Concerto Competition

For 64 years, YPSCA has held a Young People's Concerto Competition for advanced student musicians in grades 7-12. The winner of the top prize is invited to perform with the Minnesota Orchestra in a set of Young People’s Concerts. Cash prizes, donated by individuals and music-related businesses, are awarded to all Finalists.

Each contestant prepares a portion of a major work, such as a concerto movement, to perform from memory. Performances are judged by professional musicians specializing in strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and keyboard. For the Finals, held on the Orchestra Hall stage, YPSCA welcomes members of the public to attend and to witness the riveting performances of these extraordinary young musicians.

Dennis Eum takes top honors at YPSCA’s 64th Annual Concerto Competition

Both the Preliminary and the Final Round of YPSCA’s 64th Annual Concerto Competition were held virtually in March 2021 via video submissions from 38 students across the region and remote adjudication by 11 judges. Fifteen-year-old cellist Dennis Eum gave a brilliant performance of the fourth movement of Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto No.1 to win the top prize in this year’s Competition. 

In addition to the top honor won by Dennis Eum, each Finalist received at least one award:

• Orion Kim, 15, piano, won the Edwin Norberg Award
• Ingrid Tverberg, 17, cello, won the Edith Norberg Award
• Dennis Eum, 15, cello, won the Claire Givens Violins Award
• Jacob Taggart, 14, piano, won the Schmitt Music Award
• Grace Weitzel, 15, violin, won the Margaret Ankeny Award
• Clara Belle Wrolstad, 15, piano, won the Bonnie & Donn McLellan Award
• Stephen Ma, 17, violin, won the Mariellen Jacobson Award
• Tasha Piyabongkarn, 15, piano, won the Karen Lundmark Holmes Award
• Aurora Wang, 15, piano, won the David Colwell Award
• Mae Monette, 18, piano, won the Judith & David Ranheim Award
• Vladimir Tsiper, 14, violin, won the Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum Award