72nd ANNUAL YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION
Sponsored by Capitol Federal®
Sunday, September 28th, 2025
White Concert Hall, Garvey Fine Arts Center, Washburn University – Topeka, Kansas
The Topeka Symphony again offers a special opportunity to talented young musicians. The overall winner of the Young Artist Competition will perform with the Topeka Symphony Orchestra at the concert on Saturday, December 17th, 2025. Winners must perform the selection(s) performed at the competition.
GENERAL REGULATIONS – READ CAREFULLY
1. Contestants must be enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grades in one of the following Kansas counties: Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Lyon, Marshall, Miami, Morris, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Wabaunsee and Wyandotte.
2. The competition will be conducted in four divisions: vocal; piano; wind and percussion instruments; and string instruments. Impartial judges will select the winners in each division. If, in the opinion of the judges, there is not a qualified entrant in a division, no winner will be declared.
3. An overall winner may enter the following year in a different division only. A runner-up is eligible to enter his or her same division, but must perform different repertoire.
4. Competition performances are anonymous. Each contestant will be assigned a number.
5. Contestants in the instrumental divisions may play one or more movements of any concerto or standard work for solo and orchestra which has a readily available orchestral accompaniment and which lasts from a minimum of 7 to a maximum of 15 minutes total performance time.
6. Contestants in the vocal division may sing any combination of arias or compositions from the classical or standard vocal repertoire which have readily available orchestral accompaniments and which last from a minimum of 7 to a maximum of 15 minutes total performance time. Selections should be contrasting in style.
7. Competition performances are limited to ten (10) minutes and composition(s) must be performed from memory. Judges have the option to ask a contestant to perform any section of the selected composition(s).
8. Each contestant must furnish: A) his or her own accompanist for the competition; B) four (4) copies of the composition(s) for the judges.
9. Each contestant MUST be recommended by her/his music supervisor or private teacher. Repertoire MUST be at performance level at the time of the competition and performed from memory.
10. The competition will be held in Topeka, Sunday, September 28th, 2025 at White Concert Hall, Garvey Fine Arts Center, on the Washburn University campus. The competition is open to the public.
11. Each contestant must complete the Entry Form found here: HERE!
12. Please pay the $35 NON-REFUNDABLE ENTRY FEE here: HERE!
14. DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES is midnight, Friday, August 25th, 2025. Contestants will be advised of an assigned competition time soon after the deadline. Contestants MUST appear 30 minutes prior to their assigned time and must be backstage and prepared to perform at least 5 minutes prior to their assigned time.
2024-2025 Young Artist Competition Winner
John Lee
Overall Winner
John Lee is a 16-year-old junior born and raised in the Kansas City area. He began learning
cello at 11 years old during the pandemic, under Samuel Cho. Mostly learning through online
lessons, John discovered his passion and talent for the cello. After two years, he began
studying in person with Susie Yang, the Associate Principal of the Kansas City Symphony.
Within five short years, John has demonstrated a performance level on par with college
students, marking his solo debut at Kauffman Center at age 15 with the Kansas City Civic
Orchestra.
John has worked with many accomplished musicians throughout his career. Notable
experiences include a masterclass taught by the Quartetto di Cremona, multiple masterclasses
with world-renowned violist Martha Katz, performing alongside Grammy-nominated saxophonist
Tia Fuller in her 2023 world premiere of Charlie Parker with Strings, and receiving guidance
from esteemed musicians such as Alex Klein, Peter Wiley, and Charles Stegeman. John is a
member of the self-formed chamber groups MJAW Quartet and Tesura Quartet. He also
participates in ensembles such as the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, where he currently
serves as Associate Principal in its Symphony Orchestra and has played with the Heartland
Camerata Orchestra, the Kansas All-State Orchestra as a freshman, sophomore, and junior, the
Young Artist Project, in the Blanche-Bryden Sunflower Festival, and at Carnegie Hall with
YSKC.
A few of John’s achievements include winning the Rising Quartet Award with a $6,000
scholarship from the Las Vegas Chamber Music Institute and being one of the winners with the
Tesura Quartet, earning the 2024 MTNA State Senior Performance title, and winning the 2024
Kansas City Civic Orchestra Young Artist competition. He was a finalist in the 2023 KC
Symphony Young Artist competition and has received multiple full-year scholarships to Kansas’
Young Artist Project, along with the Kansas City Young Chamber Musicians’ leadership award.
Beyond music, John is passionate about science, particularly astrophysics. He also competes in
track and field at his school, Blue Valley Southwest, qualifying for state in the Boys 110m
Hurdles this past year.
