Young Concert Artists Audition Finalists Announced [WATCH LIVE SUNDAY]

The semi-final round of the 2021 Young Concert Artist International Auditions has concluded, following this week's live auditions in New York City, YCA’s first-ever West Coast auditions at The Colburn School in Los Angeles, and the assessment of recorded auditions submitted from artists around the world.

The 2021 Finalists are:

• Abeo Quartet

• Hana Chang (Violin)

• James Kim (Cello)

• Lun Li (Violin)

• Ying Li (Piano)

• Daniel McGrew (Tenor)

• Erin Wagner (Mezzo-soprano)

• Meredith Wohlgemuth (Soprano)

• Aaron Wolff (Cello)

• Harmony Zhu (Piano)

The 2021 winners will join the Young Concert Artists roster — granting access to a minimum of three years of management services, career engagements, publicity, and career guidance, plus coveted recital debuts in New York City and at the Washington D.C. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Founded in 1961 by Susan Wadsworth, The Young Concert Artists International Auditions differ from other competitions, as there are no rankings, and any number of winners can be selected. Each candidate competes against a standard of excellence, not each other.

“I cannot think of another organization that is more nurturing and sensitive to the birth of one’s performing career as Young Concert Artists,” said 1986 first prize winner, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers.

“I owe everything to YCA,” 2011 first prize winner, VC Artist Paul Huang said.

Throughout their tenure, winners of the YCA International Auditions benefit from YCA’s connections with the industry’s managers, concert presenters, conductors of major orchestras, and financial supporters, as well as its long-standing reputation for discovering and furthering the careers of extraordinary young artists.

The jury for the final round comprises soprano Amy Burton, flutist Brandon Patrick George, conductors Miguel Harth-Bedoya and David Alan Miller, vocal coach Kayo Iwama, YCA President Daniel Kellogg, violinist Jennifer Koh, pianists Cecile Licad and Anne-Marie McDermott, Philadelphia Orchestra Vice President of Artistic Planning Jeremy Rothman, violist Marcus Thompson, YCA Founder Susan Wadsworth, and cellist Paul Watkins.

Previous recipients include Pinchas Zukerman, Ida Kavafian, Anne Akiko Meyers, Emanuel Ax, and Murray Perahia — and VC Artists Paul Huang, Ray Chen, Stephen Warts, Zlatomir Fung, Xavier Foley, SooBeen Lee, and Jonathan Swensen.