The YAC Competition
Earlier this month, on February 1st, the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra’s 29th Annual Young Artists Competition (YAC) was held in Callaway Auditorium, LaGrange, GA. The 2025 competition was for wind instruments. The instrument category rotates each year between winds, strings, and piano.
Musicians vie for three awards: The Dorothy Allen Turner First Place Award is for a $1,500 stipend and a chance for a featured performance with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra. The Max Kaplan Second Place Award is for a $1,000 stipend, and The Note Third Place Award is for a $500 stipend.
Normally, competitors apply before a December deadline, and then the competition is held in February. The event is organized by the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra and the contestants perform before nationally and internationally recognized judges.
Congratulations to the 2025 YAC Winners!
1st Place – Dorothy Allen Turner Award – Sebastian Ocando. He is a senior in Music Performance at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. A native of Venezuela, he began his musical studies under his father who was a professor in the Conservatory of Music in Maracaibo. Sebastian currently studies under Dr. Paul Vaillancourt, Professor of Percussion. He has performed in multiple orchestras and was the 1st prize winner in the London International Competition in the percussion category as well as the 1st prize winner of the percussion category in the BACH International Competition. Sebastian performed Concerto for Marimba and Strings Orchestra, 2nd Movement, Energuique by Emmanuel Sejourne. Sebastian received a $1,500 stipend and has been invited to perform with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra at a concert during the 2025-2026 season.
2nd Place – Max Kaplan Award – Xavier Martinez. A sophomore at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, Xavier currently studies with Dr. Joe Girard, Associate Professor of Saxophone. He received performance honors as a high school all-state student on alto and baritone saxophone and performs at CSU in the Wind Orchestra and the Sax Ensemble. Xavier performed Cyberbird Concerto – III – Bird in the Wind. He received a $1,000 stipend.
3rd Place –NOTE Award – Dominic Bernard. He holds a B.M. Music Performance and an Artist Diploma in Music Performance from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University and most recently studied under Dr. Susan Hatch Tomkiewicz, Professor of Oboe. Dominic currently performs with multiple orchestras throughout the South and beyond. He was the 2023 First Prize winner of the Charleston International Music Competition. Dominic performed Concerto sopra motii dell’opera ‘La favorita’ di Donizetti by Antonio Pasculli. He received a $500 stipend.
Bright Futures
The purpose of the Young Artists Competition is to promote professional standards of performance for young musicians. We look forward to following the careers of these three young promising artists. Congratulations!
If you would like to read more about this event and to see previous winners of this competition you may visit THIS PAGE LINK.
Thank you to everyone involved in making this competition a success.
