Celebrating 36 years of helping the world’s top young string musicians gain prominence in the competitive world of classical music, the Irving M. Klein International String Competition will air virtually at www.californiamusiccenter.org starting 10AM Sat June 5^th and 10AM Sun June 6^th.  Audiences worldwide will be able to view all nine semifinalists as they compete for cash prizes and performance contracts, as a distinguished jury of seven convenes remotely to determine this year’s winners.  Results will be announced online June 6, 2021.  Produced by the California Music Center, the Klein is normally held in from of a live audience at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, our presenting partner.  2021 semifinalists will play all-new programs of solo and accompanied works. Complete schedule to be announced shortly.

This year’s nine semifinalists showcase the exceptional talent from the top teachers and conservatories in North America.  Selected from 128 entrants representing 16 nationalities, the semifinalists are:

• KEONI BOLDING, viola; 23 (Telford PA) attends The Juilliard School; student of Hsin-Yun Huang and Cynthia Phelps.
• RIA HONDA, violin; 20 (Japan) attends Columbia University/The Juilliard School; student of Li Lin.
• GRACE HUH, violin; 18 (San Jose CA) studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College Division; student of Ian Swensen.
• YUCHEN LU, viola; 22 (Hefei, China) attends The Juilliard School; student of Carol Rodland.
• BOBBY PARK, violin; 15 (Seoul, South Korea) studies at The Juilliard School Pre-College Division; student of Catherine Cho and Donald Weilerstein.
• SERIN PARK, violin; 17 (New York NY); studies at The Juilliard School Pre-College Division; student of Catherine Cho.
• SORY PARK, violin; 21 (Gwangju, South Korea) attends New England Conservatory; student of Soovin Kim. 
• WILLIAM TAN, cello; 16 (Hinsdale, IL); student of Hans Jørgen Jensen.
• DYLAN WU, cello; 17 (Manhasset, MY) studies at The Juilliard School Pre-College Division; student of Clara Kim.

Violinist Tessa Lark, 2008 prizewinner, is this year’s mentor and co-hosts with Klein Artistic Director Mitchell Sardou Klein who noted, “In this pandemic year we received a record number of applications to the Klein Competition, at an exceptionally high level of musical excellence. These nine semifinalists represent artistry and musicianship of the highest order. We look forward to a marvelous competition this June.“

The grand prize includes cash and performances with the Peninsula and Santa Cruz Symphonies, Gualala Arts Chamber Series, among others, and is valued at $13,000.  It is given by a cohort of loyal donors. The second prize is valued at $6,300, and  includes a performance with the San José Chamber Orchestra and the Piedmont Center for the Arts.  Ruth Short gives this prize in memory of Elaine H. Klein.  Third prize is $2,500 in memory of Milton Preves by Judith and David Anderson.  Two fourth prizes of $1,500 each are awarded.  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 Sakari Dixon Vanderveer, and of the solo Bach.  Klein winners also participate in educational activities and other recitals in the Bay Area. Concerts are subject to change.

The distinguished jury includes Charles Castleman, violinist and pedagogue, currently professor at the University of Miami; violinist Glenn Dicterow, former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic and on faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music; violist Karen Dreyfus, violist and faculty Manhattan School of Music, faculty USC Thornton School of Music; Daniel Stewart, Music Director of the Santa Cruz Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra; violinist Ian Swensen, Chair of Violin at San Francisco Conservatory’s String Department; Barbara Day Turner, Music Director of San José Chamber Orchestra; and this year’s commissioned composer, violist Sakari Dixon Vanderveer.###