At the inaugural Young Artist Competition hosted by the Atlanta Festival Academy (AFA) on June 25–26, 2025, a remarkable array of young musicians from North America, Europe, and Asia gathered at Johns Creek United Methodist Church in Georgia to showcase their talents. The event concluded with a celebratory concert on August 2.
Among the standout performers was 14-year-old Kazuki Kyo, a violinist born in Tokyo and trained both in Japan and the United Kingdom. Competing in the Young Artist Division for musicians aged 14 to 23, Kyo earned the prestigious Grand Prize — a $10,000 award, noted as the largest cash prize offered for youth classical musicians in the Southeastern United States. This victory also granted her the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the AFA Summer Institute Orchestra during the Finale Concert, where she captivated the audience with the first movement of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. Kazuki Kyo is also slated to return for a solo recital at the opening of the 2026 AFA festival.
The distinguished jury panel included acclaimed musicians and educators such as clarinetist Seunghee Lee, violinist Herbert Greenberg, pianist Ben Kim, and conductor Henry Cheng, who serves as the music director of the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra and also led the orchestra at the Finale Concert.
A Platform for Emerging Talent
Beyond Kazuki Kyo’s triumph, the competition recognized other exceptional performers in the Young Artist Division:
- Second Prize: Didi Stone (violin, 19) – $2,000
- Third Prize: Melissa Lam (cello, 17) – $1,000
- Fourth Prize: Yiduo Zhao (piano, 20) – $300
- Fifth Prize (tie): Gabriella McClellan (cello, 22) and Sam Vaillancourt (violin, 19) – $300 each
Awards were also granted in the Senior and Junior Divisions, catering to musicians aged 14–18 and 13 & under respectively. Winners in these categories received monetary prizes, full scholarships to AFA’s youth orchestra programs, and invitations to future solo performance opportunities.
The Senior Division results included:
- First Prize (tie): Hamin You (violin, 14) and Dahyun Katie Yang (piano, 17) – $1,500 each
- Third Prize: Ellie Kim (violin, 14) – $300
- Fourth Prize: Fisher Yu (viola, 14) – $150
Junior Division winners were:
- First Prize: Ling-Xi Ma (violin, 12) – $600
- Second Prize: Chloe Jung (piano, 11) – $300
- Third Prize: Jessie Wu (violin, 13) – $200
- Fourth Prize: Ling-Rui Ma (viola, 10) – $100
- Fifth Prize: Charlotte Rogers (flute, 13) – $100
Participants benefitted from more than just awards; they engaged in masterclasses with the jury members, rehearsed with musicians from the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, and built valuable connections with peers from around the globe.
Celebrating Music, Innovation, and Community
The August 2 Finale Concert marked the culmination of a month-long summer program encompassing orchestral training, chamber music, and mentorship. In addition to Kazuki Kyo’s Mendelssohn performance, the program featured Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz” from his Serenade for Strings, a spirited rendition of Rossini’s Overture from The Barber of Seville, and two original compositions co-created by Henry Cheng and Mahlon Berv that reinterpreted Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 for the 21st century.
These performances underscore AFA’s commitment to blending tradition with contemporary creativity. Established in 2019, the academy has consistently attracted faculty members affiliated with prestigious institutions and orchestras, providing Georgia’s youth with exceptional musical education and exposure.
With over $15,000 awarded in total prize money, the inaugural AFA Young Artist Competition represents the beginning of a significant initiative: fostering an international community centered on artistic excellence, creativity, and collaboration.
For more details, visit the Atlanta Festival Academy website at www.atlantafestivalacademy.org.
— The Violin Post Editorial Staff
