Young Artists Competition

Winners Announced

2023 First Place Winner

The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra’s Dorothy Allen Turner Award for first place went to violinist Sicong Chen who performed the first movement of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35. The 25-year-old Beijing, China native is a student and serves as a Graduate Assistant at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University.

Since 2021, Chen has studied in the violin studio of Sergiu Schwartz, the William B. and Sue Marie Turner Distinguished Faculty Chair in Violin. He also acts as an Ambassador for the Samuel Vargas International Music Foundation, teaching and mentoring young aspiring talents. Chen has appeared as a soloist and ensemble musician in venues across the globe as well as serving as concertmaster of the Beijing Youth Symphony Orchestra, Arizona State University Symphony Orchestra and the Schwob Philharmonic.

Chen has received top awards in the Sicong Ma National Violin Competition, Hong Kong International Violin Competition, Schoenfeld International String Competition, Hong Kong International Chamber Music Competition, China Hummingbird Chamber Music Competition and the Schwob School of Music Concerto Competition.

Chen will appear with the LSO at Callaway Auditorium in April 2023

As first place winner, Mr. Chen will receive $1,500 and perform as the featured soloist with the LaGrange Symphony in the final concert of the 2022/2023 season, entitled “SUSTAINABILITY” on April 25th at 7:30 PM in Callaway Auditorium. Chen is one of two guest artists at the April concert. The LSO also welcomes guest artist, organist Don Papenbrock, for Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3. Read more about this wonderful season finale concert HERE.

2023 Second Place Winner

The Max Kaplan Award for second place and a $1,000 cash award was won by violinist Roni Shitrit who performed the first movement in Violin Concerto in d minor by Jean Sibelius. Shitrit will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.

A native of Israel, she has performed in festivals in Israel and Germany and won competition awards in Italy, Germany, Russia, and the United States. In 2021, Shitrit received a scholarship with exceptional distinction on her performance from the American-Israel Cultural Foundation. She has studied violin with Oskar Shraiberaman in Ramla, Israel as well as both Janet Orenstien and Ida Bieler at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

2023 Third Place Winner

Winner of the NOTE Award for third place and a $500 cash award was violist Benjamin Tomas Perez who performed the first movement of William Walton’s Concerto for Viola. Perez, a native of Chili, is a student at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University.

He began playing violin at the age of 12 and begin taking classes with University-level instructors. As a violinist, he has participated in orchestras and festivals throughout Chili and studied in the United States and Europe. Perez began playing viola when the pandemic limited performance opportunities for musicians. He currently studies violin in the studio of Sergiu Schwartz and plays viola as a member of the Virtuosi String Ensemble conducted by Professor Schwartz.

The 2023 competition was held February 4, 2023.

Below are links to view this past application and the official poster for the 27th annual Young Artists Competition.

2023 Application

2023 Poster

For young musical artists, this yearly competition organized by the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, is traditionally held in early February at CALLAWAY AUDITORIUM. Callaway Auditorium is located on the campus of LaGrange College, in LaGrange, Georgia.

The 2023 competition was for strings, 2024 is for piano, and 2025 is for winds.

The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Barbara Kaplan, began the Young Artists Competition (YAC) in 1996 to encourage professional standards of performance among young musicians. Originally formed to serve residents or resident students within a 50 mile radius of LaGrange, the competition now serves talented young musicians from six southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Each year the contestants perform before nationally and internationally recognized judges. The first place winner is invited to perform with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra later in the concert season.

Participants in the Young Artists Competition compete for three awards:

First Place: Dorothy Allen Turner Award – $1,500

This award honors the memory of Dorothy Allen Turner, longtime LaGrange resident, devoted supporter of music in the community, and widow of the late Dr. Render Turner. Dot’s daughter Isabelle Knight is a former member of the LSO and her granddaughter Callie Knight Hammond is the current assistant concert master of the LSO. Her son in law, Charles Knight, is a past President of the Symphony board. The Cash award of $1,500 includes the opportunity to perform as guest soloist with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra. 1st place winner appears with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra in Callaway Auditorium.

Second Place: Max Kaplan Award – $1,000

The second place award honors the memory of Dr. Max Kaplan. Dr. Kaplan, a university professor, author and lecturer, was a sociologist, violinist and member of the LSO board from 1992 to 1998. A resident of Meriwether County, he was deeply involved in LaGrange’s cultural life. His wide experience with orchestras as concertmaster and conductor, and as co-organizer of the famed Boston Youth Symphony, made him invaluable to the LSO board.

Third Place: NOTE Award – $500

This award was named by the donor, Eunice Connally Carr. The NOTE acronym designates an award which meets a Need, provides an Opportunity for young people, recognizes Talent, and rewards significant Effort on the part of the young performer. Contestant must be under the age of 26 on the date of the competition and must be a resident or resident student of Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina or Tennessee.