The 27th annual Irving M. Klein International String Competition on June 9–10

Thursday, April 19, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2012 — Over nearly three decades, the Irving M. Klein International String Competition has developed into a career-making event for the world’s most talented classical musicians ages 15 to 23. It gets even better this year. Held at San Francisco State University on June 9–10, the 27th annual Klein Competition has added more professional performance opportunities for the first and second prizewinners.

Grand prize expanded to award solo concerts with Marin Symphony, San Jose Chamber Orchestra

Mitchell Sardou Klein, artistic director of the competition since its inception in 1986, said the most valuable component of the awards is the performance opportunities. All the semifinalists receive cash prizes.

“Past winners continue to tell us that the concert appearances they receive are priceless, propelling their careers more than anything else related to the competition,” Klein said. “Nothing parallels performing a major concerto work with an outstanding orchestra in front of a full house. It is the real deal. We are grateful to our donors and community partners for making these opportunities possible.”

This year’s grand prize, given in memory of Marvin T. Tepperman, now includes soloist engagements with the Marin Symphony and San Jose Chamber Orchestra, in addition to the competition’s longstanding appearances with Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, Noontime Concerts (San Francisco) and Music in the Vineyards (Napa Valley). While the grand prize comes with $5,000 cash, it is valued at $14,850.

The second prize, valued at $4,250 and given by Ruth Short in honor of Elaine H. Klein, now comes with additional performance opportunities: a full recital program at the Gualala Arts Chamber Music series and a recital with Noontime Concerts.

Klein winners also receive the opportunity to make presentations and conduct master classes at schools on the Peninsula and in San Francisco.

This year’s semifinalists were selected from 78 entrants from three continents and the nation’s top conservatories. More than 25 percent of this year’s Klein applicants attend The Juilliard School alone. The applicants represent 10 nationalities.

The semifinalists are:

  • Sarah Harball, 23, violist born in Seattle. She studies with Atar Arad at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
  • Austin Huntington, 17, cellist born in Saint Joseph, Mich. He studies with Richard Hirschl and attends St. Joseph’s High School in South Bend, Ind.
  • Chris Irvine, 21, cellist born in Oberlin, Ohio. He studies with Paul Katz at New England Conservatory of Music.
  • Jean Kim, 16, cellist born in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. She studies with Minhye Clara Kim and attends Sleepy Hollow High School and the Juilliard School Pre-College Division.
  • Natalie Lin, 23, violinist born in New Zealand. She studies with Paul Kantor at Cleveland Institute of Music.
  • Richard Narroway, 20, cellist from Australia. He studies with Hans Jorgen Jensen at Northwestern University.
  • Su Hyun Park, 20, violinist born in South Korea. She studies with Ronald Copes and Donald Wellerstein at The Juilliard School.
  • Emma Steele, 22, violinist born in Chicago. She studies with Cyrus Forough at Carnegie Mellon University.
  • Alexandra Switala, 18, violinist born in Irving, Texas. She studies with Roland and Almita Vamos and is home-schooled in Grapevine, Texas.

In the semifinal round, each performer will play an unaccompanied work of Bach, movements from notable concertos and a new commissioned composition by Professor Richard Festinger. In the final round, the artists must perform additional portions of their selected concerto and one major sonata movement.

Third prize, given in memory of Alice Anne Roberts, is $2,500. Two fourth prizes, one given in memory of Lena and Jules P. Flock, and the other in memory of Lavilla Barry, are $1,250 each. Each semifinalist not awarded a named prize will receive $600. Awards will also be given for best performance of the commissioned work and the solo Bach.

This year’s distinguished jury includes Festinger, Michael Gelfand, Marc Gottlieb, Alan Grishman, San Francisco Symphony violist David Kim, Melvin Margolis, Donna Mudge, Marin Symphony Music Director Alisdair Neale, Alice Schoenfeld and San Jose Chamber Orchestra Music Director Barbara Day Turner.

Location and Parking
Knuth Hall
is located in the Creative Arts Building on the SF State campus, 1600 Holloway Ave. (at 19th Ave.), San Francisco. Public parking is available in Lot 20, accessed from Lake Merced Boulevard between Winston Drive and Font Boulevard. On weekends and evenings only, public parking is available in Lots 1 and 2, on Holloway Ave. (at 19th Ave.). Parking is $3 per hour with a $6 daily maximum. Nearby street parking is readily available on weekends. For details, visit http://www.sfsu.edu/~parking.

Media Contact: 
Matt Itelson, 415-338-1442, matti@sfsu.edu, College of Liberal & Creative Arts, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, California 94132
News Release