Fort Worth Civic Orchestra

Young Musicians Concerto Competition

Spotlighting the next generation of soloists

Established in 2011, the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra’s annual Young Musicians Concerto Competition offers talented North Texas musicians through the 12th grade a rare opportunity to perform as soloists with a full symphony orchestra. Held each spring, the competition supports artistic growth by providing a professional performance experience and recognizing the accomplishments of emerging musicians.

Many past participants have gone on to pursue advanced musical studies and professional careers.

Entries for the 2026 Young Musicians Concerto Competition are now open through February 21, 2026. The competition will take place on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Texas Wesleyan University.

Winners receive cash awards and the opportunity to perform with the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra at the Season Finale Concert in May.

Submit your application online to participate in this year’s competition.

Many past participants have gone on to pursue advanced musical studies and professional careers.

Selected winners receive cash awards and the opportunity to perform with the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra at the Season Finale Concert in May.

The entry period for the 2026 Young Musicians Concerto Competition has ended. Please check back next season for details about the 2027 competition.

2025-2026 Featured Soloists

Louie Yeh - Violinist

Louie Yeh is a junior and first violinist in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. He began studying piano before discovering his love for the violin at age seven, when his brother’s broken violin led him to pick up a smaller one hanging on the wall — and he never looked back.

Louie studies with Professor Aaron Boyd and has participated in master classes with Cho-Liang Lin and James Ehnes. His competition honors include first place in the Dallas Symphonic Festival, GDYO Chamber Music, and GDYO Conducting competitions. As conducting winner, he led the orchestra from the podium at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. He has also won first place in piano with the Music Teachers’ Association.

Beyond music, Louie is an all-A student and second-degree black belt in Taekwondo. He’s an avid Godzilla fan who can name every monster and the year it first appeared, and enjoys his three cats — Walkabout, South, and Lucy.

Louie hopes to become a trauma surgeon and dreams of one day combining medicine and music as a member of the World Doctors Orchestra.

Benjamin Beshay - Violist

Benjamin Beshay is a sophomore violist at Flower Mound High School, where he serves as principal violist of the FMHS Chamber Orchestra and co-principal violist of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. He studies viola with Ronald Houston.

Benjamin has earned recognition in numerous competitions, including first place in the Flower Mound Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, runner-up in the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra Young Artists Competition, two podium finishes in the Northeast Orchestra Young Artists Competition, and two prizes at the DMTA Dallas Symphonic Festival. He was accepted to National Youth Orchestra 2, where he will perform at Carnegie Hall and tour the Dominican Republic. He has held first chair in the TMEA Region 2 Orchestra since eighth grade and has been accepted to TMEA All-State Symphony Orchestra twice. He has also appeared with GDYO on FOX4 News and CW33.

Beyond performance, Benjamin is a member of Chamber Music International Youth Ambassadors and serves as president of Young String Mentors, a nonprofit supporting young musicians. He hopes to become a viola professor. Outside of music, he enjoys nature walks and grabbing matcha with friends.