Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artist Competition
FOR PIANO AND STRINGS
Presented by the Richardson Symphony Orchestra
Unleash your talent and take a thrilling step in your musical journey with the Richardson Symphony Orchestra’s prestigious competition! Designed to spotlight and support emerging young artists, this is your chance to shine on a grand stage.
Calling all string players: 2026 is your year! Join us for the exciting semi-final and final rounds on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at First United Methodist Church Richardson in Richardson, TX. Compete, connect, and perform with fellow aspiring musicians. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to elevate your career and inspire others with your passion and skill!
Experience the brilliance of tomorrow’s musical stars! Join us for an inspiring showcase as talented young string performers compete for the Grand Prize of $5,000 and the incredible opportunity to perform with the Richardson Symphony Orchestra on March 7, 2026.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 10, 2026, at First United Methodist Church Richardson, 503 N US 75-Central Expressway, Richardson, TX. The semi-finals kick off at 9 a.m., with the thrilling final round starting at approximately 4 p.m.
This free event is open to the public—come witness the exceptional skill and passion of emerging artists as they light up the stage!
Eligibility
- Open to strings musicians aged 14 to 27 as of January 10, 2026.
- Professional and pre-professional musicians, including students and those with advanced music degrees, are encouraged to apply.
- International participants must obtain a visa to enter the United States.
- Previous first-place winners and current students of this year’s jury panel are ineligible.
- The first-place winner must be available for rehearsals on March 6 & 7, 2026, and the performance on March 7, 2026
Fees & Application
Applications for the 2026 strings competition will be available on June 2, 2025.
- Applications are completed online. A completed submission includes the competition’s online form, a valid URL link to an unedited video of a concerto performance from memory (the concerto on video must be the same concerto you intend to perform in the semi-final round), a resume or curriculum vitae, and a non-refundable entry fee of $100.
- Note: For semifinalists, an additional $175 accompanist fee will be required and payment must be received by December 20, 2025.
Timeline
- Application Opens: June 2, 2025, at Noon CT
- Application Deadline: November 1, 2025, by 5 pm CT
- Notification of Semi-Finalist Selection: December 2, 2025
- Semi-Finalist Rehearsal: January 9, 2026 (9 am – 5 pm CT)
- Semi-Final Round: January 10, 2026 (starting at 9 am CT)
- Final Round: January 10, 2026 (starting approx. 4 pm CT)
- First Place Winner’s Concert: March 6 (Rehearsal), March 7, 2026 (Performance)
Competition Repertoire
- Competitors must perform from memory all movements of a major concerto (or similar large work for piano and orchestra).
- Excluded Repertoire for 2026 competition:
- Sibelius: Violin Concerto
- Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor
- Barber: Violin Concerto
- No substitutions or changes are allowed once the application is submitted.
Awards & Concert
First Prize:
- $5,000 Cash Award
- Concerto performance with the Richardson Symphony Orchestra on March 7, 2026
- Flight & Hotel Accommodations (up to 2 nights) for travel during the March rehearsal and performance (March 6th & 7th.)
Second Prize:
- $2,000 Cash Award
Third Prize:
- $1,000 Cash Award
Audition Submission
- Submit an unedited video of a standard concerto (or similar large work for piano and orchestra), including all movements, performed from memory.
- Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo, including your name and repertoire (composer and title) in the title or description. This link must be included with your online application. ONLINE APPLICATION HERE: https://bit.ly/2026YAC4Strings
- A resume or curriculum vitae.
- Competitors will be notified by email about their acceptance into the semi-final round by December 2, 2025.
Accompanist (semi-final & final rounds)
- For the in-person semi-final and final rounds, the RSO provides a professional accompanists for a fee of $175. This includes a one-hour rehearsal the day before the semi-final round and an accompaniment during the competition.
- Semi-finalists must mail an original piano score (no photocopies) for the accompanist to use during the rehearsal and performance.
- If a competitor withdraws after December 19, 2025, the accompanist fee is forfeited.
General Information
- Round 1 preliminary online submissions are judged on technical proficiency, musicianship, repertoire, and stage presence by professionally qualified musicians at the RSO’s artistic team.
- Round 2 is in-person and consists of a Semi-Final and Final round, judged by nationally recognized master teachers, and is open to the public.
- Semi-finalists will receive 30 minutes to warm-up before their scheduled audition time.
- Three finalists will be announced after the Semi-Final round, with the Final round begins shortly after the judges deliberate.
- Judges may choose not to declare a winner if performance standards are not met. All decisions by the judges are final.
- Participants are responsible for their food, travel, and lodging costs for all competition rounds (semi-final and final).
- For additional questions, email Shanna Morin, Director of Audience Development, at shanna@richardsonsymphony.org
Past Recipients
Winners of the 2025 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition held on January 11, 2025
Left to Right: Alan Chow (Eastman School of Music); Yoshikazu Nagai (San Francisco Conservatory of Music); 2nd Place, Leyla Zeynalova (Longy School of Music); 1st Place, Daria Podorozhnova (Manhattan School of Music); 3rd Place, Pyotr Akulov (Oberlin Conservatory of Music); Charles Eisemann; Dr. Pamela Mia Paul (University of North Texas); Maestro Clay Couturiaux
Daria performed Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ Major, Op. 83 with the RSO on March 1, 2025 concert.
Winners of the 2024 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition held on January 13, 2024
Left to right: Honorable Mention, Sophie Leung (Violin, Colburn Conservatory of Music); 1st place, Eliane Menzel (Violin, Julliard School of Music), 3rd place Fiona Shea (Violin, Colburn Conservatory of Music), 2nd Place, Nicholas Wong (Cello, Home Schooled), Judge David Geber, Judge Patinka Kopec, Maestro Clay Couturiaux, Charles Eisemann.
Eliane performed with the RSO at our March 2, 2024 Concert.
Winners of the 2023 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition held on January 14, 2023
Left to right: Maestro Clay Couturiaux; Honorable Mention, Vanessa Yu (University of Toronto); Charles Eisemann; Anne Eisemann; Judge, Alexandre Moutouzkine (Manhattan School of Music); 3rd place, Huiping Cai (Eastman School of Music); 1st place, Zhengyi Huang (University of Michigan); Brian Eisemann
Not pictured: 2nd place, Angela Lau (University of Cincinnati)
Zhengyi performed with the RSO at our March 4, 2023 Concert.
Winners of the 2022 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition held on January 29, 2022
Left to right: Judge, Ko Iwasaki (toho Conservatory in Tokyo); Maestro Clay Couturiaux; Judge, Chloe Kiffer (Manhattan School of Music); Charles Eisemann; Anne Eisemann; 1st place, Nicholas Hammel (University of Texas at Austin); 2nd place, Elaine He (Julliard); 3rd place, Christian Luevano (John H. Guyer High School)
Nicholas performed with the RSO at our March 5, 2022 concert.
Winners of the 2021 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition held on January 9, 2021
Left to right: Charles Eisemann; 1st place, Solomon Ge (student of Yoshikazu Nagai); 2nd place, Angie Zhang (University of Michigan); Anne Eisemann; 3rd place, Matthew Figel (Eastman School of Music)
Not pictured: Honorable Mention, Jacob Nydegger (University of North Texas); Judge, Joyce Yang (Silver Medalist of the 12th Van Cliburn Competition); Judge, Jon Nakamatsu (Gold Medalist of the 10th Van Cliburn Competition)
Solomon performed with the RSO at our March 6, 2021 Concert.
Winners of the 2020 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition held on January 11, 2020
Left to right: Judge, Bion Tsand (University of Texas at Austin); 1st place, Katherine Audas (Rice University, Shepherd School of Music); 3rd place, Maya Kilburn (high school); 2nd place, Magdiell Antequera (University of Cincinnati); Judge, Phil Lewis (University of North Texas College of Music and Chamber Music International Artistic Director); front row: Charles and Ann Eisemann
Katherine performed with the RSO at our March 7, 2020 Concert.
Winners of the 2019 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition
Judge Paul Schenly (Cleveland Institute of Music); Judge Jerome Lowenthal (The Juilliard School); 3rd place, Young Sun Choi (University of Indiana, Jacobs School of Music); 2nd place, Scott Sherman (Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music); Simon Karakulidi (Park University); RSO Music Director / Conductor Clay Couturiaux.
Honorable Mention awards were given to: Josephine Chiu (Southern Methodist University); Wenqiao Jiang (Manhattan School of Music); Dominic Muzzi (Indiana University Jacobs School of Music).
Simon Karakulidi will perform Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18 with the RSO at the March 2, 2019 concert.
Honorable Mention awards were given to: Josephine Chiu (Southern Methodist University); Wenqiao Jiang (Manhattan School of Music); Dominic Muzzi (Indiana University Jacobs School of Music).
Simon Karakulidi will perform Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18 with the RSO at the March 2, 2019 concert.
Winners of the 2018 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition
Front row: 2nd place, Nathan Le (Harvard University / New England Conservatory of Music); 3rd place, Isaiah Kim (Strath Haven High School);
1st place, Aaron Olguin (University of North Texas.) Back row: RSO Music Director / Conductor, Clay Couturiaux; Judge Anthony Elliott (University of Michigan); Judge William Fedkenheuer (Miro Quartet, University of Texas at Austin.)
Aaron Olguin performed the Andres Martin’s Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra with the RSO at the March 3, 2018 concert.
1st place, Aaron Olguin (University of North Texas.) Back row: RSO Music Director / Conductor, Clay Couturiaux; Judge Anthony Elliott (University of Michigan); Judge William Fedkenheuer (Miro Quartet, University of Texas at Austin.)
Aaron Olguin performed the Andres Martin’s Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra with the RSO at the March 3, 2018 concert.
Winners of the 2017 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition
Judge Alexandre Moutouzkine; Judge Nelita True; second place winner, Ximei Xiao (Professional Children’s School in New York); first place winner, Iskandar Mamadaliev (middle school student, studying with Stanislav Ioudenitch); third place winner, Mi Ou Lee (University of Kansas); Maestro Clay Couturiaux.
Iskandar performed with the RSO at the March 4, 2017 concert.
Winners of the 2016 Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition
Judge Paul Kantor, third place winner Ariana Nelson (Juilliard), first place winner Eleanor Dunbar (SMU), second place winner Michael Zyzak (TCU), Judge Jennifer Culp, Maestro Clay Couturiaux.
Eleanor performed with the RSO at the March 5, 2016 Concert.
Eleanor performed with the RSO at the March 5, 2016 Concert.
Winners of the 2015 Lennox International Young Artists Competition
First place winner was Ning Yuen Li (second from left), who attends the Cleveland Institute of Music. Second place winner was Alison Chiang (third from left) from the Eastman School. Third place winner was Artem Alexanyan (fourth from left), attends Park University.
Ning performed with the RSO at the March 7, 2015 concert.
Ning performed with the RSO at the March 7, 2015 concert.
Winners of the 2014 Lennox International Young Artists Competition
ongratulations to all of the 2014 Lennox semi-finalists and the three top winners! First place winner was Santiago Valencia (back row, middle), who attends SMU. Second place winner was Sydney Lee (front row, right) who attends Ramapo High School in New Jersey. Third place winner was Stella Cho (front row, left), who attends USC.
Santiago performed with the RSO at the March 8, 2014 concert.
Santiago performed with the RSO at the March 8, 2014 concert.
Winners of the 2013 Lennox International Young Artists Competition
Left to right: Front row: Grace Zhang, second place winner, Grand Prize Winner Xuesha Hu, third place winner Min Ji Lee. Back row: Competition judge Robert Weirich of the UMKC Conservatory of Music, Richardson Symphony music director and conductor Clay Couturiaux and competition judge Robert Shannon of Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music.
Left to right: Front row: Grace Zhang, second place winner, Grand Prize Winner Xuesha Hu, third place winner Min Ji Lee. Back row: Competition judge Robert Weirich of the UMKC Conservatory of Music, Richardson Symphony music director and conductor Clay Couturiaux and competition judge Robert Shannon of Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music.
Left to right: Front row: Grace Zhang, second place winner, Grand Prize Winner Xuesha Hu, third place winner Min Ji Lee. Back row: Competition judge Robert Weirich of the UMKC Conservatory of Music, Richardson Symphony music director and conductor Clay Couturiaux and competition judge Robert Shannon of Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music.