ADM Young Artists Concerto Competition
Arthur D. Montzka Young Artists Concerto Competition:
In Memory of Arthur D. Montzka
Arthur Dale Montzka was the conductor of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra for more than 20 years. During that time the group expanded from a handful of amateur music-makers, practicing in church basements and high-school band rooms, to a full orchestra of more than 60 players performing a series of concerts for the public each year.
Mr. Montzka especially enjoyed working with young people, and he encouraged his private- and public-school students to join the orchestra. Knowing that there were many exceptionally talented young players in the area, he established the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. Since its inception in 1985-86, with the first concerto-competition winner announced in the 1986-87 season, more than 150 musicians have auditioned to play with the orchestra and four dozen have been selected for that opportunity. Many of the concerto winners have gone on to prestigious schools of music and successful artistic careers.
In November of 2002, Mr. Montzka was killed in an automobile accident, just 22 hours after conducting a KSO concert.
In January of 2003, the Board of Directors of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra proudly named the annual concerto competition the Arthur D, Montzka Young Artists Concerto Competition.
Further information about the Arthur D. Montzka Young Artists Concerto Competition is found here.
The rules for the ADM Concerto Competition are found here.
The application process for the ADM Concerto Competition is found here.
Past ADM Concerto Competition Winners
- 2023 – Ella Wimbiscus, playing Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme
- 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
