Young Texas Artists Earn Prizes, Priceless Recognition at The Crighton Theatre — Setting Up Classical Music’s Future
A Cultural Jewel In Texas
BY Laura Landsbaum //
Cellist Cirdan Vonnahme, a Rice University student, won the Grand Prize and gold medal in Strings March 14 at the Young Texas Artists Music Competition Finalists' Concert and Awards program. (Photo courtesy of Dave Clements)
Some prizes mean more. Rice University cellist Cirdan Vonnahme took home the Young Texas Artist’s 2026 competition Grand Prize at Young Texas Artists’s finalist concert and awards night at Conroe’s Crighton Theatre. It earned him $10,000 and priceless classical music recognition.
At this year’s 41st annual Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue gala, at the Grand Pavilion in front of Crighton Theatre, supporters enjoyed barbecue, dancing, a live auction and a musical salute to Texas. Gala proceeds support the Young Texas Artists Music Competition, where emerging classical musicians compete for $40,000 in cash prizes and performance opportunities.
“Young Texas Artists has become a premier arts nonprofit and cultural jewel of this state,” emcee St. John Flynn told the crowd. “Our annual competition is respected internationally and is designated by the Texas State Legislature as an official music competition in Texas. It’s a claim for its excellence and as a catalyst for the careers of thousands of young Texans in orchestras, opera, companies, universities and conservatories around the world.
“Our alumni include three Grammy winners, several Grammy nominees, a silver medalist in the Van Cliburn International competition and singers at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Our competition is important, unique, professionally produced and truly Texan and makes a substantial difference for promising young musicians for classical music audiences, and for the cultural quality of Texas.”
During the three-day competition, under the leadership of Young Texas Artists artistic director Dr. Emelyne Bingham, 67 musicians from 11 countries competed in the preliminary rounds. The artists, ages 18 to 30 (20 to 32 in the Voice Division), must be Texas residents or attending a Texas music school.
From there, eight competition finalists took to the Crighton Theatre stage for the finals concert.
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Vonnahme also received the gold medal in the Strings division for his performance of “Schelomo: Rhapsodie Hébraïque” by Ernest Bloch.
Young Texas Artist Winners
Gold Medalists
- Pianist Sean Yang, Piano division, Rice University
- Flutist Hunter O’Brien, Winds, Brass, Percussion, Harp & Guitar division, Rice University
- Baritone Heechang Byun, Voice division, Rice University
The gold medalists received $5,000 each. Byun, also the Audience Choice Award winner, earned an additional $3,000.
Silver Medalists
- Pianist Huiqun Wu, Piano division, University of North Texas
- Tuba player Diego Jaquez, Winds, Brass, Percussion, Harp & Guitar division, Rice University
- Violinist Mona Endo, Strings division, Rice University
- Soprano Elizabeth Marlow, Voice division, Boston Conservatory at Berklee (2025 gold medalist in Voice)
The silver medalists received $3,000 each.
In addition to the contestants performing, the evening featured soprano Brennan Blankenship, YTA’s 2017 and 2019 gold medalist in voice.
“The Young Texas Artists Music Competition is professionally produced and truly Texan,” Young Texas Artist president and CEO Susie Pokorski says. “YTA really makes a difference. For promising young musicians, for classical music audiences and the cultural quality of Texas. There’s something special about watching an audience connect with these young musicians.
“You can feel how much it means to the performers and to everyone in the room.”
The YTA Circle has several listen-and-learn sessions throughout the year. For more information, go here.
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