Young Artist Competition - Previous Winners...

48th WAMSO Young Artist Competition at Orchestra Hall
Grand Prize Awarded in WAMSO Young Artist Competition
Recent Young Artist Competition Winners

48th WAMSO Young Artist Competition at Orchestra Hall
Six talented young musicians provided an afternoon of exciting music at Orchestra Hall on January 25, 2004, in the final round of the 48th annual WAMSO Young Artist Competition.

Susie Kim, a 15-year-old violinist from Naperville, IL where she is a student at Neuqua Valley High School, awarded first prize. Miss Kim studies with Almita and Roland Vamos at the Music Institute of Chicago. This award consists of the $3,000 WAMSO Young Artist Award; the $2,250 WAMSO Achievement Award; a performance with the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by the Music Director; a taped performance on McGraw Hill’s Young Artist Showcase, WQXR in New York City; and the Erma Strachauer medal. Miss Kim also received the Elaine Louise Lagerstrom Memorial Award, which carries a prize of $1,000, and a scholarship to the Interlochen Arts Camp.

Second prize was awarded to 25-year-old pianist Chia-Lin Yang, a student at Indiana University where she studies with Evelyne Brancart. The second prize includes a $2,500 cash award from WAMSO plus a taped performance on McGraw Hill’s Young Artist Showcase, WQXR in New York City. Miss Yang also won the Mary Winston Smail Memorial Award, a $500 piano award. Erin Schreiber, violin, was awarded the third prize (a $1,000 WAMSO Award) and the Twin Cities Musicians AFM Award, a $1,000 cash prize. Miss Schreiber studies with Elisa Barston and Almita Vamos in Elsah, IL.

Other finalists included 24-year-old Nicole Esposito, flute, who was awarded the Mathilda Heck Award, a $1,000 woodwind award. She has a Masters of Music degree in Flute Performance from the University of Michigan where she studied under Amy Porter. Violinist Susan Jang, 14, was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Aspen Music School in Colorado for this summer. Miss Jang is a student at Mundelein High School in Wauconda, IL. She studies with Almita and Roland Vamos. The Madeline Island Music camp scholarship was awarded to Ivan Konev, piano, a semi-finalist. A performance with The Schubert Club was awarded to Przemyslaw Raczynski, a clarinetist and second-year masters student at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California where he studies with Yehuda Gilad. Christopher Canapa, trombone (semi-finalist) was awarded a performance with the Saint Paul Civic Symphony.

For the final round, Minnesota Orchestra Music Director Osmo Vanska was joined on the judges’ panel by Henry Charles Smith, former Resident Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, and Burt Hara, principal clarinetist for the Minnesota Orchestra.

The Young Artist Competition is a collaborative effort between WAMSO–Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association and the Minnesota Orchestra. Musicians under the age of 26 years compete for more than $15,000 in cash prizes, scholarships, performance opportunities, and summer program scholarships. The finalists were culled from an original field of 50 applicants who must submit audition tapes for the preliminary round. Sixteen contestants advanced to the semi-finals held at Macalester College, St. Paul.

WAMSO–Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association is in its 54th year of providing support for the Minnesota Orchestra and promoting music education throughout Minnesota.

Grand Prize Awarded in WAMSO Young Artist Competition
Six talented young musicians provided an afternoon of thrilling music at Orchestra Hall on January 12, 2003 in the final round of the 47th annual WAMSO Young Artist Competition. An unprecedented event occurred when the Grand Prize was awarded for the third consecutive year. The Grand Prize, which has been awarded on only five previous occasions, is a special award given solely at the discretion of the Music Director and carries an additional cash prize plus the opportunity to perform on a subscription concert with the Minnesota Orchestra.

Musicians under the age of 26 years who meet other eligibility requirements compete for more than $15,000 in cash prizes, scholarships, performance opportunities, and summer program scholarships. The finalists were culled from an original field of 50 applicants who must submit audition tapes for the preliminary round. Sixteen contestants advanced to the semi-finals held at Macalester College, St. Paul on January 11.

Lydia Hong, a 15-year-old violinist from Northbrook, Illinois studying with Almita Vamos at the Music Institute of Chicago, was awarded the Grand Prize and First Prize. This award consists of the $3,000 WAMSO Young Artist Award, the $2,250 WAMSO Achievement Award, a subscription concert performance with the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by the Music Director plus an additional $1,000 award from the Minnesota Orchestra Association in memory of Isaac Stern, a taped performance on McGraw Hillís Young Artist Showcase, WQXR in New York City, and the Erma Strachauer medal. Ms. Hong was also the recipient of the Twin Cities Musicians Union AFM Award for $1,000.

Second prize was awarded to 20-year-old tuba player Aubrey Foard, a junior at the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studies with Ron Bishop. The second prize includes a $2,500 cash award from WAMSO plus a taped performance on McGraw Hillís Young Artist Showcase, WQXR in New York City. Claire Starz, flute, was awarded the third prize (a $1,000 WAMSO Award) and the Mathilda Heck Award, a $1,000 cash prize given to an outstanding woodwind player. Ms. Starz is a senior at Indiana University and studies with Kathryn Lukas.

Other finalists included 24-year-old Lisa Peghar, percussion, who was awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Aspen Music Festival in Colorado this summer. She is currently studying with Michael Burritt at Northwestern University where she is a second year masters student. Violinist Robin Andrew Scott, 16, a junior from Indianapolis, Indiana who studies with Mimi Zweig of Indiana University, was awarded a performance opportunity with the Schubert Club of St. Paul. The Mary Winston Smail Memorial Piano Scholarship was given to pianist Yun Ha Byun, 22, who currently studies with Edward Auer in Bloomington, Indiana. Two awards were given to semi-finalist Bernhard Scully, horn, from Madison, Wisconsin. Mr. Scully received a scholarship to study at the Madeline Island Music Camp this summer plus a performance opportunity with the St. Paul Civic Symphony next season.

For the final round, Minnesota Orchestra Music Director Designate Osmo Vanska was joined on the judgesí panel by Pamela Frank, world-renowned violinist, and Peter Lloyd, principal bass for the Minnesota Orchestra.

A special thank you to co-chairs Coletta Wierson and Kathy Kraulik, their committee of dedicated volunteers, and the many others who helped to make the 47th WAMSO Young Artist Competition an exciting success.

Front row, l to r: Claire Starz, flute, third prize winner; semi-finalist Bernhard Scully, horn; Robin Andrew Scott, violin; Lydia Hong, 15-year old violinist and 2003 WAMSO Young Artist Competition Grand Prize and First Prize winner; Lisa Peghar, percussion; Aubrey Foard, tuba, second prize winner; Yun Ha Byun, pianist. Back row, l to r:  Kathy Kraulik, Young Artist Competition co-chair; Osmo Vänskä, Minnesota Orchestra Music Director Designate; Pamela Frank, violinist; Peter Lloyd, Minnesota Orchestra Principal Base; Coletta Wierson, Young Artist Competition co-chair.

Judges Pamela Frank, violinist and Osmo Vänskä, Minnesota Orchestra Music Director Designate; Lydia Hong, 15-year old violinist and 2003 WAMSO Young Artist Competition Grand Prize and First Prize winner; Judge Peter Lloyd, Minnesota Orchestra Principal Base; Barbara Burwell, WAMSO President.

Osmo Vänskä, Minnesota Orchestra Music Director Designate; Lydia Hong, 15-year old violinist and Grand Prize and First Prize winner; Barbara Burwell, WAMSO President, at the 2003 WAMSO Young Artist Competition finals on January

Recent Young Artist Competition Winners:

2004 Winners
2003 Winners
2002 Winners
2002 Summer Scholarships
2001 Winners
2001 Judges

2004 Young Artist Competition Winners:
First Prize
Susie Kim, Violin, 15, Music Institute of Chicago

Second Prize
Chia-Lin Yang, Piano, 25, Indiana University

Third Prize
Erin Schreiber, Violin, 16

Elaine Louise Lagerstrom Violin Award
Susie Kim, Violin, 15, Music Institute of Chicago

Mathilda Heck Woodwind Award
Nicole Esposito, Flute, 24

Twin Cities Musicians Union, AFM
Erin Schreiber, Violin, 16

Mary Winston Smail Memorial Piano Scholarship
Chia-Lin Yang, Piano, 25, Indiana University

The Schubert Club - Performance Opportunity
Przemyslaw Raczynski, clarinet, 24, The Thornton School of Music at The University of Southern California

St. Paul Civic Symphony - Performance Opportunity
Christopher Canapa, trombone, semi-finalist

Aspen Music School - Summer Program Scholarship
Susan Jang, Violin, 14, Wauconda, IL

Interlochen Arts Camp
Susie Kim, Violin, 15, Music Institute of Chicago

Medline Island Music Camp - Summer Program Scholarship
Ivan Konev, Piano (Semi-finalist)


2003 Young Artist Competition Winners:
Grand Prize/First Prize
Lydia Hong, violin

Second Prize
Aubrey Foard, tuba

Third Prize
Claire Starz, flute

Mathilda Heck Woodwind Award
Claire Starz, flute

Twin Cities Musicians Union, AFM
Lydia Hong, violin

Mary Winston Smail Memorial Piano Scholarship
Yun Ha Byun, piano

The Schubert Club - Performance Opportunity
Robin Andrew Scott, violin

St. Paul Civic Symphony - Performance Opportunity
Bernhard Scully, horn

Aspen Music School - Summer Program Scholarship
Lisa Peghar, percussion

Medline Island Music Camp - Summer Program Scholarship
Bernhard Scully, horn

2002 Young Artist Competition Winners:
The 2002 Young Artist Competition semi-final competition was held on January 12, 2002, at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. The finals were held January 13, 2002, at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. The competition's portfolio of awards includes performance opportunities, cash prizes and scholarships totaling around $20,000.

Grand Prize and First Prize - $5,250, Performance, Medal and WQXR
DaXun Zhang (double bass)

Second Prize - $2,500 and WQXR
Julie Smith (harp)

Third Prize - $1,000
Maria Rayan (harp)

Mathilda Heck Prize Woodwind Award - $1,000
Conor Nelson (flute)

Twin Cities Musicians Union, AFM - $1,000
DaXun Zhang (double bass)

Vincent R. Bastien Memorial Cello Scholarship - $500
Not awarded

Mary Winston Smail Memorial Piano Scholarship - $500
Rachel Kudo (piano)

The Schubert Club - Performance Opportunity
Rachel Kudo (piano)

St. Paul Civic Symphony - Performance Opportunity
Lydia Hong (violin)

2002 Summer Scholarships:
Aspen Music School
DaXun Zhang (double bass)

Interlochen Arts Camp
Lydia Hong (violin)

2001 Young Artist Competition Winners:
First Prize
Wonny Song, a twenty-two-year-old pianist pursuing a doctorate in performance at the University of Minnesota, was awarded both first prize and the Orchestra's grand prize (an event that has occurred in only three previous competitions).

Second Prize
Wayne Lin, Juilliard School of Music

Third Prize
Ryan Sweeney, Northwestern University

Other Finalists
Nicholas Trygstad, Royal Northern College of Music
Dan MacNeill, Interlochen Arts Academy
Christopher Blaha, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

2001 Judges:
Jorja Fleezanis, Concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra
William Eddins, Resident Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Eugene Rousseau, Affiliate Faculty at the University of Minnesota