Dear Teachers and Instrumental Music Students:
With great pleasure we announce the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s annual Arthur D. Montzka Young Artists Concerto Competition. This competition was begun by Art Montzka in 1986 and has enjoyed a proud tradition of featuring some of Northern Illinois’ finest young artists.
This year’s competition will be held live and open to the public at no charge, on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, from 10:00 a.m. to about 2:00 p.m. Contestants must provide their own accompanists. Memorization of music is not required but strongly recommended. Members of the audience may come or go between performers. The performers in last year’s competition are listed here.
In addition to receiving a cash award of $350, the winner of the competition will perform at the concert of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra at the Northern Illinois University Music Building, DeKalb, Illinois, February 18, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
Competition Winners
- 2022 – Esme Arias-Kim, playing Korngold: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
- 2020 – Isabella Brown, playing Beethoven: Violin Concert in D Major, Op. 61
- 2019 – John Heo, playing Walton: Concerto in B minor for Violin and Orchestra
- 2018 – William Tan, playing Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85
- 2017 – Maya Anjali Buchanan, playing Korngold: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
- 2016 – Karisa Chiu, playing Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47
- 2015 – Nathan Mo, playing Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 107
- 2014 – Colin Choi, playing Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor: 1st movement
- 2014 – Sean Choi, playing Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3: 1st movement
- 2013 – Kelly Talim, playing Brahms: Concerto for Violin, Op. 77
- 2012 – Claire Bourg, playing Khachaturian: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
- 2011 – Laura Park, playing Prokofiev: Concerto for Violin in G Minor, Op.63.
- 2010 – Ryan Murphy, playing Sibelius: Concerto for Violin in D Minor, Op. 47
- 2010 – Nathan Noh, playing Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 for Piano in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
- 2009 – Kevin Hu, playing Vieuxtemps: Concerto No. 5 for Violin in A Minor, Op. 37
- 2008 – Mindy Park, playing Shostakovich: Concerto No. 1 for Cello in E-flat Major, Op. 107
- 2008 – Vincent Meklis, playing Ravel: Tzigane for Violin
- 2007 – Benjamin Lash, playing Hindemith: Concerto for Cello, 1940, 1st movement
- 2007 – Christine Murphy, playing Bizet: Fantaisie Brillante, based on “Carmen”
- 2006 – Kevin Kordi, piano, playing Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
- 2005 – Shawn Moore, playing Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
- 2004 – Hejin Bae, playing Sibelius: Violin Concert in D Minor, Op. 47
- 2003 – Rachel Kudo, playing Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23, 1st movement
- 2003 – Jessica Hung, playing Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 21
- 2003 – Tim Sawyier, playing R. Strauss: Oboe Concerto, 1st movement
- 2002 – Hiro Matsuo, playing Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33
- 2002 – Nataliz Szadkowski, playing Khachaturian: Violin Concerto in D Major, 1st movement
- 2001 – Jessica Ann Schmitz, playing Mozart: Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major
- 2001 – Tomo Matsuo, playing Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (“Emperor”)
- 2001 – Anna Burden, playing Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104, 1st movement
- 2001 – Lisa Steltenpohl, playing Bartok: Viola Concerto, Op. Post
- 2000 – Stephanie Nilles, playing Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, 1st movement
- 2000 – Anna Steltenpohl, playing Hummel: Adagio and Variations, Op. 102, for Oboe
- 2000 – Eunice Keem, playing Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op.35, 1st movement
- 1999 – Elise Goodman, playing Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 63, Allegro moderato
- 1999 – Amy Chung, playing Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622, 2nd movement: Rondo
- 1999 – Gina DiBello, playing Glazunov: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 82
- 1998 – Stephanie Wu, playing Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22, Allegro moderato
- 1998 – Julie Fischer, playing Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, Allegro moderato
- 1997 – Sarah Koo, playing Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 107, Allegretto
- 1997 – James Toth, playing Paganini: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 6, Allegro maestoso
- 1996 – Jonathan Venzon, playing Haydn: Cello Concerto in C Major
- 1996 – Caroline Chin, playing Brahms: Piano Concerto in D Major, Op. 77, Allegro non troppo
- 1995 – Julia Oh, playing Saint- Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33
- 1995 – Grant Moffet, playing Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 44
- 1994 – Deb Fialek, playing Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major
- 1994 – Alison Zlotow, Violin, playing Nero: The Hot Canary
- 1993 – Karen Basrak, playing Dvořák: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104
- 1992 – Kenneth Preuss, playing Larsson: Concertino for Trombone
- 1992 – Cathy Basrak, playing Stravinsky: Concerto in D Major for Violin, Capriccio; and Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 (Gypsy Airs)
- 1991 – Lisa Chu, playing Tchaikovsky: Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, for Violin
- 1990 – Mathew Fuerst, playing Beethoven: Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major for Piano
- 1989 – Eugenia Ann Wie, playing Wieniawski: Concerto No. 2 for Violin, Op. 22
- 1988 – Annie Chen, playing Haydn: Concerto in D Major for Piano and Orchestra
- 1987 – Karen Reitan, playing Mozart: Horn Concerto in E-flat Major, K. 417, Allegro maestoso
- 1987 – Patrick Smith, Violin, playing Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
- 1987 – David Zar, Bassoon, playing Mozart: Bassoon Concerto in B-flat Major, Allegro