Past Young Artists Competition Winners

We are so very proud of all the talented young people who have participated in this competition since its inception in 1956. Below is a list of the prize winners. For years that are missing, the winners were not listed in the TMC yearbooks; research is continuing to try and fill in these gaps.

2025—Voice
1^st place: Penelope Teague, Abilene Christian University
2^nd place: Maryn West, University of North Texas
3^rd place: Lisl Wangermann, Cleveland Institute of Music

2024—Piano
1^st place: Jonathan Mak, Rice University
^2nd place: Cezary Karwowski: Baylor University
3^rd place: Martin Shabazyan: Texas Christian University

2023—Strings

1^st place: Angela Ryu, Rice University
2^nd place: Enzo Risi, University of Texas, San Antonio
3^rd place: Josh Liu, University of Texas, Austin

2022—Voice
1st place : Krista Renée Pape, University of Houston
2^nd place: Sarah Dyer, University of Houston
3^rd place: Audrey Welsh, University of Houston

2021—no competition

2020—Piano
1^st place: Osip Nikiforov, Rice University
1^st place: Veniamin Blokh, Texas Christian University
3^rd place: Kenoly Kadia, University of Texas, Austin
Honorable Mention: Nathan Ryland, University of North Texas
Honorable Mention: Minu Kim, Rice University

2019—Strings
1st place : Kwan Wai Lung, University of North Texas
2^nd place: Harrison Dearman, University of North Texas
3^rd place: Caitlan Mehr, Rice University
Honorable Mention : Abigail Dickson, Columbus State University

2018—Voice
1^st place: Kaarin Cecilia Phelps, University of Houston
2^nd place: Rebekah Howell, Baylor University
3^rd place: Katherine DeYoung, University of Houston

2017—Piano
1^st place: Hyunjin Wang, Texas State University
2^nd place: Robert Levinger, Univ.ersity of Houston
3^rd place: Artem Koznetsov, Rice University
Honorable Mention: Martin Ernest Kesuma, University of Texas, Austin
Honorable Mention: Nathan Ryland, University of North Texas

2016—Strings
1st place: Cindy Qin, Rice University, harp
2nd place: Likai He, Rice University, violin
3rd place: Maki Kubota, Rice University, cello
Honorable Mention: Hao Miao, University of North Texas, violin
Honorable Mention: Lucinda Chiu, Rice University, violin

2015—Voice
1st place: Jack Swanson, Rice University
2nd place: Kaitlyn Stobbe, Baylor University
3rd place: Bethany Herrera, Texas Tech University
Honorable Mention: Celeste Morales, Texas State University
Honorable Mention: Antonio Charles, Amarillo College

2014—Piano
1st place: Thomas Steigerwald, Eastman School of Music
2nd place: Martin Ernest Kesuma, Texas State University
3rd place: Yittsuan Lee, Texas A&M University
4th place: Robert Buxton, University of North Texas

2013—Strings
1st place: William Gowen, Xuan Xiong Lu School
2nd place: Letitia Jap, University of Texas, Austin
3rd place: Rachel Wong, University of Texas, Austin
4th place: Heran Yang, University of North Texas
Honorable Mention: Florence Wang, Southern Methodist University

2012—Voice
1st place: Calvin Griffin, Rice University
2nd place: Joseph Dennis, Stephen F. Austin University
3rd place: Abigail Dock, Rice University
4th place: Joshua Dennis, Stephen F. Austin University
Honorable Mention: Carlton Ford, Rice University
Honorable Mention: Amy Owens, Rice University

2011—Piano
1st place: Daniel Anastasio, Cornell University
2nd place: Joseph Choi, University of Texas, Austin
3rd place: Laehyung Woo, Texas Christian University
Honorable Mention: Geraldine Ong, University of Houston
Honorable Mention: Ying Kai, University of North Texas

2003—Voice
1st place: Sarah Davis, Trinity University
2nd place: Rachel Brownlee, University of Texas, Austin
3rd place: Jennifer Quintero, University of Texas, San Antonio

2002—Piano
1st place: Marco Fatichenti, Southern Methodist University
2nd place: Weiwei Wu, University of North Texas
3rd place: Kimball Gallagher, Rice University
Honorable Mention: Chie Watanabe, Texas Christian University
Honorable Mention: Rochelle Sennet, Texas Christian University
Honorable Mention: Vivian Li, University of Houston

2001—Strings
1st place: Sing Li, Rice University
2nd place: Aristides Rivas, Baylor University
3rd place: Josephine Liu, University of Texas, Austin
4th place: Francisco Caban, University of Texas, Austin

2000—Piano
1st place: Shannon Koonce, Texas Tech University
2nd place: Arikka Elizabeth Gregory, University of Texas, Austin
3rd place: Jennifer Root, University of Texas, Austin
4th place: Lisa Gray, Southern Methodist University

1999—Piano
1st place: Ziaojing Zhang, University of Texas, Austin
2nd place: Holly A. Wilson, University of Houston
3rd place: Andrew Brownell, University of Houston
4th place: Chris Childers, University of Houston
4th place: Ruslan Sviridov, University of Texas, San Antonio

1998—Strings (note: places not specified)
William Fedkenheuer, Rice University
Jonathan Swartz, Rice University
Douglas Harvey, University of Texas
Honorable Mentions:
Daniel Saenz, University of North Texas
Bill Schettler, University of North Texas
Natalie Elisa Schweikert, student of Fredell Lack
Hoi-yin-Winty Wan, University of Houston

1997—Piano (note: places not specified)
Tracy Rhodus, Rice University
Misty Odom Martinez, Angelo State University
Richard Todd Adams, Juilliard
Michael McCown, Hardin Simmons University
Timothy Tucker, North Texas University
Honorable Mentions:
Dee Sienknecht, student of Robert Scott
Amy Blizzard, North Texas University

1996—Piano (note: places not specified)
Petronel Malan, University of North Texas
Kritszta Kovacs, Texas Christian University
Rochelle Sennet, Sam Houston University
Georgi Slavchev, Rice University
Honorable Mentions:
Felipe Ramirez, Xiao-Bo Chen, Yoshikazu Habai, Ziaojing Zhang