Applications for woodwinds, brass, percussion and timpani will be accepted for the 2024 Bursary Competition. Keep playing and check back in December 2023 to apply!
Solo repertoire requirements
Candidates must state their chosen solo repertoire from the approved list at the time of application.
In addition to the solo repertoire selections listed, each candidate will be required to perform a selection of excerpts from the orchestral repertoire. Excerpted parts will be forwarded to candidates upon acceptance to the Competition after the closing of the application deadline. These excerpts are an integral part of the audition; practice and study of these elements should be given as much weight as the solo repertoire.
Note: It is not required that repertoire be memorized.
Approved solo repertoire list: Strings and harp
The approved solo repertoire list has been carefully developed and is regularly reviewed by the NACO Bursary Committee. In drawing up this list the Committee has chosen pieces which, in terms of length, variety and level of difficulty, best meet the requirements of this Competition. No substitutions will be allowed.
Violin | Viola | Cello | Double bass | Harp
Violin
A movement of j.s. bach or another solo piece, with or without accompaniment, no longer than 10 minutes. Candidates are encouraged to choose from a diverse selection of composers.
and
First movement of one of the following concerti:
béla bartók Violin Concerto No. 2
ludwig v. beethoven Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61
johannes brahms Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77
max bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26
antonin dvořák Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53
eric wolfgang korngold Violin Concerto, Op. 35
édouard lalo Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21
felix mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
w.a. mozart choose from concerti Nos. 1 – 5
sergei prokofiev choose from concerti Nos. 1 – 2
camille saint-saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61
jean sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
henri vieuxtemps choose from concerti Nos. 1 – 5
henryk wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 1 in F# minor, Op. 14
henryk wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22
Viola
A movement of j.s. bach or another solo piece, with or without accompaniment, no longer than 10 minutes. Candidates are encouraged to choose from a diverse selection of composers.
and
First movement of one of the following concerti:
béla bartók Viola Concerto, BB. 128
georges enescu Konzertstück (complete)
john harbison Concerto for Viola
paul hindemith Der Schwanendreher
nicolò paganini Sonata per la Grand’ Viola
william walton Viola Concerto
Cello
A movement of j.s. bach or another solo piece, with or without accompaniment, no longer than 10 minutes. Candidates are encouraged to choose from a diverse selection of composers.
and
First movement of one of the following concerti:
samuel barber Concerto in A minor, Op. 22
ernest bloch Schelomo B. 39 (from beginning to down beat of no. 30; pick up from piu animato 5 bars before no. 45)
luigi boccherini choose from concerti Nos. 1 – 9
antonin dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor, Op.104, B. 191
edward elgar Concerto in E minor, Op. 85
franz joseph haydn choose from concerti Nos. 1 – 2
dmitry kabalevsky choose from concerti Nos. 1 – 2
édouard lalo Cello Concerto in D minor
sergei prokofiev Sinfonia Concertante in E minor, Op. 125
camille saint-saëns choose from concerti Nos. 1 – 2
robert schumann Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
dmitri shostakovich Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 107
pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky Rococo Variations, Op. 33 (opening, 1st variation, 3rd variation & last variation)
Double bass
A movement of j.s. bach or another solo piece, with or without accompaniment, no longer than 10 minutes. Candidates are encouraged to choose from a diverse selection of composers.
and
First movement (unless otherwise indicated) from one of the following concerti:
giovanni bottesini Concerto No. 1 or No. 2
karl ditters v. dittersdorf Concerto in D
domenico dragonetti Double Bass Concerto
franz anton hofmeister Double Bass Concerto No. 1, 2 or 3
serge koussevitsky Concerto, Op. 3, 2nd and 3rd movements
andrés martin Concerto for Bass and Orchestra, any movement
nino rota Divertimento concertante for Double Bass and Orchestra, 3rd and 4th movements
johann matthias sperger Double Bass Concerto No. 15 in D major
eduard tubin Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra (including cadenza)
johann baptist vanhal Double Bass Concerto
anton zimmermann Double Bass Concerto in D major
Harp
Two contrasting pieces (one concerto and one sonata) selected from the following list:
Concerti
michael conway baker Harp Concerto, complete
françois-adrien boïeldieu Harp Concerto in C major, 2nd and 3rd movements
claude debussy Danses Sacrée et Profane, complete
alberto ginastera Harp Concerto, Op. 25, II. Molto moderato and III. Libramente capriccioso
george frederic handel Harp Concerto in B flat Major, HWV294, II. Larghetto and III. Allegro moderato
Sonatas
srul irving glick King David Sonata (1st and 2nd movements, OR 2nd and 3rd movements)
paul hindemith Harp Sonata (1st and 3rd movements OR 2nd and 3rd movements)
nino rota Sarabanda e Toccata
germaine tailleferre Harp Sonata (1st and 2nd movements OR 2nd and 3rd movements)
marcel tournier Sonatine, Op. 30 (1st and 2nd movements OR 2nd and 3rd movements)