Young Concert Artists President Dan Kellogg on Discovering the Next Generation

Applications to the Susan Wadsworth International Auditions are open until August 1st

 

The Young Concert Artists (YCA) Susan Wadsworth International Auditions are open to instrumentalists aged 16 to 28 years old, singers 20 to 30 years old, and ensembles with an average age of 30 or less, as of October 27, 2024.

From the Auditions, the YCA adds a new group of winning artists to its roster each year. Winners receive a minimum three-year management contract, high-profile debuts, plus national and international recital and orchestra performance opportunities.

With an Early Bird Deadline on June 3, 2024, applications will officially close on August 1, 2024.

The Violin Channel recently sat down with Dan Kellogg, President of Young Concert Artists, to learn more about the auditions.

 

Tell us about YCA? When was it founded and what has been its longstanding mission?

Young Concert Artists was established in 1961 by our founder Susan Wadsworth, with a vision of helping talented young musicians launch their careers. Today we carry on that mission by searching broadly to discover the most extraordinary young musicians, and provide them with every opportunity and resource to begin successful and impactful careers in classical music. Our work is really geared toward making a significant investment in the next generation of exceptional young musicians. 

 

Tell us about some of the artists who have started their career on your roster?

YCA has a strong network of alumni who started notable careers on our roster. Our alumni include such luminaries as Emanuel Ax, Julia Bullock, Anne Akiko Meyers, Jeremy Denk, Ray Chen, Anne-Marie McDermott, Richard Goode, Dawn Upshaw, Mason Bates, Zlatomir Fung, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Kevin Puts, Pinchas Zukerman, Randall Goosby, Sasha Cooke, and many more. So many of our alumni count YCA as the single most important factor in helping them transition from their earliest formative years as music students towards successful and sustainable careers as major artists.

 

Tell us about your long association with YCA? 

I joined the roster in 2002 as YCA’s newest Composer-in-Residence and enjoyed many wonderful years as an artist on the roster. My two fantastic artist managers helped me secure engagements with major orchestras, quartets, and music festivals, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the National Symphony, the San Diego Symphony, the Takács Quartet, and the Aspen Music Festival. These early opportunities meant the world to me and opened the doors to many amazing professional commissions and performances.

After 14 years as part of the composition faculty at the University of Colorado, Boulder, it has been a joy to return to YCA and follow in the esteemed footsteps of YCA Founder Susan Wadsworth. As the second President in our 63-year history, it is a privilege to give back and help YCA establish the next chapter in our singular history.

 

How do the YCA auditions differ from other music competitions? 

Whereas many competitions are focused on a particular instrument, the YCA auditions are open to classical musicians performing on almost any instrument, and the number of winners varies from year to year, depending on our jury’s selection. Winners of our auditions receive the prestige and recognition that come with competitions, but in addition (and core to our mission) they receive a wealth of tools and resources needed to launch their careers as performing artists. The impact YCA has on their careers goes far beyond their initial win at the auditions. 

 

What do the winners receive? 

Winners of the Susan Wadsworth International Auditions join our roster as YCA Jacobs Fellows. The Jacobs Fellowship is a three-year program that elevates our newest artists’ confidence and creativity through a range of tools and resources, including comprehensive artist management, a 14-month Artist Incubator training program, mentoring from YCA alumni, training in education & community engagement, high-profile performance opportunities with leading presenters around the globe, special project opportunities, personal brand development and an expanded digital portfolio, and debut recitals in New York City and Washington, DC.

 

What kind of artists are you looking for to join your roster? 

YCA seeks extraordinary artists who have the potential for a major career as leading classical musicians. While the “wow” factor is hard to characterize, it is often unmistakable. Truly memorable performers combine superb musical skills with a commanding stage presence and a distinctive approach to well-chosen repertoire. We are looking for special and unique artists who we can mentor, cultivate, and support in the early stages of important careers.

 

What special qualities are the jury specifically searching for? 

Each year we invite a diverse range of artists, alumni, and industry professionals to participate on our jury and help select the next YCA Jacobs Fellows. Previous jury members have included Deborah Borda, Colin Carr, Denyce Graves, Ani Kavafian, Demarre McGill, Dmitry Sitkovetski, Hanako Yamaguchi, and many others. Through their varied lenses of expertise and experience, the jury considers several aspects of each artist’s audition, including the artists’ approach to their chosen repertoire, how they communicate to an audience, stage presence, consistently strong musical skill, and the ability to offer a truly memorable performance. 

 

What should future YCA Artists expect after joining the roster?

When new artists are welcomed onto our roster the work toward building their careers begins immediately with several key items: 

• • A 14-month intensive artist training program we call the 21st Century Artist Incubator which, in weekly sessions, provides guidance and training on the many aspects of becoming a successful performing artist, including how to build meaningful relationships with presenters and other artists, how to develop their vision for community engagement, how to build their brand and digital presence, and more. 

• • Close work with our team to develop programming for their debut recitals, which are generally presented the season following their audition win. 

• • Work with a personal stylist and photographer on establishing their brand, and getting new, professional grade photos.

• • Professionally produced performance video for their portfolio. 

• • Training and participation in education and community engagement projects, such as our Year-Long program, or mini-residencies in public schools. 

• • Plus high-profile performance opportunities, both with leading presenters, and in non-traditional settings. 

 

Applications will close later this month. Who should consider applying and how do they go about submitting their application?

We encourage all young musicians with exceptional skill, who are ready to put in the work toward a career as a performing artist to apply. We look forward to hearing their auditions, and meeting the next YCA Jacobs Fellows! 

Apply by August 1, 2024 at yca.org/auditions-guidelines.