A very important part of Tri-County Concerts' program is its Annual Youth Festival, established in 1943. This is one of the area's most prestigious competitions for aspiring young musicians living in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Auditions are open to high-school and middle-school students in a wide variety of instruments, including piano, strings, winds, voice, and ensembles, as well as a musica diversa category that includes harp, classical guitar, and percussion.
The Youth Festival offers talented students an opportunity to audition before and receive critiques from professional judges. Each year those students deemed outstanding by the judges are given monetary awards; their photos and accomplishments are featured on the Tri-County web site; and they perform at a live winners' recital.
Both teacher pre-registration and student registration are done online. Students must be pre-registered by their teachers by February 23, 2025 before they can register to audition. Auditions are limited to those students who complete registration by March 30, 2025.
On the online pre-registration form, the teacher lists the names and addresses of students approved to audition. Tri-County does not require a repertoire decision at this time — only the names and addresses of the students.
Teacher pre-registration is done online.
The pre-registration deadline is February 23rd. Students pre-registered by their teachers are then allowed to register online for an audition. Auditions are limited to those students who complete registration by March 30, 2025.
Students can register starting March 2nd. Registration is limited to students who were pre-registered by their teachers by the February 23rd deadline.
On the registration form, the student specifies the audition piece he or she will be performing. Please be sure to review the 2025 Youth Festival Guidelines before you register.
Student registration and payment are done online. Check back here during the Student Registration period starting March 2nd.
The last day for students to register, including payment of the registration fee, is March 30th.
Auditions are limited to those students who complete registration by March 30, 2025.
Held at Swope Music Building, West Chester University in West Chester, PA (S. Walnut Street).
Morning - Jr. and Sr. Ensembles, Musica Diversa
Afternoon - Jr. Piano
All day - Sr. Piano; Jr. and Sr. Strings, Voice, Winds, and Brass
Winners' recital in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre at Swope Music Building, West Chester University in West Chester, PA 19383
Letter to teachers -- important information about pre-registration and the 2025 Youth Festival (PDF file)
For further information, please contact the Youth Festival Directors at tricountyyouthfestival@gmail.com.
Wendy Schmid and Eleanor James, Co-Directors, Tri-County Concerts Youth Festival