UPDATE 6 April 2020

 

Dear Friends,

YES – WE’RE GOING VIRTUAL!

In response to these extraordinary times, the music – and the Klein – must go on! Celebrating 35 years of helping the world’s top young string musicians succeed in the competitive world of classical music, the Irving M. Klein International String Competition will take place virtually June 6 – 7, 2020 starting at 10AM each day on our YouTube channel. Results will be announced online June 7, 2020. Produced by the California Music Center, the Klein is normally held at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, our presenting partner. More details will be announced soon on the schedule of events and sequence of performers: Stay tuned!

This year’s eight semifinalists showcase the exceptional talent from the top teachers and conservatories in North America. Selected from 116 entrants representing 12 nationalities, the semifinalists are:

• KEONI BOLDING, viola; age 22, from Philadelphia PA; attends The Juilliard School; student of Hsin-Yun Huang and Cynthia Phelps.
• GABRIELLE DESPRÉS, violin; age 19, from Alberta Canada; attends The Juilliard School; student of Masao Kawasaki and Joseph Lin.
• CAROLINE DURHAM, violin; age 18 from Holladay UT; attends Columbia University/The Juilliard School joint program; student of Masao Kawasaki.
• MASHA LAKISOVA, violin; age 18, from Vernon Hills IL; studies at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division; student of Li Lin and Itzhak Perlman.
• ENRIQUE RODRIGUES, violin; age 18, From Fairlawn NJ, Canada; studies at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division; student of I-Hao Lee.
• DONGYOUNG JAKE SHIM, violin; age 18, from Gyeonggi-do, South Korea; attends New England Conservatory; student of Donald Weilerstein.
• JIAXUN YAO, cello; age 18 from Qingdao, China; attends The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division; student of Richard Aaron and Sieun Lin.
• DAVIS YOU, cello; age 18 from Palo Alto CA; attends Palo Alto High School; student of Jonathan Koh. (ages as of June 6, 2020)

A distinguished jury including Richard Aaron, Christopher Costanza, Glenn Dicterow, Karen Dreyfus, Robert Gibson, Ian Swensen, and Barbara Day Turner will convene remotely to judge eight semifinalist performance videos to determine this year’s winners. Audiences worldwide will be able to view all eight semifinalists compete for cash prizes and performance contracts.

Our artists, presenters, and patrons have been incredibly gracious and understanding, and for that we are grateful.  Thank you.

This is a perilous time charting new territory for artists and our colleagues in the performing arts sector – and for the planet.  If you have tickets to a live performing arts event, donate your ticket rather than requesting a refund. Please consider supporting organizations and artists you care about with a donation to sustain them.  Their livelihood and survival is in your hands.

If you have any questions, please write me at marcy@californiamusiccenter.org.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones,

Marcy Straw, Executive Director
California Music Center, producer of the Klein Competition

p.s. Stay healthy!  Stay safe! Wash your hands!