$1,000 Public Review Prize

Applause at Finney Chapel (credit John Seyfried)

Release your inner critic for a chance at $1,000

Audience members may be considered for the $1,000 Public Review Prize during the Rubin Institute by writing a review of any one or more of the first three institute concerts. Members of the institute’s Teaching Panel will critique the reviews, and the winner of the Public Review Prize will be named at the institute's closing ceremony.

Submission guidelines

Please note that the submission guidelines for the Audience Review Prize have been updated from those printed in the program book. The full submission guidelines are as follows:

  • Members of the public who attend one or more of the first three evening concerts (January 18, 19, and 20) may submit a 500-word review of each performance they attend by 9:00 a.m. the following day.
  • Reviews should be written from the perspective of an informed listener, but with a general audience in mind. Opinions should be supported with examples while avoiding technical musical terms. Reviews will be judged on critical acumen, fluency of writing, and clarity of thought.
  • Please submit reviews in .doc format (MS Word '97-2004) via e-mail to rubin.institute@oberlin.edu, and remember to include your name and telephone number.
  • Only one review per person per concert may be submitted.
  • Critics Daniel Hathaway (clevelandclassical.com), Donald Rosenberg (Plain Dealer), and Mike Telin (clevelandclassical.com) will consider all submissions using a process of blind review; authors’ names will not be revealed to the critics during either the review or selection process.
  • The top six reviews chosen by the critics will be posted anonymously at www.oberlin.edu/rubininstitute by 2:00 p.m. each day.
  • From the 18 reviews chosen, the trio of critics will award one review the $1,000 prize, to be announced on Sunday, January 22 at 11:00 a.m. in Clonick Hall. At this time, all 18 authors’ names will be revealed.

Reviews will be collected by a member of our staff and distributed anonymously among critics Daniel Hathaway (clevelandclassical.com), Donald Rosenberg (Plain Dealer), and Mike Telin (clevelandclassical.com). The top six reviews will be published anonymously on the Rubin Institute website by 2:00 p.m. each day, and the authors will receive, via e-mail, private comments from the critics on their submissions. From the 18 reviews chosen, the trio of professional critics will award one review the $1,000 Public Review Prize, to be announced by Rubin Institute benefactor Stephen Rubin, president and publisher of Henry Holt & Co., on Sunday, January 22 at 11 a.m. in Clonick Hall. At this time, all 18 authors' names will be revealed.

For questions regarding the Public Review Prize, please email rubin.institute@oberlin.edu.