Young Concert Artists Names Joan and Irwin Jacobs Fellowship

Young Concert Artists, one of the oldest organizations devoted to the incubation of young artists, is thrilled to announce that Joan and Irwin Jacobs have pledged a $1,500,000 gift in three annual installments in support of the newly-named YCA Jacobs Fellowship, a three-year program designed to offer unparalleled support and career guidance for the most promising young musicians ready for accelerated career growth. The inaugural YCA Jacobs Fellows will be named following the 2023 YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions in New York City, happening November 11, 2023.

Each year after a rigorous audition process, Young Concert Artists chooses a new group of stellar young musicians to add to its roster with the promise of debuts in both New York City and Washington, DC, followed by at least three years of career management. Winners of the annual YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions and bi-annual Composer-in-Residence Search receive performance opportunities, promotional marketing services, travel arrangements, educational residency experience, and extensive professional development. YCA invests in their careers so they may spend a lifetime bringing the gift of music to audiences around the world. Throughout their tenure, emerging artists benefit from YCA's connections with the industry's managers, concert presenters, conductors of major orchestras, and financial supporters, as well as its long-standing reputation for discovering and furthering the careers of extraordinary young artists.

Daniel Kellogg, YCA President says "We are profoundly grateful to Joan and Irwin Jacobs for their unwavering commitment to the arts and their extraordinary generosity in supporting the Jacobs Artist Fellowship. This monumental gift will have a profound and lasting impact on the lives of the 2023 Winners. It represents not just an investment in their artistic careers, but a testament to the power of music and the arts to enrich our society."

Irwin Jacobs says "The arts have been a great source of pleasure and friendships during our many years of life together. We were therefore excited to learn through a friend of YCA's role in nurturing young talent and fostering the next generation of amazing musicians. Joan and I are thrilled to help expand their mission through a program that focuses on further supporting the growth of extraordinary young artists."

On October 12, 2023, YCA announced the 38 artists advancing to the semi-finals of the auditions. Hailing from around the world, these young musicians were selected from more than 150 applicants, and were assessed for their artistic excellence, technical mastery, stage presence, and performance potential.

From November 7-11, 2023 in NYC, YCA brings together a jury of esteemed and distinguished musicians and industry professionals to serve on the semi-finals and finals panel, to include Daniel Kellogg, chair*; Susan Wadsworth, YCA founder; David Starobin, producer/guitar; Anne-Marie McDermott, piano*; Michael Parloff, flute; Soovin Kim, violin; Dmitry Sitkovetsky, conductor/violin; Tai Murray, violin; Clive Greensmith, cello; Lise de la Salle, piano*; Hanako Yamaguchi; Deborah Borda (Finals Only). *YCA Alum

Finalists will be announced on November 10 and those artists perform again in the Final Auditions on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 10:00am ET at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, streamed live on The Violin Channel, as well as the YCA YouTube and Facebook channels. Winners will be announced later that evening and the new YCA Jacobs Fellowship Artists will perform a special live streamed Winners Concert from The Morgan Library & Museum at 4:30pm ET on Sunday, November 12, 2023.

The YCA Jacobs Artist Fellowship is a three-year program that takes artists to new levels of confidence and creative growth, offering a holistic combination of digital tools, training, mentorship, community engagement, project development, and performance opportunities. The program teaches artists how to develop their own unique musical and artistic voice, encouraging them to expand their personal boundaries so they can continue to move the artform forward into the future.

Components include comprehensive artist management and concert booking, debut concerts in New York City and at The Kennedy Center in D.C and chamber music tours; a "21st Century Artist Incubator" 14-month intensive artist training program; mentorship from distinguished alumni, support of special projects (recordings, commissions, collaborations); image consulting with a stylist and professional photography, leading to an expanded digital portfolio.

2023 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions
Final Auditions:
Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 10:00am ET
Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center
Streamed live on The Violin Channel, and the YCA YouTube and Facebook channels
Generously sponsored by The Linda and Isaac Stern Charitable Foundation, YCA Washington Board

Winners Concert:
Sunday, November 12 at 4:30pm ET
Gilder Lehrman Hall, The Morgan Library & Museum
Streamed live on The Violin Channel, and the YCA YouTube and Facebook channels
Presented in partnership with the Morgan Library & Museum. Generously sponsored by Ellen Marcus, YCA Board Member

Photo Credit: Provided by Joan & Irwin Jacobs

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