The Jefferson Symphony Orchestra
The JSO Young Artists Competition
2025 Young Artist Winners
L-R: Gweneth Aggeler, Li Yuqing, Ellie Sievers
1st Place Li Yuqing, violin
2nd Place Ellie Sievers, violin
3rd Place Gwenyth Aggeler, guitar
15 year old Li Yuqing will perform Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with JSO on March 30, 2025. She will also star in a solo recital with reception on Friday, March 28 7pm at Jefferson Unitarian Church. Li is a student at Manhattan School of Music in New York
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2nd Place winnner Ellie Sievers impressed the judges with her performance of the Stravinsky Violin Concerto. Ellie will graduate this year from U.T. Austin.
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Colorado's own Gwenyth Aggeler won 3rd place performing Rodrigo's Concierto Aranjuez. Gwenyth is currently studying classical guitar at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.
2026 Applications will be open starting April 1, 2025
Round 1 Submissions due by September 30, 2025
The Jefferson Symphony Orchestra and YAC committee invite you to the Front Range of Colorado! Our competition — now in its 65th year — offers cash prizes and exceptional performance opportunities for rising musicians.
Competition Details
JSO*YAC consists of two rounds: a complete recorded submission via Acceptd Round 1, and a live competition Round 2 of up to twelve finalists selected from Round 1.
All movements of your select concerto must be uploaded via Acceptd by our Round 1 deadline of September 30, 2024.
Your recorded piece must include audio and video of an entire concerto performance with accompaniment. Orchestral accompaniment and piano reductions with a collaborative pianist are both acceptable. (Types of video files must be one of the following: MP4, M4V, AVI, FLV, MOV, WMV, MPG, MPEG, M2V, MKV, WEBM.)
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The submitted piece, which needs to include all movements, must be one for which orchestral parts are generally available.
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Memorization of the entire piece is required for the Round 2 live competition and concert.
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Finalists for the live competition are responsible for their own travel expenses. Lodging and meals may be available with local host families on request. Contact jso.yac@gmail.com for details.
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Award Recipients (First, Second, and Third Place) — with accompanists — are required to perform their pieces at a public recital on the evening of the live competition in January.​
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The First Place winner will appear as soloist with the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra. In addition:
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The First Place winner must perform the same piece used to win the competition in Round 2 - the same piece submitted as a recording in Round 1.
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The First Place winner is required to attend orchestra rehearsals on the Thursday evening and Saturday morning prior to the concert.
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The First Place winner will be required to perform a 30-minute solo recital (performer’s choice of repertoire) for a public recital on the Friday preceding the Young Artists Concert.
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Travel costs are the responsibility of the award winner.
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Entry in the competition constitutes the entrant’s authorization to use his or her name, photograph and application information for publicity purposes. Recording of the concert performance becomes the property of the Jefferson Symphony.
Competition Prizes
1st Place
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Feature performance with Jefferson Symphony as our 2025 Young Artist
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Solo recital (performer's choice of works) for JSO patrons
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Guest performance at JSO*YAC Winner's Recital
$5,000 Cash Prize
2nd Place
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Guest performance at JSO*YAC Winner's Recital
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Recognition of achievement from JSO media
$2,000 cash prize
3rd Place
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Guest performance at JSO*YAC Winner's Recital
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Recognition of achievement from JSO media
$1,000 cash prize
Performance Opportunities
As the JSO*YAC Grand Prize winner, your awards include two spotlight performances: a solo chamber recital of your choice of literature and your concerto performance with the Jefferson Symphony during the 2024-25 Season.
The top three finalists (Grand, Second, and Third Prize) perform in a Winners' Recital following the competition. Each musician plays one movement or section of their repertoire for symphony patrons and attendees.
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to come to Colorado and play for the judges, audience and my peers. It is sometimes very hard as a young musician to find rewarding venues to play for. Here, the music is obviously treasured by the listeners and participants alike. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I could not have hoped for a better weekend.
– Finalist
“The finalists are all winners! It was a very exciting event to judge. It was revitalizing to be able to listen to such high quality performances, which reflect the musicians' dedication to their art. It made me want to go home and practice!”
-Finalist
2024 Finalists
First Place
Anne Kuo, 22
Ann studies at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, CA, with Jim Walker. Kuo has performed around the globe at venues in Canada, Austria, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Japan. Last summer, she programmed a charity recital in Taiwan called “Sound of Home”, forwhich she commissioned a new work by a Taiwanese composer and donated proceeds to youthservice organizations in Taiwan.​
Ann Kuo will perform a solo recital of flute repertoire on Friday, April 5, at 7:30 PM at Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden. Kuo performs her winning concerto repertoire, Jacques Ibert's Flute Concerto, with Jefferson Symphony and conductor Arturo González at the Season 71 Young Artists concert on April 7, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., at the Green Center in Golden. View press release here.
Previous Winners of JSO*YAC
Hans-Derek Yu YAC 2023
Piano
Ji Eun Park
YAC 2022
Viola
Daniel Gostein
YAC 2020, Marimba
Samuel Vargas
YAC 2019
Violin