During the current 2007-08 season, Lincoln Friends of Chamber Music (LFCM) will sponsor its first annual Young Artist Chamber Ensemble Competition. Please bring this competition to the attention of any eligible musicians; teachers are encouraged to work closely with students to produce the best possible results. Please review the competition details along with an online application form. (Or you can download a PDF version to fill out and mail in with your CD.)

The competition will be held in two divisions, one for students of middle school or high school age, and one for undergraduates at the college or university level. Groups wishing to participate in the competition should submit a recording of their playing by February 1, 2008. Up to five ensembles in each division will be asked to perform in the final competition, to be held on Saturday, March 29, 2008, at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. Judges will identify First Place and Second Place winners in both divisions. The prize for the Second Place ensembles in each division is $300 per member, and the prize for the First Place ensembles is $500 per member.

On Sunday, March 30, the four winning groups will receive final coaching from the judges and/or other professional musicians, and all four groups will perform on a concert at 7:00 that evening. All finalists who compete on the 29th will receive tickets to a LFCM concert featuring the Ying Quartet (currently string quartet in residence at the Eastman School of Music) at 3:00 on the 30th.

LFCM is committed to raising awareness of and love for chamber music in the state of Nebraska. We encourage all young musicians with abilities in this challenging type of music to consider participating in this competition; likewise, we urge all music teachers to identify and encourage promising students to be involved. We also request that you pass on this information to any other teachers or young musicians who might appreciate knowing about this competition.

We look forward to receiving applications by February 1. If you have questions, please send inquiries to the contact information below.

LFCM Competition
Dr. David Breckbill
Doane College
1014 Boswell Avenue
Crete, NE 68333

Telephone: (402) 826-8283
Email address: david.breckbill@doane.edu