Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA Selects 2025 Young Artist Competition Winners

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA (VSO) has announced Wilson Liu (piano), Jacob Peizner (alto saxophone), and Hana Gottesman (violin) as the Gold Medalists of its 31st Annual Young Artist Competition, following an extraordinary final round performance on October 12 at First Presbyterian Church in Vancouver.

The three Gold Medalists will perform their winning works with the VSO, under the baton of Maestro Salvador Brotons, on January 17 and 18, 2025, at Skyview Concert Hall. Liu will perform Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K.466 (Mvmt. 1) by W.A. Mozart; Peizner will perform Concertino da Camera by Jacques Ibert; and Gottesman will perform Tzigane by Maurice Ravel.

The VSO’s annual Young Artist Competition showcases the next generation of exceptional classical musicians across the United States. Nearly 100 students applied this year, with nine finalists selected for their technical mastery and artistic excellence. A distinguished jury featuring Zuill Bailey, Dr. Julia Hwakyu Lee, Philippe Quint, Dr. Ken Selden, and Dr. Igor Shakhman evaluated the finalists’ performances.

Gold Medalists received $5,000 each, while Silver Medalists earned $2,000 and Bronze Medalists $1,000. Silver Medalists included Jacob Rockower (piano), Felix Zhou (bassoon), and Angela Rose Padula (cello). Bronze Medalists were Alvin Gao (piano), Soomin Oh (flute), and Lily Richards (violin).

The VSO expressed gratitude to Realvest Corporation and Paul Christensen for their continued support of the competition, as well as Michelle’s Piano Company for providing two grand pianos for the event.

Each Gold Medalist has already earned national recognition for musical excellence. Liu, a student at The Juilliard School Pre-College Division, has been a Bachauer Prize winner and featured on PBS’s Now Hear This. Peizner, a senior at Oregon Episcopal School, has performed with the Tanglewood Young Artists Orchestra and earned honors in national competitions. Gottesman, a decorated violinist from Seattle, has soloed with multiple orchestras and won top prizes at competitions including the Royal Maas International and MTNA National.