Los Angeles Violoncello Society announces its Thirty-eighth Annual Scholarship Auditions

 

Auditions are by video submission and written essay.

 

The awards, honoring past LAVS Presidents:

Ronald Leonard Award, $800.00           Eleonore Schoenfeld Award, $800.00          Victor Sazer Award, $800.00

 

Guidelines and requirements

 

Deadline: 

Video link, essay, entry fee, and completed application form due on or before June 15, 2026.

 

Eligibility

Age: The auditions are open to students who have not reached their 14th birthday by June 15, 2026.

Residence: Open to students who reside in the following counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Imperial, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Santa Barbara.

LAVS Membership: The student’s teacher (either private teacher or school teacher) must be a current member of  the Los Angeles Violoncello Society.

    Previous Winners: Cash award winners from the last two years are not eligible for participation.

Video/Essay Consent. The student’s parent or guardian must give signed consent allowing the use of their child’s video and essay at the LAVS website.

 

Repertoire: 

Student’s choice of one piece or one movement from a multi-movement piece. Two pieces may be played if their combined length is within the time limit. Works with accompaniment must be played with piano.

 

Time Limit: 

8 minutes. Cuts are encouraged in longer orchestral tuttis. In the case of a piece longer than 8 minutes, cuts may be made in the piece to bring it within the 8-minute time limit. Any cuts must be made in the live, continuous video performance and not by editing the video.

 

Fee:     $60. The fee includes LAVS student membership for the current season.

 

Memorization: Memorization is not required. The player may play by memory or with the music.

 

Video requirements

1. Applicants will submit a link to a YouTube video of their performance.

2. The submitted video must be one continuous, unedited and unaltered video. If two pieces are played, the recording must continue uninterrupted from one piece to the next.

3. Extra time at the beginning or end of the video may be cut off, leaving about 3 seconds of video before and after the performance. Otherwise, no editing is allowing, including splicing, editing, video effects, or audio effects.

4. Use a single camera, mounted on a tripod or stable surface, clearly showing the player’s instrument, hands, and face.

5. No speaking on the video.

6. The video should include no identifying information. There should be no identifying words or names visible in the video, there should be no identifying words or names in the video description, and the YouTube account should include no identifying names or words.

    

Awards

1. The Los Angeles Violoncello Society's unique auditions are designed to identify gifted students who are not necessarily the most advanced players. The purpose is to help young cellists who demonstrate outstanding talent fulfill their potential.

2. The judges may award three $800 cash scholarships. 

3. Scholarship recipients and players receiving honorable mention will make their videos available for download by the LAVS for editing and hosting a the LAVS YouTube channel and website.

4. Winners and Honorable Mention recipients may be offered a chance for live performance in an LAVS concert event.

 

Judges’ Decision and Comments

1. Judges’ decisions are final.

2. Judges’ comments will be provided to the students.

 

Essay: 

On a separate sheet of paper, submit a printed essay of one to two pages (approximately 200-600 words) in length on one of these topics:

1. “Why do you like to play the cello?”

2. “Who is a person who inspires you and why are you inspired by them?”

 

Recording Tips: 

1. Use whatever device you like for your video recording. Smart phones make good recordings. The judges do not judge based on recording techniques or equipment. It is not necessary to record at a studio or acquire expensive equipment.

2. Use a tripod or stable surface for your recording device.

3. Record in panorama layout. (Wide framing.)

4. Record with the device at a height about equal with the player’s neck or collarbone.

5. Manage angles so that the instrument, player’s hands, and face stay in view and are not hidden by the music stand. (Do not simply put the device on the music stand in front of the player. That would be too close and a bad angle.)

6. Place the recording device at a distance for best sound. Too close may result in a dry, close-up sound that doesn’t benefit from the acoustic of the room. Conversely, too far may result in a distant, indistinct sound. Keep in mind that once the position is found for good sound, the image may be zoomed in for good visual framing.

7. The recording must be made in one continuous take. You may make as many tries as you like. 

8. It’s best to use the rear facing camera, the one you use to take pictures. With this camera you can zoom in or out to frame the image. If you use the front facing camera, the one for selfies, be sure that the image mirroring is off, otherwise it will appear that you hold the bow in your left hand in your video!

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