New York’s 2024 Naumburg International Cello Competition Announces Semi-Finalists

Tune in to watch the final round LIVE on The Violin Channel on October 20

Established in 1926 by banker and amateur cellist Walter Wehle Naumburg, the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation and its competitions support young classical musicians to launch their professional careers.

The semi-final round was held today at Manhattan School of Music's (MSM) Greenfield Hall and was streamed LIVE on The Violin Channel.

The 2024 semi-finalists are:

• Chase Park
• Sydney Lee
• James Kim
• John-Henry Crawford
• Aaron Wolff
• Alexander Hersh
• Jonathan Swensen
• Leland Ko
• Rainer Crosett
• Miriam Smith
• Josh Halpern
• Michael Song

The jury for the semi-final round includes Thomas Demenga, Steven Doane, David Geber (Jury Chair), Clive Greensmith, Bonnie Hampton, Nicholas Mann, Philippe Muller, and Hannah Roberts.

On October 20, the final round will be held at MSM's Neidorff-Karpati Hall and will also be streamed on The Violin Channel starting at 12 PM (ET).

This year’s cello edition will award the first prize winner $25,000, two fully subsidized NYC recitals, and a commissioned work. Second prize is valued at $15,000, while third place is awarded with $10,000.

The foundation's competition cycles through various instruments every year. The editions have featured piano, saxophone, chamber music performance, voice, composition, violin, classical guitar, viola, clarinet, flute, and conducting.

Previous winners have included VC Artist Tessa Lark, VC Artist Merz Trio, Louis Kaufman, Li-Wei Qin, Clancy Newman, Robert Mann, Berl Senofsky, Joseph Silverstein, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Leonidas Kavakos, Axel Strauss, and Frank Huang.