Young Artists Competition

Professional Standards of Performance

Sicong Chen (William)

Sicong Chen (William)
Ruxi Wang

Ruxi Wang
Lindsey Welp

Lindsey Welp
Richard Cho

Richard Cho

The 2025 Young Artists Competition for Winds was held February 1, 2025.

Below are links for the 2025 application and the 2025 official poster for the 29th annual Young Artists Competition. February of 2026 will be the LSO’s 30th annual Young Artists Competition and will be for strings. Information for that event will be available soon.

2025 Application

2025 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 2025 competition was for winds, 2026 is for strings, and 2027 is for piano.

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.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winners!

First Place

SEBASTIAN OCANDO

First Place Winner – the Dorothy Allen Turner Award goes to 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 1^st prize winner in the London Internation Competition in the percussion category as well as the 1^st prize winner of the percussion category in the BACH International Competition. Sebastian performed Concerto for Marimba and Strings Orchestra, 2^nd 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.

Second Place

XAVIER MARTINEZ

Second Place Winner – the Max Kaplan Award goes to Xavier Marinez. 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.

Third Place

DOMINIC BERNARD

Third Place Winner – the NOTE Award goes to 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.