Rhyuhn Green, who received a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award in 2024, appears on NPR’s TinyDesk / Photo by Kyna Uwaeme 

“These teenaged artists will renew your faith in the future of music.” –NPR Music

From the Top Awards $10,000 Grants to 21 Rising Stars
of Classical Music

Investing early – and meaningfully – in the future of the arts

Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awards Help Break Financial Barriers to High-Level Training

BOSTON, MA – April 22, 2025 – In a time when arts education is underfunded and access remains unequal, From the Top is making a different kind of investment – in the next generation of classical musicians. The country’s largest platform for young classically trained artists has announced 21 recipients of its 2025 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awards. Selected from over 200 applicants nationwide, these pre-collegiate musicians will each receive up to $10,000 to support advanced musical training – from instrument purchases and audition travel to private lessons and summer program tuition. Award recipients are also featured on the organization’s flagship radio show, performing alongside host Peter Dugan. Now in its 25th season, the program airs on more than 200 radio stations nationwide.

Beyond the airwaves, From the Top seeks to fill gaps in classical music training, giving young musicians practical experience and leadership training. Through a four-week online intensive, each recipient designs a community engagement project, explores music’s potential to drive social change, and learns about the multiple career avenues available for musicians today. Awardees also join a growing cohort of diverse young people from across the country, supported by a network of industry professionals with a genuine desire to empower young musicians.

“From the Top makes long-term investments in the arts,” said Gabriel Campos Zamora, Principal Clarinet of the Minnesota Orchestra. “When I received the grant in 2008, it was instrumental to my career. I was finally able to buy my first clarinets and audition for college programs, which I would not have had the resources to do on my own. I also discovered a network of compassionate mentors who were eager to see me succeed. Their knowledge and leadership prepared me to take the next steps in my classical music career, and I’m delighted that this transformative award continues to change lives.”

From the Top’s longstanding partnership with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has been one of the most impactful collaborations in From the Top’s history. Since the program’s establishment in 2005, over $4 million has been granted to 429 remarkable young artists striving to attain excellence in music despite financial barriers. The award is used to help offset the often prohibitively expensive costs of studying classical music at a high level, offering these driven musicians a better chance of succeeding in a highly competitive art form – and fulfilling Jack Kent Cooke’s vision of enabling promising students with financial need to develop their talents.

“The exceptional artists supported by this award are changing the face of classical music,” said From the Top Executive Director Gretchen Nielsen. “We’re proud to give them the tools, mentorship, and visibility they need to thrive in a competitive field. This program invests early – and the careers of our alumni show just how far that support can go.”

The impact of this award reaches far beyond its recipients. As alumni like Cliburn finalist Clayton Stephenson, Avery Fisher Career Grant winner Sterling Elliott, opera singer Samantha Hankey, harpist Angelica Hairston, violist Matthew Lipman, and Latin Grammy nominee Daniela Santiago Martinez rise to prominence, they send a powerful message to the next generation: you belong here, too. When young artists see themselves reflected onstage, they’re more likely to envision – and pursue – a future in music. In a news cycle often dominated by crisis and conflict, this is a story of possibility – one that reminds us what’s still working, and what’s still worth investing in.

2025 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awardees are pictured alphabetically L-R

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2025 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awards

Brahin Ahmaddiya, 17 • Clarinet
Drexel Hill, PA

Zaylyn Bain, 17 • Percussion
De Leon, TX

Aiden Bower, 17 • French Horn
Jacksonville, FL

Mauricio Garcia de Jesus, 18 • Trumpet
Mexico & Interlochen, MI

Jorge Cruz-Hernandez, 16 • Bassoon
Hoffman Estates, IL

Rebekah Esper, 16 • Harp
Novi, MI

Enli Flores Pan, 17 • Flute
Flushing, NY

Zoie Glosson, 15 • Euphonium
Houston, TX

Corey Gutierrez, 18 • Saxophone
Houston, TX

Nicholas Kim, 16 • Cello
Fort Lee, NJ

Mikael Malmgren, 18 • Trombone
San Diego, CA

Malik Muhammad, 16 • Composer  
Chicago, IL

Sophia Nam, 17 • Viola
Fort Lee, NJ

Jacob O’Toole, 18 • Double Bass
Kansas City, MO

Abigail Regua, 18 • Violin
Philippines & Idyllwild, CA

Nicholas Rossi, 17 • Saxophone
Corpus Christi, TX

Devin Spaulding, 17 • Trombone
Tomball, TX

Maria Telesheva, 16 • Accordion
Eugene, OR

Alexander Vakov, 17 • Oboe
Henderson, NV

Sydney Vance, 15 • Percussion
Philadelphia, PA

Cristian Vasquez, 18 • Tuba
Jacksonville, FL

 Note: Listed ages reflect age at time of award.

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About From the Top
Now in its 25th year, From the Top is a creative learning lab for young classical musicians, ages 8-18, designed to fill in gaps in traditional music education. Each year, roughly 100 young artists are selected as Fellows, gaining access to professional recording sessions, financial awards, and a network of industry professionals with a genuine desire to empower young musicians. Fellows learn about community engagement, media skills, and storytelling while leading projects on issues that matter to them – such as advocating for musicians with disabilities, exploring music’s role in climate change, and addressing the challenges of serious music study in rural areas. By creating a space where young artists can experiment, collaborate, and nurture their curiosity, From the Top allows Fellows to build agency and confidence. With a growing cohort of nearly 3,000 diverse alumni, From the Top is helping the next generation of artists recognize their own potential as change-makers. Performances on From the Top’s flagship radio program reach 350,000 weekly listeners across more than 200 public radio stations, and millions more online, inspiring audiences nationwide with their talent and advocacy.

About The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded $304 million in scholarships to more than 3,400 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive academic advising, career pathway counseling and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $136 million in grants to organizations that serve such students as they develop their academic and artistic talents.

 

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