"O, Say Can You Sing?"
Have you dreamed of performing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra?
The BSO invites vocalists from across the region to compete for the opportunity to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" alongside the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Two soloists will be selected, to open each Star-Spangled 250 performance at Oregon Ridge, on July 3 and July 4.
Competition Details
The competition is open to ages 8 and up. There will be two rounds of auditions. Two winners will be selected — one to open the July 3 concert and one to open the July 4 performance at Oregon Ridge.  
Contestants must register and submit video entries by Thursday, April 30 via the link below. Finalists will be invited to participate in live auditions on May 31, 2026 (by appointment only) at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall before a panel of vocal professionals and BSO Music Director Jonathon Heyward. Winners will be notified in the first week of June.  Applicants will be notified by May 22 if they have advanced to a live final audition. Winners will be notified by June 5. Parental permission will be required of all contestants under the age of 18.
Contestants will be required to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the key of B-flat Major (starting note is F) or A-flat Major (starting note is E-flat). Please reference the sheet music and recorded accompaniment below to prepare for your audition. For the recorded round, please sing along with the provided accompaniment. For the live round, accompaniment will be provided, and the selection must be sung by memory. Contestants will be judged on singing ability and stage presence.
"The Star-Spangled Banner" Sheet Music
Recorded Accompaniment
Jul 3 & 4
Presentation in Collaboration with
By submitting a video entry to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s "O, Say Can You Sing?" Competition, you grant the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and its affiliates the right to use, reproduce, edit, publish, and distribute your submitted video, name, likeness, voice, and biographical information for promotional, marketing, publicity, and educational purposes in any media now known or later developed, including but not limited to websites, social media, digital advertising, broadcast, and print materials.
This permission is granted without compensation and may be used worldwide and in perpetuity. By entering the competition, you confirm that you are the individual performing in the submitted video, that you have the authority to grant these rights, and that your submission does not infringe upon the rights of any third party.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra reserves the right to edit or adapt submitted materials for promotional purposes.
