Sir Stephen Hough, VSO’s 2025 MasterClef guest composer and panelist.
2025 MASTERCLEF COMPETITION DETAILS
Students of all musical genres — from classical, pop and rock to indie, house and beyond — and any musical instrument or voice are invited to arrange, perform, compose, produce or improvise a new work based on a selected melody featured in Hough’s concerto.
Finalists will join Hough and a panel of adjudicators in Burlington on Thursday, February 13 to workshop their music. On Saturday, February 15 they are invited to attend the VSO concert at the Flynn featuring Hough’s performance of The World of Yesterday. Cash prizes will be awarded to three students: one grand prize winner and two runners-up, on February 13.
Learn more about pianist and composer Stephen Hough
Submission guidelines, deadlines and examples are provided below.
ELIGIBILITY
All students enrolled in a Vermont middle or high school, or home–schooled, in grades 6 through 12, as of September 1, 2024.
PRIZES
- One grand prize winner will receive a $300 cash prize.
- Two runners-up will receive a $150 cash prize.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
The deadline for submission is January 26, 2025 at 11:59pm.
The submission must be an audio recording no less than 1 minute and no more than 3 minutes long, in which the 2024 MasterClef theme is used. We invite you to transform this theme in any way you like, as long as we can still recognize that what you have created is derived from it.
2025 MasterClef Theme
This year’s theme is the opening few bars of Stephen Hough’s piano concerto.
Student compositions may include any musical instrument or group of musical instruments, in any musical style or genre and in any language (if words are used).
A complete application includes three parts:
- Completed application form | Click here for application form
- Audio recording, to include either
- A recording of a live performance of the composition, OR
- An electronically-produced audio file of the composition (e.g. MIDI, .wav, etc)
- Supporting materials to explain your process and the musical work. You must include at least one of the following, whichever is most relevant to your work:
- A PDF of your musical score if one exists, and/or
- A process statement describing how you created the work, and/or
- Another format of your choice that is suitable for your work and describes its creation
Please include parts 2 and 3 as attachments to one email, sent to hannah@vso.org no later than Jan 26, 2025 at 11:59pm.
JUDGING AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINALISTS
Finalists will be decided by a jury selected by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra.
Finalists will be announced publicly and informed in writing on Feb 1, 2025. Finalists and their parents/guests will be invited to Burlington for the February 13 masterclass and February 15 concert. One grand-prize winner and two runners-up will be announced on-site at the conclusion of the February 13 masterclass.
MASTERCLASS AND CONCERT
The masterclass in music composition will take place in the afternoon (during the school day) on February 13 at Burlington High School. The first-place winning composition and runners up will be announced at this event. All young musician finalists (and their accompanying adults, if any) will be provided with tickets to the VSO concert at the Flynn on February 15 at 7:30 p.m.
SUBMISSION
Submit your composition and supplemental materials via email to Hannah Hansen, VSO Education Coordinator, at hannah@vso.org no later than Jan 26 at 11:59pm. Please be sure you have also completed the Application Form.
We welcome and encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and musical interests. We look forward to hearing what you create!