STANGER COMPETITION

57th Annual Stanger Competition

February - May, 2026

The Elmhurst Symphony Association, through its Stanger Competition, encourages serious study and high standards among young musicians. It is the Association’s intention that the Competition be both educational and rewarding to each entrant. Judges are selected both for their prominence as performers and their familiarity with students’ musical development. Each entrant will be given 10 minutes to perform their selection, and their performance will be evaluated with comments and suggestions. Cash awards and the opportunity to appear as a soloist with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra should provide motivation for superior preparation and performance. It is hoped the true spirit of the Competition will be a sense of personal fulfillment and self-evaluation.



Dr. Robert Stanger was President of Elmhurst College from 1957 to 1965, President of the Elmhurst Symphony Society from 1968 to 1972, and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst for 15 years.

Recent Changes to the Competition

In October 2024, changes to the competition structure and rules were announced to provide more opportunities for students. These changes include:


  • Expanded Geographic Area
    Students from all over Chicagoland are now eligible to enter the competition, including students from areas of southeast Wisconsin and northwest Indiana.

  • Rounds, Divisions, and Public Concert
    The first round will consist of three separate divisions: (1) Strings and Harp, (2) Piano, and (3) Winds, Brass, and Percussion. The final round will consist of the winners of each division competing against each other at a live concert accompanied by the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra.

Competition Structure

The Stanger Competition will take place in two rounds. Round One, the Division Round, will consist of three separate divisions: (1) Strings and Harp, (2) Piano, and (3) Winds, Brass, and Percussion. Round Two, the Final Round, will consist of the winners of each division competing against each other at a live concert accompanied by the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra.


Competitors will receive written feedback from judges on their performance in the Division Round.


Division Round

February 2026


Each division will compete on the following dates. No exceptions or special accommodations will be made for applicants who are not available on the date or time of their respective division.


Strings and Harp: Saturday, February 14, 2026  |  8:00AM - 5:00PM
Union Church of Hinsdale (137 S Garfield Ave, Hinsdale, IL 60521)


Piano: Saturday, February 21, 2026  |  8:00AM - 5:00PM
Union Church of Hinsdale (137 S Garfield Ave, Hinsdale, IL 60521)


Winds, Brass, and Percussion: Saturday, February 21, 2026  |  8:00AM - 5:00PM
Union Church of Hinsdale (137 S Garfield Ave, Hinsdale, IL 60521)


A winner and runner-up will be selected for each division. Each division winner will receive a cash prize of $250, and advance to compete in the Final Round. In the event that a division winner is not able to compete in the Final Round, the runner-up will be invited to compete in their place.


Final Round

May 2026


The division winners will compete against each other in the Final Round, culminating in a public performance and competition with accompaniment by the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra.


The concert competition will take place midday on a Saturday in May, 2026 at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. At least one rehearsal will take place the preceding Wednesday evening from 7:30PM - 10:00PM.


From this Final Round, an overall Winner of the Competition will be selected and receive an additional cash prize of $500.

Eligibility

  1. Only solo instrumental applicants with a possible orchestral accompaniment will be considered. Group concerti (duos, trios, etc.) will not be eligible to compete.
  2. Applicants must be reside or go to school within the boundaries defined here in the adjacent map:
  3. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a High School curriculum.
  4. Entrants who have previously won the Final Round of the competition are ineligible to participate again.

Rules & Requirements

  1. Entrants in the String and Harp, and Piano Divisions are required to perform from memory.  In keeping with performance and pedagogy practices, entrants in the Wind, Brass, and Percussion Division are not required to perform from memory.
  2. Each entrant must provide sheet music of their selected piece for judges’ use during the competition. Instructions for providing music will be given at time of acceptance.
  3. Accompaniment is required.  Entrants are required to provide their own accompanists. If you need assistance identifying an accompanist, please contact us at stanger@elmhurstsymphony.org.
  4. Each entrant will be limited to 10 minutes of playing time.
  5. All performances are open to the public, and competitors are welcome to listen to one another.

Application & Fee

The application must be submitted electronically by midnight central time, December 31, 2025. There is a $45 Application Fee, due upon submission.


Applications meeting all eligibility requirements will be accepted in the order in which they are received. Due to space limitations, no more than twenty-five (25) competitors will be accepted for each division.


Each application will be reviewed for eligibility and, if all requirements are satisfied, will be notified of acceptance.  Each entrant will be notified of their competition time by January 15, 2026. This lead time will give each applicant and accompanist the opportunity to make any adjustments to their schedules so they can meet their allotted audition time.

To Apply

Applications for the Stanger Competition will open Monday, November 24, 2025. Please watch this space.


Questions

For additional information, contact Stanger Coordinator Michael Surratt via email at stanger@elmhurstsymphony.org or call the Elmhurst Symphony Association office at (630) 941-0202.