Young Musicians Innovation Challenge
The Young Musicians Innovation Challenge gives high school musicians the unique opportunity to compete for the chance to launch innovative chamber music projects with mentorship and financial support from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Proposals are adjudicated on creativity, viability, sustainability, and ways in which projects address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Student teams in the tri-state area, and the cities of Miami, FL and Philadelphia, PA are invited to apply through their school music departments.
Past winning projects (see below) have included a podcast featuring interviews with chamber musicians and ensembles from diverse backgrounds; an app which educates listeners about the cultural heritage of chamber music composers and allows chamber musicians to share recordings with each other; and an in-person and digital concert series focusing on chamber works of under-represented composers.
2023 Challenge
Awardees
Youth Chamber Initiative (new project title)
Team Members: Alana Chiang, Lindsey Lee
School: Juilliard Pre-College
The Virtual Chamber Gallery
Team Members: Jack Brenner, Talia Elyaho, Taj Malhatro, Kajal Ramphul, Maverick Williams
School: John L. Miller-Great Neck North High School
Honorable Mention
Melodies Across
Team Members: Emma Hong, Emma Kuo
School: Juilliard Music Advancement Program
Teaching Music Improvisation Through Drama and Peer Leadership
Team Members: Shenqui Cui, Ethan Dayani, Zach Musheyev, Mizuki Natsu
School: John L. Miller-Great Neck North High School
2022 Challenge
Awardees
Musiclusive
Team Members: Jillian Chang, Joy Yang
School: William A. Shine Great Neck South High School
Visioned by Sound
Team Members: Evan Lee, Karl Li, Emily-Jane Luo, Andre Tsou, Jeremy Ng, Eliana Weinsaft
Program: Scarsdale High School
Honorable Mention
ChamberDischord
Team Members: Brayden Chien, Sebastian Lennox, Drew Kim
School: William A. Shine Great Neck South High School
Harlem Harmony: Promoting Music Education for All
Team Members: Olivia Oh, Rebecca Cho
Program: The Julliard School Preparatory Division
2021 Challenge
Awardees
Establishing a Chamber Music Educational Association
Team Members: Sahar Tartak, Sara Rafaeli, Ashley Schlusselberg, Maverick Williams, Christopher Yang
School: John L. Miller Great Neck North High School
Musical Diversity: Promoting the Chamber Music of Historically Underrepresented Composers and Their Cultural Heritage
Team Members: David Vallejo, Giah Bush, Isabella Ortiz, Ricardo Mendez
Program: Miami Music Project
Lobby Music Project
Team Members: Nina Phillips, Scott Levy, Kevin Khadavi, Stephany Barbu, Jason Mei
School: John L. Miller-Great Neck North High School
The Whole Note Podcast: Voices of Chamber
Team Members: Amy Baskurt, Heather Wang
Program: Juilliard Pre-College, The Juilliard School
Chamber Connect
Team Members: Rosanna Gao, Arianna Alvarez, Nancy Schoen, Eli Newman, Yonatan Eilon
School: William A. Shine-Great Neck South High School
With: David Ren (New Hyde Park Memorial High School)
Honorable Mention
Global Cultural Representation Initiative
Team Members: Kevin Zhu, Xiaozhou Xu
Program: Juilliard Pre-College, The Juilliard School
Project Connect
Team Members: Eugene Yoo, Cynthia Tan, Sophia Brodsky
School: Stuyvesant High School