It’s a wrap! The results of the 39th Klein Competition:
20-year-old New York violist Pearl de la Motte won the grand prize, which includes $5,000 cash, generously funded this year by the MOCA Foundation, with performance contracts with the Peninsula and Santa Cruz Symphonies, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Gualala Arts Chamber Series, Music in the Vineyards, among others, and is valued at $15,000.
18-year-old Wisconsin cellist Amelia Zitoun won the second prize, generously given by Ruth Short in memory of Elaine H. Klein of $3,500 cash. It is valued at $5,500 with a performance with the San José Chamber Orchestra.
The third prize went to 18-year-old Alabama violinist Francis Tsai of $2,500 cash, generously given in memory of Milton Preves by Judith and David Anderson.
Two fourth prizes of $1,500 each are awarded, one given to 17-year-old Texas cellist Hannah Jeong by Maria Klein in memory of Jerry Lee Klein and one given to 23-year-old Korean violinist Yeji Lim.
The award of $500 for best performance of the commissioned work by John Wineglass was given to Pearl de la Motte, viola, and the award of $500 for the best performance of solo Bach was given to Francis Tsai, violin.
Each semifinalist not awarded a named prize received $1,000: Evelyn Joung, cello, Wanxinyi Huang, viola, and Christian Luevano, bass.
The distinguished jury included Barbara Day Turner, music director of San José Chamber Orchestra, violinist and San Francisco Chamber Orchestra Principal Conductor, Jory Fankuchen, Daniel Stewart, music director of the Santa Cruz Symphony, Hal Robinson, former principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra on faculty at the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, this year’s commissioned composer, John Wineglass, Mark Kosower, principal cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra, and Paul Yarbrough, former violist and co-founder of the Alexander String Quartet.
Open to string players between the ages of 15 – 23 at the time of the Competition, the 39th Klein took place June 1 – 2, 2024. Eight semifinalists competed for cash prizes and performance contracts at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. All contestants premiered the commissioned works by composer John Wineglass, and performed Bach, and movements from concerti and sonatas.
Download the digital program here.