VC LIVE | 2025 Klein International String Competition

Tune in on June 7-8 to watch the semifinal and final round of this year's string competition

We're coming to you LIVE from San Francisco, California, for the 2025 Irving M. Klein International String Competition. Open to musicians aged 15 to 23, the Klein Competition is now entering its 40th edition, held at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from June 7–8, 2025.

Selected from 130 candidates, the 2025 semifinalists are:

• Eiline Tai, cello, 17 (CA) | The Colburn School, studying with Clive Greensmith
• Elizabeth Poppy Song, violin, 15 (NJ) | Northern Valley Regional Demarest and Juilliard Pre-College; studies with Masao Kawasaki
• Joshua Kováč, cello, 17 (TN/Czech Republic) | Studies with Daniel Veis
• Julia Schilz, violin, 22 (OH) | The Juilliard School; studies with Catherine Cho and Donald Weilerstein
• Julia-Xiaozhuo Wang, violin, 18 (China) | University of Music Performing Arts Vienna; studies with Johannes Meissl
• Miles Reed, cello, 22 (MA) | Oberlin Conservatory of Music; studies with Dmitry Kouzov
• Noam Ginsparg, cello, 21 (NY) | Bienen School of Music at Northwestern; studies with Hans Jensen
• Shengyu Meng, cello, 22 (China) | The Colburn School; studies with Clive Greensmith
• Yunji Jang, viola, 23 (South Korea) | Curtis Institute of Music; studies with Hsin-Yun Huang and Misha Amory

The grand prize includes a $5,000 cash award funded by the MOCA Foundation as well as performance contracts valued at $15,000 with the Peninsula and Santa Cruz Symphonies, Gualala Arts Chamber Series, and more.

Second prize (given by Ruth Short in memory of Elaine H. Klein) will involve a $3,500 cash prize and a performance with the San José Chamber Orchestra valued at $5,500. Third prize (given in memory of Milton Preves by Judith and David Anderson) is awarded with $2,500.

The two fourth prizes of $1,500 each are given by Maria Klein in memory of Jerry Lee Klein, and by the Tarka Quartet in memory of Ron Goldman.

Additionally, each semifinalist not awarded a named prize will receive $1,000, and awards of $500 each will be given for the best performance of the commissioned work by John Harbison and of the solo Bach.

The 2025 jury will comprise Glenn Dicterow, Karen Dreyfus, Barbara Day Turner, Hal Robinson, John Wineglass, Jory Fankuchen, and Eileen Moon.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE 

June 7 | Semifinal Round | 1 PM (ET), 10 AM (Local Time)

June 8 | Final Round | 6 PM (ET), 3 PM (Local Time)