With the recommendation of their private lesson teachers, students may audition for the Annual Concerto Competition. The competition, which includes both a Junior and Senior Division, is judged by Chicago-area musicians. Winners have the opportunity to perform at one or more of the following events: MeritFest at Symphony Center, the Conservatory Spring Concert, and the Conservatory graduation.

Opportunity with the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts

Winners of the Senior Division of Merit’s Concerto Competition will be eligible to bypass the first round of the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (NFAA)’s Arts Recognition and Talent Search, a prestigious national competition for high school seniors in the arts. Students who win Merit’s Concerto Competition will automatically make it to the second round of the competition when they reach their senior year of high school.