Young Concert Artists To Celebrate 60th Anniversary With Virtual Gala May 20

Young Concert Artists (YCA) announces programming for their 60th Anniversary Gala, to be broadcast on May 20 from the DiMenna Center for Classical Music.

The gala will feature an evening of performances in celebration of the organization's 60-year history of fostering and developing the next generation of talented young artists.

Founded by Susan Wadsworth in 1961, who retired in 2019 and passed the leadership to alumnus and composer Daniel Kellogg, YCA has grown both its roster and its impact, providing artists with performance opportunities, promotional and marketing services, and extensive professional development tools.

Musical performers at the event include some of YCA's most prominent alumni such as Emanuel Ax, Pinchas Zukerman, Anne-Marie McDermott, and Sasha Cooke, alongside the young stars of their present roster that include Zlatomir Fung, Anthony Trionfo, Albert Cano Smit, and more. Performances include works by Mendelssohn, Dvořák, and Chopin, as well as pieces by YCA composers Mason Bates, Andrew Norman, and Daniel Kellogg.

Said Kellogg of the event: "Today, we celebrate with immense gratitude the pioneering vision and mission that Susan Wadsworth set out for Young Concert Artists, a mission that is now more vital than ever. It's an honor to carry on this legacy, and as we emerge from the pandemic and start to rebuild, YCA will rely on the strength of its 60 year history to shape a new beginning for our roster of brilliant young musicians and the audiences we serve. The innovative ideas that were born during this challenging time will guide us as we work to equip our artists with the skills, tools, and knowledge they need to succeed as professionals in a global society, and make a lasting and measurable impact on the future of classical music."

Leading up to the gala, YCA will present a series of 12 free live outdoor concerts, popping up at various locations throughout New York City, with performers including violinist SooBeen Lee, violinist Benjamin Baker, clarinetist Narek Arutyunian, double bassist Xavier Foley, flutist Anthony Trionfo. Specific program details will be announced at a later date.

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