The auditions identify three exceptional early-career artists and offers them a three-year career mentorship programme
Young Concert Artists (YCA) has announced the winners of its final round of the 2025 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, which took place in New York City on 9 November. They three winners are violinist Claire Wells, saxophonist Estel Vivó Casanovas and Trio Azura.
The awards aim to identify exceptional early-career musicians and ensembles. The three winners have been selected as YCA Jacobs Fellows, a three-year programme that gives them access to career support, industry connections and performance opportunities. In addition, Trio Azura has been announced as the YCA’s first ensemble-in-residence.
US violinist Claire Wells was born in 2001 and studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK and the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln with Mihaela Martin. She won first prize at the 2021 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Competition, second prize at the 2023 Michael Hill Competition and was also a laureate of the Indianapolis and Mirecourt competitions.
Trio Azura, which comprises Canadian violinist Duncan McDougall, South Korean cellist Yejin Hong and Chinese pianist Yanfeng (Tony) Bai, was formed in 2022 at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. The group won Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 2024.
Out of an initial pool of 200 applicants, the winners were chosen from twelve finalists – nine instrumentalists and three ensembles. As well as the three main prize winners, laureate prizes were awarded to violinists Christina Nam and Hannah Tam, and clarinettist Elad Navon. Each laureate receives a US $5,000 career grant and an invitation to return to the semi-final round of a future audition cycle.
Previous YCA Jacobs Fellows include violinists Anne Akiko Meyers, Ray Chen and Randall Goosby, and cellist Zlatomir Fung.
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