Classical Music News

Applications Open for Young Concert Artists' 2025 Susan Wadsworth Auditions & Jacobs Fellowship

February 17, 2025

2 MIN READ

The Jacobs Fellowships provide a comprehensive three-year development program for early-career artists

Young Concert Artists (YCA) has announced that applications are now open for its 2025 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions. Through these auditions, YCA is aiming to recruit 3-4 early-career artists to receive the coveted Jacobs Fellowship — a comprehensive three-year program offering a range of benefits.

Over the course of the Fellowship, these young artists will receive management services that offer performance opportunities around the world, debut recitals presented by YCA in New York City and Washington D.C., training in education and community engagement, portfolio assets, and ongoing mentorship by YCA leadership and alumni.

In 2025, YCA has also introduced a new initiative in the form of Laureate Prizes. Targeted at the top three applicants who did not receive a fellowship, these prizes offer a $5,000 artist development grant and an invitation to return to the Semi-Final Round of auditions in one of the next three audition cycles, provided they still meet the eligibility requirements.

A further new initiative is the Ensemble-in-Residence program. One ensemble will be selected for this honor, and they will perform alongside YCA soloists and composers in recitals presented by YCA in New York City and Washington D.C. The Ensemble-in-Residence will also receive a Jacobs Fellowship,

Applications should be received by June 2, 2025 (Early Deadline) or by August 4, 2025 (Final Deadline). The final round, which will be livestreamed on The Violin Channel, will take place at Merkin Hall on November 9, 2025.

Previous recipients of the Fellowships include Emanuel Ax, Julia Bullock, Anne Akiko Meyers, Jeremy Denk, Ray Chen, Anne-Marie McDermott, Richard Goode, Dawn Upshaw, Mason Bates, Zlatomir Fung, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Kevin Puts, Pinchas Zukerman, Randall Goosby, and Sasha Cooke.

You can find out more about the audition process here.

"It is not uncommon that, when the jury deliberations come to a close, it’s clear that one or two artists who were not selected as winners exhibited masterful performances and wonderful potential," said YCA President Daniel Kellogg. "We created the Laureate Prize because we believe those artists deserve recognition, tangible support, and encouragement that we want to hear them again in the YCA auditions."

"We are thrilled to launch an Ensemble-in-Residence position, with plans for exciting collaborations and special projects with other members of the YCA roster," he added. "This is a great moment for YCA to deepen our support for outstanding young ensembles, and we look forward to welcoming a brilliant ensemble to the roster in November!"