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Press Releases
Young Concert Artists Opens Applications for 2026 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions and Prestigious Jacobs Fellowship
2026 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions and
Prestigious Jacobs Fellowship
YCA to Select 3-4 New Artists for YCA Jacobs Fellowship,
Plus Ensemble-In-Residence and
Up to 3 Additional Finalists Receiving Laureate Prizes
and Invitations to Return
Jacobs Fellowship Provides Unmatched Holistic Package
of Resources for Outstanding Early-Career Artists
Final Auditions at Merkin Hall in NYC | Sunday, November 8, 2026
View the Auditions Guidelines and Apply Here
“Young Concert Artists has acquired a special status in the musical world, and deservedly so… It is extremely doubtful that any organization anywhere could have matched the YCA record for spotting great talent and helping it along.” – The New York Times
New York, NY (January 15, 2026) – Applications open today for the Young Concert Artists 2026 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, the rigorous annual selection process for exceptional early-career artists to receive the YCA Jacobs Fellowship. This transformative three-year program offers artist management services with bookings in performance engagements around the globe, debut recitals presented by YCA in New York City and Washington D.C., training in education and community engagement, portfolio assets, and ongoing mentorship by YCA leadership and alumni. To enter the auditions process, visit yca.org/auditions.
Preliminary audition rounds will be held in New York and Los Angeles on select dates in September 2026. A Semi-Final round will be held at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center in New York City on Wednesday, November 4–Friday, November 6, 2026, with the Final round to follow on Sunday, November 8, 2026, also at Merkin Hall. Winners will be announced the following morning, Monday, November 9, 2026, preceding the Winners Concert that evening.
This year’s auditions carry on innovations successfully introduced to the process in 2025, including the addition of Laureate Prizes and an Ensemble-in-Residence. A jury of world-class musicians and esteemed classical music industry leaders will select three to four artists to join the YCA roster and receive the YCA Jacobs Fellowship – along with up to three additional finalists receiving Laureate Prizes to recognize exceptional talent and promise. While Laureate Prize recipients do not join the YCA roster for the current cycle, they receive a $5,000 artist development grant and an invitation to return to the Semi-Final Round of auditions in one of the next three audition cycles, provided they still meet the eligibility requirements.
Through YCA’s first-ever Ensemble-in-Residence search in 2025, Trio Azura was selected to the role through 2027. To further bolster this new initiative, a second Ensemble-in-Residence will be selected this year for an overlapping residency, running through 2028. Future Ensemble-in-Residence searches will occur in alternating audition cycles, beginning in 2028. In addition to receiving the Jacobs Fellowship and its complete package of resources, each ensemble will participate in opportunities specifically curated for the two-year residency.
All artists selected to the YCA Jacobs Fellowship receive a holistic suite of resources including artist management services with bookings in numerous performance engagements with leading presenters across the globe; debut recitals in New York City and Washington D.C.; ongoing mentorship by YCA leadership and alumni; training in education and community engagement projects; individual brand development including a photoshoot guided by a top-tier creative director and stylist; a professional video shoot; and special projects including video recordings, commissions and collaborations. The Jacobs Fellowship kicks off with the 21st Century Artist Incubator, a 14-month intensive artist training program that guides artists through developing a toolkit including engagement best practices, social media and website review and development, and more.
Named for a generous gift from Joan* and Irwin Jacobs, the YCA Jacobs Fellowship is recognized as the world’s most comprehensive, innovative, and well-resourced incubator for top-tier young artists, preparing these rising stars to lead the future of classical music. YCA Jacobs Fellowship recipients continue an illustrious legacy of YCA alumni that includes such luminaries as Emanuel Ax, Julia Bullock, Anne Akiko Meyers, Jeremy Denk, Ray Chen, Anne-Marie McDermott, Richard Goode, Dawn Upshaw, Mason Bates, Zlatomir Fung, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Kevin Puts, Pinchas Zukerman, Randall Goosby, Sasha Cooke, 2025 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Aristo Sham, and many more.
*in memoriam
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS 2026 SUSAN WADSWORTH INTERNATIONAL AUDITIONS
Application Deadline: Monday, August 3, 2026
Preliminary Round (NY, LA): Selected dates in September 2026
Semi-Final Round (NY): November 4-6, 2026
Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center | New York, NY
Final Round: Sunday, November 8, 2026
Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center | New York, NY
Winners Concert: November 9, 2026
New York, NY (Venue TBA)
Link: yca.org/auditions
About Young Concert Artists
For 65 years Young Concert Artists has stood at the forefront of discovering and launching the careers of the future leaders of classical music. Founded by Susan Wadsworth in 1961, YCA has invested in its artists by providing them with the tools, opportunities, and infrastructure to take their careers to the highest level. YCA believes that successful modern musicians are more than gifted and highly-trained – they are cultural ambassadors who are well-equipped to bring new reach and relevance to the art form and inspire the widest possible audience.
The annual YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions draw the most exceptional young musicians from around the world for the chance to join the YCA roster and receive the YCA Jacobs Fellowship. This transformative three-year program propels musicians to new levels of artistic growth, offering a holistic combination of resources including comprehensive artist management, performance opportunities at top venues around the globe, and YCA-presented debut recitals in New York City and Washington, DC. YCA connects its artists to a far-reaching network, opening doors and fostering key relationships that fundamentally change the trajectory of their careers.
With a legacy of artistic excellence recognized around the world, YCA alumni include such luminaries as Emanuel Ax, Julia Bullock, Anne Akiko Meyers, Jeremy Denk, Ray Chen, Anne-Marie McDermott, Richard Goode, Zlatomir Fung, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Kevin Puts, Pinchas Zukerman, Randall Goosby, Sasha Cooke, 2025 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Aristo Sham, and many more. Learn more at yca.org
*Photo Credit: Bianca Jenkins
FEATURED JOBS
RENT A PHOTO
