Through annual concerto competitions held each spring, departments in the college division choose winners by audition. The Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition is open to all musicians and the Zaslavsky-Koch competition is for pianists only. Successful competitors are offered a public performance with orchestra in the subsequent academic year.

Some departments have adjudicators from within the department, while others invite outside judges. The brass department alternates yearly winners with the percussion, guitar, and harp departments; the guitar, harp, and percussion departments hold one collective audition from which one winner is chosen. The piano department has two annual competitions: a general competition with open repertoire and the Koch competition, which features specific repertoire that changes each year.

All full-time students are eligible to compete, provided that the major teacher has given prior written approval. Application forms are available in the Office of Chamber Music and Ensembles, Room 201. Completed forms are submitted to the appropriate department chair by February 1.