The Maryland Symphony Orchestra and Washington County Fine Arts Museum are proud to announce the Bravo! Program Cover Contest!
The Bravo! Program Cover Contest for the 2025-2026 season is an exciting opportunity for middle and high school students in the surrounding area (Washington and Frederick Counties in Maryland, Jefferson and Berkeley Counties in West Virginia, and Franklin County in Pennsylvania) to showcase their artistic talents.
Each concert’s program cover will feature the artwork of one selected student, ensuring a unique and thematically relevant design for every event.
Submissions should reflect the emotions, stories, or imagery evoked by the music in each performance. Make sure to pick your concert of interest (found below) and that you know what your concert’s deadline is for submission!
A panel of judges consisting of symphony staff & volunteers, local educators, and art professionals will select the winning designs in two batches, once in the fall and once in the winter. The winning cover contest designs will be featured on the cover of the Bravo! program for their respective concert, winners will receive 4 tickets to the concert, and their work will be spotlighted in the theatre on concert weekend and the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, providing an excellent platform for young artists to gain public recognition.
Students will be encouraged to use a variety of artistic mediums, including painting, drawing, photography and digital art. Each submission must be original and accompanied by a brief artist statement explaining how the work relates to the chosen concert theme. Once a student’s artwork is selected for a concert, it will not be eligible for another, ensuring that multiple young artists have the opportunity to be showcased throughout the season.
We look forward to seeing the artistic interpretations of these incredible works and celebrating the talent of our local students!
If you have any questions please contact Jennifer Sutton jsutton@marylandsymphony.org
Concerts
The following concerts have September 5 Submission Deadlines
Heroic Journeys
Featuring Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Mahler: Ruckert Lieder, and Torke: Bright Blue Music.
Students submitting artwork for this concert may interpret themes of heroism, introspection, and vibrant energy found in these works.
Forged by Beethoven
Featuring Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3, Timo Andres: The Blind Banister Piano Concerto, and Emilie Mayer: Symphony No. 7 in F Minor.
This concert’s theme may inspire artwork reflecting drama, struggle, and triumph.
Home for the Holidays. Submissions for this cover should capture the warmth and joy of the holiday season, incorporating festive imagery and seasonal themes.
The following concerts have January 16 Submission Deadlines but can also be turned in for the September Deadline if the Student Wishes
Voices of the Past
Includes Haydn: Symphony No. 64 in A Major, Dvorak: Wind Serenade, Coleridge Taylor-Perkinson: Sinfonietta, and Ballard: Incident at Wounded Knee
Students creating artwork for this concert might explore themes of elegance, movement, and historical reflection.
Dawn of the 20th Century
Featuring Sibelius: Symphony No. 2, Debussy: Fêtes, and Beach: Piano Concerto
The selected artwork for this cover should capture the grandeur, celebration, and lyricism present in these compositions.
John Williams: Music from the Movies
The music of John Williams has taken us on thrilling adventures, from the vastness of space to the depths of the ocean, and through timeless inspirational stories.
Students submitting artwork for this piece should capture the wonder of the movies and adventure. Crucially, students are encouraged to create homages to John Williams’ works if they inspire you, but any artwork that infringes on copyrights will be eliminated from the competition.
Pines of Rome: A Musical Voyage
Concluding the season with Respighi: Pines of Rome, Ibert: Ports of Call, and Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol
The visual representation for this program may incorporate elements of nature, travel, and rich cultural influences.
