Applications begin January 1, 2027
The Society for Musical Arts invites eligible pianists to apply for the 2027 Young Artist Competition. The first-prize winner will receive $1,000 and a solo recital presented by the Society for Musical Arts in the 2027–2028 season. This year’s competition will be for PIANO.
How to Apply
Submit the completed application form to info@annarborsma.org by April 15, 2027. There is a non-refundable $25 registration fee.
Important Notes
- Only the first 15 applications will be accepted.
- The competition requires a minimum of 5 contestants to proceed.
- Previous prize recipients from the Society for Musical Arts are not eligible.
- Results will be announced by April 25, 2027.
- Please see the application for information on repertoire requirements, additional submission requirements, and other important details.
- The competition rotates between piano, strings, voice, and woodwinds/brass/percussion, concentrating on one of these categories each year.
Eligibility
Applicants must be college students, no older than 34 as of the competition date, and either an Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti resident or currently enrolled at the University of Michigan or Eastern Michigan University.
Apply
Past Winners
Young Artist Competition (YAC) Winners
| 2026 | 1 — Haley Hunt, contralto |
| 2025 | 1 — Jason Mingjie Xu, Saxophone |
| 2023 | 1 — Zhengyi Huang, piano |
| 2022 | 1 — Adellyn Geenen, mezzo-soprano |
| 2020 | 1 — Salvador Flores, saxophone |
| 2019 | 1 — Isabella Amador, violin |
| 2018 | 1 — Mi-Eun Kim, piano 2 — Xiaoya Liu, piano |
| 2017 | 1 — Luke Randall, baritone 2 — Allison Prost, soprano 3 — Tanner Hoertz, baritone |
| 2016 | 1 — Colin McCall, percussion 2 — Andreas (Andy) Oeste, oboe 3 — Michael Bae Gieske, bassoon |
| 2015 | 1 — Megan Chartier, cello 2 — Michael DiBarry, violin 3 — Jennifer Ellis, harp |
| 2014 | 1 — Siyuan Li, piano 2 — Phoebe Wu, piano 3 — Doyeon Kim, piano |
| 2013 | 1 — Kate Rosen, mezzo-soprano 2 — Olivia Betzen, soprano |
| 2012 | 1 — Edward J. Goodman, saxophone 2 — Nermis Mieses, oboe |
| 2011 | 1 — Amy Cave, violin 2 — Ashley Martin, violin |
| 2010 | 1 — Stijn De Cock, piano 2 — Shin Hwang, piano |
| 2009 | 1 — John Hummel, baritone 2 — Katherine Wakefield, soprano |
| 2008 | 1 — Robert Young, saxophone 2 — Jacqueline Arrington, flute |
| 2007 | 1 — Katharina Uhde, violin 2 — Daphne Raz, violin |
| 2006 | 1 — Xiaofeng Wu, piano 2 — John Boonenberg, piano & Ming Su Yen, piano (tie) |
| 2005 | 1 — Rebecca O-G Eaddy, soprano 2 — Lori Hicks, soprano |
| 2004 | 1 — Aaron Hill, oboe 2 — Brian Sacawa, saxophone |
| 2003 | 1 — Christopher Wild, cello 2 — Julia Gish, violin |
| 2002 | 1 — Charisse Baldoria, piano 2 — Irena Portenko, piano |
| 2001 | 1 — Thomas Glen, tenor 2 — Michael Gallant, tenor |
| 2000 | 1 — Joseph LeBlanc, saxophone & Amy Kesler, oboe (tie) |
| 1999 | 1 — Juliana Athayde, violin & Dorian Vandenberg-Rhodes, violin (tie) |
| 1998 | 1 — I-An Chen, piano & Ellen Elder, piano (tie) |
| 1997 | 1 — Emily Benner, soprano 2 — Gary Moss, baritone |
| 1996 | 1 — Kelland Thomas, saxophone 2 — Carey Bell, clarinet |
| 1995 | 1 — Kimberly Ann Kaloyanides, violin 2 — Katie McLin, violin |
| 1994 | 1 — Lauren Min, piano 2 — Ross Smith, piano |
| 1993 | 1 — Jennifer Flitch, soprano 2 — Thomas Scurto, baritone |
| 1992 | 1 — Jeffrey Lyman, bassoon 2 — Todd Craven, trumpet |
| 1991 | 1 — Lina Bahn, violin 2 — Mee Hae Ryo, cello |
| 1990 | 1 — Monty Carter, piano 2 — Kazimierz Brzozowski, piano |
| 1989 | 1 — Ray M. Wade, Jr., tenor 2 — Washington Holmes, baritone |
| 1988 | 1 — Jane Carl, clarinet 2 — Gina Hart-Kemper, flute |
| 1987 | 1 — Elise Christianson, violin 2 — Cora Kuyvenhoven, cello |
| 1986 | 1 — Eric Ruple, piano 2 — Raffi Kasparian, piano |
| 1985 | 1 — James Wilson, cello 2 — Stacey Phelps, violin |
| 1984 | 1 — Ronald Fracker, piano 2 — Mariko Sato, piano |
| 1983 | 1 — Cynthia Phelps, viola 2 — Bruce Wilkinson, viola |
| 1982 | 1 — Norman Boehm, piano 2 — Akiko Matsuo, piano |
| 1981 | 1 — Douglas McNames, cello |
| 1980 | 1 — Guidridur Sigurdardotter, piano 2 — Laura Kargul, piano & Pauline Martin, piano (tie) |
| 1979 | 1 — Scott Woolweaver, viola 2 — Dan Foster, violin |
| 1978 | 1 — Tibor Szasz, piano 2 — Thomas Handsen, piano |
| 1977 | 1 — Glenda Kirkland, soprano 2 — Laurean Fulton, soprano |
| 1976 | 1 — Patricia McCarty, viola 2 — Young Sook Yun, cello |
| 1975 | 1 — Pauli Gold, piano & Frederick Weldy, piano (tie) 2 — Andrew Anderson, piano |
| 1974 | 1 — Lorine Buffington Summers, soprano |
| 1973 | 1 — Clark Suttle, double bass 2 — Michele Makarski, violin |
| 1972 | 1 — Maria Meirelles, piano 2 — Kimberly Kabala, piano |
| 1971 | 1 — Roberta Alexander, soprano 2 — Constance Barron, soprano |
| 1970 | 1 — Walter Schwede, violin 2 — Evelyn Elsing, cello & Clyn Barrus, viola (tie) |
| 1969 | 1 — Jack Winerock, piano 2 — David Volkhausen, piano |
| 1968 | 1 — Jessye Norman, soprano |
| 1967 | 1 — Marilyn McDonald, violin & Allen Kindt, piano (tie) |
| 1966 | 1 — Jeffrey Hollander, piano |
| 1965 | 1 — Jeffrey Hollander, piano |