October 2020 - Young Concert Artists

Join us for our Opening Night Concert!

Next Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30 PM (EDT), YCA comes to you LIVE from Merkin Hall in New York City! Our 60th Anniversary Season opens with a special evening of performances by an array of artists representing YCA’s remarkable 60-year history.

The Program includes solo and chamber works by Ravel, Bach, Handel, Higdon and more, as well as the world premiere of a partita for solo violin by YCA Composer Chris Rogerson!

Tune in on YCA’s Facebook page or Youtube Channel for an evening you don’t want to miss!

SooBeen Lee, violin
2015 auditions winner

Jonathan Swensen, cello
2018 auditions winner

Xavier Foley, double bass
2016 auditions winner

Benjamin Beilman, violin
2010 auditions winner

Chris Rogerson, 2010-2012 Composer-in-Residence

Ursula Oppens, piano
1968 auditions winner

Steven Banks, saxophone
2019 auditions winner

Susan Rotholz, flute
1988 auditions winner

This evening was originally scheduled to be the debut recital of pianist Albert Cano Smit, winner of YCA’s 2019 auditions. Due to an unfortunate injury to his right hand, Albert’s debut has been rescheduled.

We are delighted that Albert will join us this evening for a performance of Blumenfeld’s Etude for the Left Hand, Op. 36.

Don’t miss Xavier Foley, where he’ll play Bach’s second cello suite on
YCA’s Opening Night Concert!

The 2020 Young Concert Artists International Auditions announces 35 semi-finalists!

After a rigorous preliminary round, which included live auditions in NYC (amid a new world of COVID safety measures) and recorded auditions submitted from around the world, we congratulate 35 exceptional artists advancing to the semi-final round in November!

AYA Piano Trio

Julia Angelov, violin

Nathan Amaral, violin*

Sophia Bacelar, cello

Nina Bernat, double bass

Martin Bernstein, recorder

Callisto String Quartet*

Marcel Cara, harp*

Audrey Chen , cello

Adam Koch Christensen, violin*

Sarah Cooper, soprano

John-Henry Crawford, cello

Chantal Freeman, soprano

Umi Garrett, piano

Annelle Gregory, violin

Arseniy Gusev, piano

Annie Hyung, cello*

Devan Jacquez, flute

Graeme Johnson, clarinet

Abigail Kent, harp

Yvette Keong, soprano

Song Hyeon Kim, piano*

Leland Ko, cello

Abigel Kralik, violin

Geneva Lewis, violin

Natalie Loughran, viola

Gabriel Martins, cello

Megan Moore, mezzo-soprano

Nina Pollet, flute*

Daniel Rafimayeri, violin

Kasey Shao, piano

William Socolof, bass-baritone

Phillip Solomon, clarinet

Erin Wagner, soprano*

Zhu Wang, piano

*Artists deferring their semi-final audition to 2021

Save the date! On Sunday, November 8, the final auditions will be livestreamed on YCA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Join us live from NYC starting at 10:00 AM (EST) to witness and discover with us classical music’s next superstars!

YCA is closely following NY State Department of Health regulations to ensure our live auditions proceed as safely as possible.

We thank the following jury members who adjudicated the preliminary round auditions: Edward Aaron, cello; Steven Blier, pianist and vocal coach; Mark Dover, clarinet; Jordan Frazier, double bass; Brandon Patrick George, flute; Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin; Bénédicte Jourdois, pianist and vocal coach; Joseph Kalichstein, piano; Ani Kavafian, violin; Chee-Yun, violin; Karen Lindquist, harp; Robert Martin, cello; Anne-Marie McDermott, piano; Todd Palmer, clarinet; Karla Donehew Perez, violin; Naoko Takada, marimba; Susan Wadsworth, YCA Founder; Daxun Zhang, double bass.

See a complete list of winners by year
Learn more about the YCA International Auditions

Steven Banks on Arts Engines

Saxophonist Steven Banks joins entrepreneur and music philanthropist Aaron Dworkin on Arts Engines, a series that highlights the perspectives of thought leaders and game changers who are making a significant impact on the arts. In their conversation, they talk about how orchestras can further diversity and inclusion in their organizations.

Watch the full video below, or click here to watch on Detroit Public TV!

Scott Yoo hosts “Now Hear This”

Violinist, conductor, and YCA alumnus Scott Yoo hosts the new PBS docuseries “Now Hear This,” a travelogue, documentary and performance hybrid. Modeled after popular cooking/travel shows, it has reached an audience of millions with an appetite for classical music, and was recently featured in The Washington Post.

Pictured: Scott Yoo and Stewart Goodyear play Mozart in “Great Performances: Now Hear This.” (Arcos Film + Music/PBS Great Performances: Now Hear This)

Read the full article here!

Monthly Archives: October 2020

Join us for our Opening Night Concert!

The 2020 Young Concert Artists International Auditions announces 35 semi-finalists!

Steven Banks on Arts Engines

Scott Yoo hosts “Now Hear This”