In 1977 the Oratorio Society of New York inaugurated a Solo Competition to encourage the art of oratorio singing and to give young singers an opportunity to advance their careers. International in scope, the competition is well known in the music world and attracted 123 singers in 2020, before the pandemic forced cancellation that year. This years finalists are drawn from those competitors. Many of the competition winners have appeared in concert with the Oratorio Society and have been awarded contracts with major choral societies and orchestras around the country.
In 2006, the competition's name was changed in memory of Lyndon Woodside, the Society's Music Director, honoring his dedication to the competition from its inception. the competition is usually held in March and April of every year. Applications are available at: https://osny.org.