Young Violists Competition

Announcing our 9th Annual NCVS Young Violists Competition Results:

First Place: Colin Breshears
Second Place: Liam Young Skeen
Third Place tie: Rebekah Sung/Bryan Im
Judges’ Award: Eleanor Gil
Best Bach Performance: Colin Breshears
Best Performance of  New Piece, “Der Kleiner Elephant”: Colin Breshears

Congratulations to all of our truly outstanding young 2024 finalists: Yufei Shen from Pleasanton, Katherine Yang from San Mateo, Eleanor Gil from San Jose, Rebekah Sung from Fremont, Bryan Im from San Jose, Liam Young Skeen from Richmond and Colin Breshears from San Pablo

Violist Adjudicators: Don Ehrlich, Pamela Freund & Thomas Tatton

March 10, 2024 at the University of San Francisco in the Studio Theater, Yufei's Stamitz Concerto sparkled, Katherine showed a gorgeous color palette in her Bartok, Eleanor wowed us with her rich deep sound in Brahms, Bryan's York Bowen Sonata was strong and romantic, Rebekah's polish and imagination showed in everything she played, Liam held us in thrall with his Bloch and Colin dazzled us with his Hoffmeister, it was truly an afternoon to remember!


 Each year outstanding young violists from Northern California are encouraged to submit recordings for consideration to be included in the finals for the Young Violists Competition. Comments from preliminary round panel are included with participation in the preliminaries. We return to a live finals round format this year. Finals will be held in person on March 10, 2024 from 2-5pm, location in San Francisco tbd.
 
Eligibility: Pre-college, aged 19 or younger. Applicants must be based in or studying in Northern CaliforniaCash prizes: $500, first prize / $300, second prize / $200, third prize. Also awards for "Best New Piece" and "Best Bach" may be awarded at the discretion of the adjudicators. 

2024 Application / Preliminary round information
Deadline: video materials submitted by January 8, 2024, 11:59pm Pacific time. Please consider filing your application form at any time from 9/15/23 on - and submitting your recordings and payment when ready.

Finalists announced January 22, 2024
 2024 YVC Repertoire Requirements for 1st round of the competition (all of the following):
1. Any single movement from a Cello Suite by J.S. Bach
2. One movement from a viola sonata or a showpiece
3. One movement of a standard viola concerto
For Final Round: all finalists will play their preliminary repertoire plus a new work  for unaccompanied viola, chosen from scores submitted to the NCVS composer competition 2023-24.

ONLINE APPLICATION FORM Open Sept 15, 2023-Jan 8, 2024 
Filing your application form ahead of time before submitting your recordings is highly encouraged, that way we know to expect your recordings. Also you may view the application form for more details and information.
 
Application Fee: $35

Pay Application Fee here

Submit your preliminary recordings - video recording with piano accompaniment in a good acoustic is strongly recommended-
to NCVS@NORCALVIOLA.ORG
 
 




2023 Final Round Concert Video:

 2023 Violist Adjudicators:  Ethan Filner, Jodi Levitz, Eleanor Angel, & Dr. Thomas Tatton 

2023 winners: Jennifer Kang, 1st place, Best Bach & Best New Piece Awards; Colin Breshears and Jenna Kim, 2nd place tie; Katherine Yang, 3rd place

Congratulations to all of our 2023 Finalists: From San Jose, Bomin Kim, from Cupertino, Michelle Choi, from Saratoga, David Kim, from Mountain View, Jennifer Kang, from Los Gatos, Jenna Kim, from San Mateo, Katherine Yang, and from San Pablo, Colin Breshears.


From 2022 - 7th Annual NCVS Young Violists Competition
Final Round Concert Video:
Sunday March 13, 2022, 
2022 Adjudicators: Ethan Filner, Jodi Levitz, Cassandra Lynne Richburg, Dr. Thomas Tatton & Jonathan Vinocour.

2022 Young Violists Competition Winners:

Andrew Ahn, 16, from Atherton

Andrew Hwang, 14, from Palo Alto

Chanhee Park, 16, from San Jose

 
 

 And...from 2021:

Congratulations to winners of the 2021 competition: 
1st place: tie - Pearl de la Motte & Michelle Koo
3rd place: Hannah Lam
Best Bach: Pearl de la Motte
Best New Piece: Michelle Koo

Our YVC 2021 Finalists:

Michelle Koo, from Palo Alto, California.

Hannah Lam, from San Ramon.

Wyeth Minami, from Palo Alto

Pearl de la Motte, from San Francisco.

Ingrid Nordberg, from Walnut Creek



QUESTIONS? EMAIL NCVS@NORCALVIOLA.ORG