SAN FRANCISCO, APRIL 4, 2023 – Celebrating 38 years of championing the world’s finest young string players, the 38th Irving M. Klein International String Competition returns June 3-4 to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The semifinal round begins at 10AM Pacific Sat June 3rd and finals start at 3PM Pacific Sun June 4th. Audiences worldwide will view contestantsvia livestream on the Violin Channel compete for cash prizes and performance contracts in front of a live audience, as a distinguished jury of seven convenes to determine this year’s winners.
Selected from 111 entrants, the semifinalists are:
• VINCENT GARCIA-HETTINGER, cello, 17 (TX). Attends Brandeis HS, and studies with Kenneth Freudigman
• AUDREY GOODNER, violin, 17 (VA). Attends Langley HS; she is a student of Ryan Meehan and Jing Qiao
• MEI HOTTA, cello, 20 (CA). She attends the Colburn School, and is a student of Clive Greensmith
• HADDON KAY, cello, 23 (IL). He attends the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern, and studies with Hans Jørgen Jensen
• BLAIRE KIM, violin, 19 (KOREA). Attends the Juilliard School; she is a student of Li Lin and Itzhak Perlman
• ZECHARIAH MO, viola, 21 (IL). Attends the Colburn School; he is a student of Tatjana Masurenko
• RAY USHIKUBO, violin, 21 (CA). Attends the Colburn School; he is a student of Robert Lipsett
• SOPHIA WERNER, violin, 20 (NY). Attends the Juilliard School; she studies with Laurie Smukler
• EMAD ZOLFAGHARI, viola, 18 (CANADA) attends the Curtis Institute of Music; he studies with Hsin-Yun Huang (Ages are at time of Competition 6/3-4/23)
Cellist Coleman Itzkoff, 2016 Klein prizewinner, is this year’s mentor and co-hosts with Klein Artistic Director Mitchell Sardou Klein who noted, “Selection of this remarkable group of young musical artists was especially challenging this year, with so many inspired application performances to choose from. It’s truly thrilling to see and hear the level of musicianship that this new generation of string players is exhibiting.”
The grand prize includes $5,000 cash and performance contracts with the Peninsula and Santa Cruz Symphonies, Gualala Arts Chamber Series, among others, and is valued at $13,000. The second prize of $3,500 cash and performance contracts is valued at $5,500, includes a performance with the San José Chamber Orchestra. Ruth Short gives this prize in memory of Elaine H. Klein. A third prize of $2,500 is given in memory of Milton Preves by Judith and David Anderson. Two fourth prizes of $1,500 each are awarded., one given by Maria Klein in memory of Jerry Lee Klein. Each semifinalist not awarded a named prize will receive $1,000. Awards of $500 each are given for best performance of the commissioned work by Gity Razaz, and of the solo Bach.
About the Composer
Hailed by New York Times as “ravishing and engulfing” and named a 2022 “Rising Star” by BBC Music Magazine, Gity Razaz’s music ranges from concert solo pieces to large symphonic works. Her music has been commissioned and performed by Seattle Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, National Sawdust, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and violinists Jennifer Koh and Francesca DePasquale (both top Klein prizewinners). Recent highlights include a 2021 commission from BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo for the Last Night of the BBC Proms. Currently a member of the composition faculty at Mannes School of Music prep-division, Ms. Razaz received her Bachelor and Master of Music in Composition under the tutelage of Samuel Adler, Robert Beaser and John Corigliano at the Juilliard School.
The Jury Panel
The distinguished jury will include Glenn Dicterow, former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic and on faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music; violist Karen Dreyfus, who also teaches at the Thornton School; cellist and 2014 Klein first prizewinner Zlatomir Fung; this year’s commissioned composer, Gity Razaz;Harold Robinson, former principal bass for Philadelphia Orchestra and on faculty at the Curtis Institute; Daniel Stewart, Music Director of the Santa Cruz Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra; and Barbara Day Turner, Music Director of San José Chamber Orchestra.
About the Klein Competition
The Irving M. Klein International String Competition, produced by the California Music Center, is open to musicians between ages 15 and 23. The Klein Competition has achieved international recognition as one of the most prestigious classical music competitions, recognized for the high caliber of the contestants; its unique, nurturing environment; and its commitment to the commissioning of new works.
Its award carries the prestige that has helped many top soloists gain prominence in the competitive world of classical music, including Jennifer Koh, Mark Kosower, Vadim Gluzman, Jennifer Frautschi, Alban Gerhardt, Nikki Chooi, Teng Li, Francesca dePasquale, Oliver Herbert, Frank Huang, Tessa Lark, and Robert deMaine.
California Music Center, the producer of the Klein, was founded in 1974 by Irving M. Klein, a virtuoso chamber musician and master cello teacher, as the sponsoring organization for a summer music institute and chamber music series for young artists. Following Mr. Klein’s passing in 1985, CMC inaugurated the Irving M. Klein International String Competition (“the Klein”) in 1986; since then, the Klein has become one of the most prestigious events of its kind, helping to enhance the developing careers of exceptional young players who have gone on to become renowned soloists, chamber musicians, teachers, and prominent members of the world’s finest orchestras.
The Klein Competition is supported in part by the Mervyn L. Brenner Foundation, the Sam Mazza Foundation, and San Francisco Grants for the Arts; and is presented in partnership with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Violin Channel.
