Since 1956, Tuesday Musical Club has held the Young Artists Competition each Spring for serious students of music who study or reside in Texas. The competition is held for piano, voice, or strings in rotating years. The 2026 Young Artists Competition will be in Strings and held on March 7, 2026 at the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX.
Eligibility
Contestants must be:
- Between 18 and 30 years of age on the day of the competition (March 7, 2026)
- Must be Texas resident, or a student in a Texas school, or studying with a private teacher in Texas
Contestants must not be:
- Under professional management
- A previous first place winner of this competition
Requirements for the online application:
- Completed application form
- YouTube link of contestant performing two pieces (Please read "Recording and Submitting YouTube Videos" below before starting application)
- Proof of age with a copy of photo ID, drivers license, or passport
- $40 application fee, payable by credit card
- Letter of recommendation from your teacher (email)
Deadline for the application is 11:59 pm, December 15, 2025.
Repertory Requirements
For the audition recording: two contrasting pieces from two different musical periods-Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Modern.
For the competition semi-finals: three pieces from three of the four major musical periods-Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Modern. These pieces must be played from memory. One piece from the semi-finals will be chosen by the competitor for the finals.
Instructions for YouTube Submissions:
Applicants must create a separate YouTube video for each of the performance video submissions. The link to the videos must be included as part of your application.
- When recording, set up your camera horizontally to record performance.
- Please do not state your name in the video.
- If self-recording, please trim the beginning and end of the video so that the act of turning the camera on and off is not in the recording.
- Upload video to YouTube: Title your video with Your Name, School, Name of Piece, Composer. Under “Privacy” or on some devices, “Visibility,” select “Unlisted.” This will make your video visible only to you and the people you share the link with.
- Do not apply any filters to your video, as this can be distracting.
- Confirm your video has uploaded and copy the YouTube link.
- Enter your link under “Piece #1” and “Piece #2” on the application.
The Competition
The competition will be held on March 7, 2026 at the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall on the campus of Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. The format and schedule of the competition are forthcoming.
Please arrive and sign in at least 30 minutes before your audition.
An accompanist will be available for those requiring one. This must be pre-arranged.
A panel of three judges will evaluate the competition performances and provide written comments, which the contestants may take home with them.
Contestants must supply the judges with one original copy for each piece of music per each judge. Photocopies are permitted if they are legal copies.
There will be a brief break between semi-finals and the final competition. All finalists must sign-in by 6:30 pm. The finals will begin at 7:00 pm.
The awards are presented immediately at the close of the competition after the judges confer. All decisions are final.
The first place winner of the competition will be a featured performer at the Tuesday Musical Club’s Annual Luncheon, which begins at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at the San Antonio Country Club.
Free Programs
