Oratorio Society of Queens hosts its first
“Rising Stars Vocal Competition”
Who is OSQ?
The Oratorio Society of Queens is one of New York City’s premiere independent community choral groups. OSQ’s standing is rooted in their founding in 1927 and is recognized for its excellence in producing concerts in Queens that engage, educate and uplift the Queens community and beyond.
Vocal Competition Overview
OSQ is premiering its first annual “Rising Stars Vocal Competition” spotlighting the singing talent of young residents within New York City this fall 2024. If you or someone you know is an aspiring vocal performer, we challenge you to apply for this open competition.
OSQ believes that our young people are the future of the cultural arts of the city. OSQ is here to nurture, grow and give voice to our many gifted individuals. The Teens and Tweens Vocal Competition will give our young artists a stage on which to perform.
What You Need to Know
The OSQ Vocal Competition is designed to challenge young solo vocalists and is open for students from three age categories (6-9),(10-13) and (14-17) and who live in New York City. See below for Eligibility Rules and How to Apply.
Vocalists must submit a solo performance audition video not to exceed 5 minutes from one of the following music genres:
Folk; Spirituals; Musical Theater; Arias; Art Songs; Classical; Sacred Music
The primary criteria for the selection of a finalist in each age category is excellence in:
● Stage Presence/Audience Communication ● Diction
● Intonation ● Vocal Quality
● Rhythmic Interpretation ● Dynamics
● Song Choice/Song Prep ● Articulation
What Will Finals Win
One finalist from each age category will have the opportunity to be featured in a soloist spotlight performance at OSQ’s Annual Spring Concert. The concert will take place at the Queensborough Performing Arts Center (QPAC) in Bayside, Queens on Sunday May 18, 2025 at 4:00pm. Winners will also receive an official certificate acknowledging their winning status.
Eligibility Rules
Participants must:
● be a student between 6-17 years of age
● submit a fully completed application by the deadline of December 1, 2024
● if the application is judged to be complete, you must forward an Application Fee of $50
(applicants will be notified by a review committee member when and how to submit this fee)
Application Fees are not refundable.
OSQ does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, gender, age, spiritual or personal belief, disability, sexual preference
or gender identification.
How to Apply
Participants are required to submit all materials outlined below via email to info@queensoratorio.org:
● a completed Application Form (download here)
● a link to their audition video recording (YouTube or other
video sharing sites) of a solo performance (not to exceed 5 min)
● a biographical statement (not to exceed 150 words) highlighting
their past participation in competitions, festivals or other public
events, their artistic vision and goals, and educational aspirations
for the future.
● a recent photo
Note: After review of the submission package, you will be contacted with instructions for payment of the non refundable Application Fee.