HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to announce 5 finalists for its 45^th Annual Young Artists Competition! The finalists will compete on Saturday, May 20, at 3 pm at the Theater of the Performing Arts at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. Join us in celebrating the achievements of CT’s young artists at this final round of competition and listen to these accomplished finalists perform with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Winners will be named at the performance. For information, visit hartfordsymphony.org or call 860-987-5900. 

Ticket information: Tickets are available on a “pay-as-you-wish” basis by contacting the HSO box office online, by phone and in-person.? Limited quantities are also available at the door on the day of the event. 

Young Artists Competition Finalists:  

Aliza Creel, Viola (Pomperaug High School); Walton Concerto, Movement 1 

Eli Gold, Marimba (Simsbury High School); Creston Concertino, Movement 3  

Yobin Kim, Violin (The Hotchkiss School); Tchaikovsky Concerto, Movement 3 

Shawn Yang, Violin (Choate Rosemary Hall); Mendelssohn Concerto, Movement 3 

Mindy Zhao, Violin (Hall High School); Mendelssohn Concerto, Movement 1 

To be eligible for the Young Artists Competition, students must be Connecticut residents in grades 9-12 during the 2022-23 school year, cannot be a previous first place winner of the HSO’s Young Artists Competition, and must play one of the following instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, saxophone, percussion, harp, piano, violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar.  

The 2023 Young Artists Competition is sponsored in part by the Richard P. Garmany Fund at Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Jeffrey & Nancy Hoffman, and Dara Ribicoff, with additional support from Acorn Alcinda Foundation, Judith and Ken Boudreau, Donna Collins, Ruth Ann C. Davis, Hollis Dorman, Michelle Duffy and Robert Connell, Lois A. Muraro and Carl J. Elsishans, Bob and Frankie Goldfarb, Rona B. Gollob, Arnold Greenberg, Wendy M. Haller, Laura Harris, Barbara and Jerry Hess, Helen and Don Hughlett, Lois and Charles Koteen, Irene Loretto, Barbara and Thomas Mitchell, Katherine Papathanasis, Mary and Frank Petras, Allan and Joan Reiskin, Joseph Spada, Andrew and Feather Spearman, Diane and Gary Whitney, Winstanley Enterprises, LLC. 

HSO programs are funded part by the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s United Arts Campaign, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and with support from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.