Dallas Symphony Announces Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition Winners

15-year-old violinist Alette Williams was named the overall winner

The 23rd edition of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition was held on April 19, 2025, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. Established by Lynn Harrell in 2001, the competition is open to students ages 8-18 who live or go to school in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, or Louisiana.

First Prize went to 15-year-old violinist Alette Williams, who won $5,000 for her performance of Henri Vieuxtemps’s Violin Concerto No. 5. She will also receive the chance to perform the piece again, accompanied by the DSO.

A student of Professor Julia Bushkova at the University of North Texas, Williams is presently assistant concertmaster of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. Previously, she has won First Prize at the Boston Youth Symphony Repertory Orchestra Concerto Competition, and has been a laureate of the Collin County Young Artist
Competition, the 2023 Sphinx Competition, and the 2024 TexASTA and GDYO Concerto Competitions.

Pianist Andrew Petrescu picked up Second Prize of $3,500, having played Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Petrescu studies with Andrey Ponochevny. He won second prize at the 2023 Dallas Symphonic Festival in the Intermediate Concerto Competition group, second prize at the 2024 Dallas Symphonic Festival in the Junior Concerto Competition group, first prize at the 2024 North Texas Young Artist Piano Competition in his category, and first prize at the 2024 Oberlin Piano Festival Competition.

Finally, cellist Sophie Deng received Third Prize and $2,000 for her performance of Kabalevsky's Cello Concerto No. 2. A student of Professor Richard Aaron at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with a full scholarship, Deng won the Grand Prize at the Oklahoma City Philharmonic’s Young Musician Competition in 2022, and performed as a soloist with the OKCPhil in April 2023. She was also named a National YoungArts winner in 2024.

In 2025, the competition jury comprised DSO players Jenna Barghouti, violin; Anastasia Markina, keyboard; Shira Samuels-Shragg, Assistant Conductor; and Nan Zhang, cello.