. Written comments on all performances will be provided to all who perform in the preliminary round. This round will be held without piano accompaniment. TCW guest artists and faculty will be listening and evaluating these performances.
   
   
3. Based on the morning performances, up to 3 finalists in each division will be selected to perform in the Competition Finals, which will be held as a Public Recital on Sunday, February 26.
   
   
4. TCW will provide pianists to accompany finalists for this concert. Rehearsal times will be scheduled after the announcement of competition finalists.

Competition Prizes

In the interest of aiding young cellists in their musical studies, and in keeping the prize sponsors’ wishes, all financial prizes are designated as scholarships for summer music camps or collegiate study. 

1. Junior High School division: $300, $200, $100 gift certificates at Cellos 2 Go
   Prizes generously donated by Cellos 2 Go
   
   
2. High School Division: $600, $300, $150
   Prizes generously donated by Wilhite Strings
   
   
3. Collegiate/Young Professional Division: $1,500, $700, $300
   Prizes generously donated by Cleveland Violins
   
   
4. Un-competition: great personal satisfaction

1. Special prizes
   
   
   1. Cello bow by master bow maker Joshua Henry
      Bow maker Joshua Henry is graciously sponsoring the special prize: a cello bow by made exclusively for this competition, to be awarded to a finalist from one of the three divisions, based on both demonstrated artistic excellence and need for a more excellent cello bow. This prize is meant to provide a young cellist a needed tool to aid them in their cellistic and musical growth.
      
      
   2. 1000$ Scholarship to the Wintergreen Academy
      This prize, dependent upon acceptance, and will go to a High School or Collegiate Finalist who might gain the most from study at the Wintergreen Summer Music Academy.
      
      
2. The competition prizewinners will be announced at the TCW Sunday luncheon on February 26.

Repertoire requirements

Junior Division

1. Maximum performance time for both the preliminary audition and finalists’ recital: 10 minutes.
   
   
2. Faure Elegie, OR Bruch Kol Nidrei, OR Romberg C major Sonata, first movement, OR David Popper Mazurka.
   
   
3. Any movement from the first 3 Suites for Solo Cello by J.S. Bach: BWV 1007, 1008, 1009.

High School division

1. Maximum performance time for both the preliminary audition and finalists’ recital: 15 minutes.
   
   
2. First two movements and coda of Saint Saens A minor Cello Concerto, OR Boccherini-Grützmacher B flat major Concerto first movement, OR the first movement of Haydn Cello Concerto in C major, OR the first two movements of the Kabalevsky first cello concerto.
   
   
3. Two movements from one of the J.S. Bach Cello Suites 2, 3, or 4: BWV 1008, 1009, 1010.

Collegiate/Young Professional division

1. 25 minute maximum time for prelim auditions and finals.
   
   
2. Elgar Cello Concerto, movements 1 and 2, OR Haydn Cello Concerto in D Major, first movement, OR Schumann Cello Concerto, first movement OR Dvorak Concerto in B minor, first movement.
   
   
3. Any three movements from one of the Bach Cello Suites 4, 5 or 6: BWV 1010, 1011, and 1012.
   
   
4. One or more movements of any published work for unaccompanied cello written since 1950. 

Un-competition

1. A program of no more than 15 minutes of music of your own choosing

Deadlines and entry requirements

To enter the TCW cello competitions one must:

• submit your online TCW registration form with your desire to participate in the competition indicated on that form
  
  
• submit your online registration and mail your payment of registration fees to the TCW by February 10, 2012.
  
  
• For the Junior and High School Division entrants, submit proof of age (a photocopy of a birth certificate, passport, or driver’s license) with your payment of fees.