Patricia Crump Vocal Competition honors the founder of SOS, and provides a platform for young singers with strong Wisconsin ties to be supported during the crucial beginnings of their careers. The preliminary round will be held virtually, with up to 10 singers advancing to the in-person finals. All finalists will receive $500, Philip Crump Encouragement Award winner(s) will receive $2500, and the winner of the Patricia Crump Grand Prize will receive $5000, for career-related expenses. All finalists are eligible to apply for additional career grants for the next three years, a unique aspect of SOS's commitment to early career singers. These grants are typically designated to assist with musical, dramatic, vocal, and language preparation for auditions, young artist programs, and professional engagements. However, other career related expenses may be considered at the discretion of the board of directors. Please visit our Grants page for more information.

 
2025 ELIGIBILITY 

​To be eligible to compete, singers:
  • Must not be a previous Grand Prize winner of the Patricia Crump Vocal Competition.      
  • Must have strong Wisconsin ties, such as having been raised in, gone to school in, or currently living in Wisconsin.
  • Must be in the beginning stages of their professional careers and not currently under management.
  • Must submit a completed application via email by the deadline of Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
 
 
PRELIMINARY-ROUND VIRTUAL AUDITION
 
Application Materials:
  • Completed Application Form.
  • One-page chronological resume.
  • Digital Photo.
  • Recommendation letter from a career professional^ whom the singer has worked with in the past 12 months.
  • Videos – Two arias in contrasting styles and languages performed with piano accompaniment. Videos must be recorded within 12 months of the application deadline and must be made without acoustical enhancement or amplification. Each selection should be filmed in a single take. Videos should show the singer in full view from the audience’s perspective, and the singer’s face should be completely visible. The name of the singer and the title and composer of each aria must be included in the video (title, caption, or announcement). You may opt to submit an oratorio or orchestral piece in lieu of one of the arias. Musical theater and art song are not accepted. The combined length of the two pieces may not exceed 10 minutes. YouTube links are preferred.
 
^Please no letters of recommendation from teachers.

*Finalists will be announced on our website on Saturday, September 27, 2025 and contacted directly via email.*
 
 
FINALS COMPETITION

The Finals Competition takes place in-person from 12:30PM to 3PM on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at the Recital Hall in the Arts Center Music Building on the campus of UW Milwaukee, 2400 East Kenwood Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53211. Singers are asked to prepare 4 arias in the original languages, you may use the same arias as your preliminary audition if you wish. You may include up to 2 oratorio or orchestral pieces in lieu of arias. Musical theater and art song are not accepted. An accompanist will be provided, but singers are welcome to bring their own. The competition will be free and open to the public. 

Winners will be announced on Monday, October 20, 2025.
 
2024 IMPORTANT DATES

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 Application Deadline
Saturday, September 27, 2025 Finalists Announced
Saturday, October 18, 2025 Finals Competition
Monday, October 20, 2025 Award Winners Announced