The nine semi-finalists will compete for a chance to win their share of $30,000

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Photo: Klein String Competition

(l-r) Vincent Garcia-Hettinger, Audrey Goodner, Mei Hotta, Haddon Kay, Blaire Kim, Zechariah Mo, Ray Ushikubo, Sophia Werner, Emad Zolfaghari

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The Klein International String Competition has announced the nine semi-finalists competing for a share of performance prizes worth $30,000.  

The 38th edition of the competition held at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music will see these nine musicians perform the premiere of a commissioned work by composer Gity Razaz, a piece of Bach and movements from concertos and sonatas from 3-4 June.  

The semi-finalists, chosen from 111 entrants are:  

  • Vincent Garcia-Hettinger, cello, 17 (TX). Attends Brandeis HS and studies with Kenneth Freudigman 

  • Audrey Goodner, violin, 17 (VA). Attends Langley HS and studies with Ryan Meehan and Jing Qiao 

  • Mei Hotta, cello, 20 (CA). Attends the Colburn School and studies with Clive Greensmith 

  • Haddon Kay, cello, 23 (IL). Attends the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern and studies with Hans Jørgen Jensen 

  • Blaire Kim, violin, 19 (KOREA). Attends the Juilliard School and studies with Li Lin and Itzhak Perlman 

  • Zechariah Mo, viola, 21 (IL). Attends the Colburn School; he is a student of Tatjana Masurenko 

  • Ray Ushikubo, violin, 21 (CA). Attends the Colburn School and studies with Robert Lipsett 

  • Sophia Werner, violin, 20 (NY). Attends the Juilliard School and studies with Laurie Smukler 

  • Emad Zolfaghari, viola, 18 (CANADA) Attends the Curtis Institute of Music and studies with Hsin-Yun Huang

The winner of the competition will receive $5,000 and concert appearances with the Peninsula Symphony, Santa Cruz Symphony and Gualala Chamber Series worth $13,000. The second prize is $3,500 and a concert appearance with San José Chamber Orchestra. Cash-only prizes are awarded to third place ($2,500), two fourth places ($1,500 each), the Bach Prize ($500) and the commissioned work ($500). All non-placing semi-finalists will receive a participation award of $1,000 

Previous winners of the Klein Competition include Alban GerhardtJennifer KohVadim Gluzman, Francesca dePasquale and Tessa Lark.  

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