WSO Announces the 2027 Thomas C. Clark Young Artist Competition: Year of the Flute

"Year of the Flute" • Win $2,000 and Perform with the WSO for its MasterWorks Concert

Sunday, March 14th, 2027

One extraordinary young flutist will have the opportunity to take center stage with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra in 2027. Applications are now open for the 7th Annual Thomas C. Clark Young Artist Competition, an annual program that recognizes exceptional emerging talent while providing the rare experience of performing with a professional symphony orchestra. Open to flutists ages 18–26 from across the continental United States, this prestigious competition has become a launching pad for emerging artists seeking valuable orchestral performance experience and national recognition.

The 2027 competition will feature Carl Nielsen's Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, FS 119, one of the flute repertoire's most celebrated and technically demanding works. The winning musician will perform the concerto with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 3:00 p.m. at the Fine Arts Center, CT State Community College, Waterbury, Connecticut.

Established through the generosity of WSO Board Chair Thomas C. Clark, the annual competition reflects the Orchestra's commitment to nurturing the next generation of classical musicians. Each year, Mr. Clark and Waterbury Symphony Orchestra Music Director Maestro Leif Bjaland select a featured instrument and concerto, providing an outstanding young artist with the rare opportunity to perform with a professional symphony orchestra before a live audience.

Competition Details

• Application Deadline: Sunday, October 11, 2026

• Audition/Competition: Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

• Performance: Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 3:00 p.m.

  
  

Location:

Fine Arts Center

CT State Community College

750 Chase Parkway

Waterbury, Connecticut

Message from Executive Director Doug Donato

WSO Executive Director Doug Donato shared his enthusiasm for this year's competition:

"The Thomas C. Clark Young Artist Competition provides an extraordinary opportunity for gifted young musicians to showcase their artistry while gaining invaluable experience performing with a professional symphony orchestra. We are excited to welcome the nation's finest young flutists to Waterbury and look forward to discovering the next outstanding soloist to join the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra on stage."

Ready to Apply? Take the Next Step in Your Musical Career

If you are a talented flutist between the ages of 18 and 26, don't miss this chance to compete for a $2,000 prize, perform Carl Nielsen's Concerto for Flute and Orchestra with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, and gain invaluable professional performance experience.

Applications must be received by Sunday, October 11, 2026

Interested applicants can download the Competition Flyer, Invitation to Apply, and Application Form below.

WSO 2027 Young Artist Flute Competition Application Form.pdf

Download PDF • 2.02MB

CLICK HERE TO PAY APPLICATION FEE

About WSO's Thomas C. Clark Young Artist Initiative:

Each year, the Waterbury Symphony hosts an event for emerging instrumentalists as part of its Young Artist Chamber Series and the Young Artist Competition - two treasured parts of the Thomas C. Clark Young Artist Initiative.  Each year, the Clark Initiative focuses on a different orchestral instrument and a specific standard repertoire concerto. 

Mr. Clark, current Board Chair, endowed these programs in 2019. With many years of experience serving on the boards of orchestras and performing arts organizations, Mr. Clark knows well the significance of this type of opportunity for young musicians for its performance, monetary, and credential values.   “Having been involved for a long time with emerging musicians, I know how important it is for them to demonstrate their prowess in a performance with a symphony orchestra. The prize fund is a named endowment with real and enduring value for the winners and the Symphony. I’m happy that the prize will advance these young artists throughout their musical careers,” Mr. Clark explains.  

Prior year competition winners are cellist Yun Han in 2019, violinist Yoon Be Kim in 2020, and following the COVID lockdown, pianist Homan Cheng in 2023, clarinetist Chris Dechant in 2024, and saxophonist Rimas Stapusaitis in 2025 and violinist Caroline Smoak in 2026.        

About Waterbury Symphony Orchestra: Creating music since 1938, the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra’s core belief is that music, music education and shared cultural experiences are essential for humanity.

Three primary strands of the WSO include its MasterWorks Classical Concerts including its annual Symphony & Cinema Concert, its prodigious satellite performances of innovative concerts and smaller ensembles, and finally their celebrated educational programs for libraries, schools, and underserved communities.

Led by Leif Bjaland, now in his 30th season, WSO draws over one hundred talented professional musicians from across New England. As orchestra in residence of the Fine Arts Center, Naugatuck Valley Community College, the Waterbury Symphony wishes to acknowledge the partnership of NVCC and the enduring legacy of the generosity and vision of Ruth Ann Leever.

For more information by telephone, call 203-574-4283.

For tickets online, visit: waterburysymphony.org

For tickets by phone: 203-346-2000* *Via box office partner, Palace Theater Box Office