For more than 60 years, Young Concert Artists has offered early-career support to hundreds of classical musicians, counting among its thousands of alumni pianists Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, soprano Dawn Upshaw, and violinist Pinchas Zukerman. Winners of the 2025 YCA International Auditions, Trio Azura – Duncan McDougall, Violin; Yejin Hong, Cello; Yanfeng (Tony) Bai, Piano – formed while they were still students at L.A.’s Colburn Conservatory of Music and have since gone on to perform in Italy, Dubai, Australia, and around the U.S.
Trio Azura makes their Carnegie Hall debut tonight at Zankel Hall, with a program that includes piano trios by Mendelssohn and Ravel, alongside Jennifer Higdon‘s Piano Trio, which appears on their recent release of American piano trios. Tickets available at the box office or online.
And, if you’re looking for classical music’s next big thing, the final round of this year’s YCA International Auditions will take place on Sunday Nov. 8 at the Kaufman Music Center. The all-day event kicks off at 10am, featuring a dozen young artists from around the world. It’s free to attend, or you can stream the event live on YCA’s YouTube channel.