Young musicians
Students through eighth grade.
Competition Award
$750
The 39th Annual John Leatherwood Concerto Competition gives emerging musicians the opportunity to perform with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.
The 39th Annual John Leatherwood Concerto Competition celebrates talented young performers of orchestral instruments and keyboard who meet the residency requirements.
Winner(s), at the Music Director’s discretion, will perform with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra on February 20, 2027. The competition is sponsored by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra Guild and Northwest Florida State College.
Application packages must be postmarked by October 8, 2026. They must include a completed application form, a non-refundable $50 fee payable to NFSO Guild, and a YouTube link to one memorized concerto movement with piano accompaniment. Applicants may also complete the application and payment online.
Contact Competition Director Lynne Fehrenbach with questions about repertoire or application requirements.
The 2026–27 competition offers three divisions. There may or may not be a winner in each division, and there will be no ties within a division.
Students through eighth grade.
Students in grades 9 through 12.
Full-time undergraduate students who are 23 or younger on February 20, 2027.
The competition is open to performers of orchestral instruments and keyboard. Applicants, or their parents if the applicant is dependent, must maintain legal residence in one of the eligible Florida counties listed below.
Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Nassau, Okaloosa, Putnam, Santa Rosa, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
Prepare a memorized concerto movement with piano accompaniment for the initial screening. Finalists perform live before the judges on November 7, 2026.
Review the 2026–27 Competition RulesSelect a concerto movement suitable for the competition. The judges and Music Director may disqualify a selection they consider unsuitable. Consider the availability and expense of orchestral scores for possible NFSO performance. Contact the Competition Director with repertoire questions.
Submit a working YouTube link to one memorized movement of a concerto with piano accompaniment. Write the link clearly on the application and test it before submission.
Postmark the completed application package by October 8, 2026. Include the application form, the non-refundable $50 fee payable to NFSO Guild, and the YouTube video link. Online application and payment are also available.
Finalists perform from memory at Tyler Recital Hall in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Finalists must provide their own accompanist. An accompanist may be provided for a fee set by the collaborative pianist.
Applicants will be notified by email no later than October 15, 2026 about their participation in the live finals.
For questions about repertoire, deadlines, applications or competition requirements, contact Lynne Fehrenbach. Applicants will be notified by email no later than October 15, 2026.
The 39th Annual John Leatherwood Concerto Competition is sponsored by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra Guild and Northwest Florida State College.
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