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Our Congratulations To
The Winners of the 2012 Competition
ALICE COLEMAN PRIZE - $7,500
Calidore String Quartet

The Colburn School, Los Angeles, CA
Jeffrey Myers, Violin
Ryan Meehan, Violin
Jeremy Berry, Viola
Estelle Choi, Cello
Paul Coletti, Coach

 

COLEMAN-BARSTOW PRIZE FOR STRINGS - $4,000
Ariadne String Quartet

Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, OH
Dorothy Ro, Violin
Ling-Ling Huang, Violin
Evan Hesketh, Viola
Denise Ro, Cello
Kirsten Docter, Coach

 

COLEMAN-SAUNDERSON PRIZE FOR WOODWINDS & BRASS - $4,000 (shared)
Noctua
Rice University, Houston, TX
Kayla Burggraf, Flute
Michelle Pan, Oboe
Nicholas Chona, Clarinet
John Turman, Horn
Thomas Morrison, Bassoon
Richie Hawley, Coach

 

Project Fusion
Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY
Dannel Espinoza, Soprano Sax
Matt Amedio, Alto Sax
Michael Sawzin, Tenor Sax
Matt Evans, Baritone Sax
Chien-Kwan Lin, Coach
HONORABLE MENTION
The Accord Quintet

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Joseph Morris, Clarinet
Michelle Tseng, Violin
Sakura Tsai, Violin
Elizabeth Beilman, Viola
Ye Lin Stella Cho, Cello
Alice Schoenfeld, Coach

DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION OF WINNERS CONCERT PROGRAM

DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION OF ALL FINALISTS

The 2012 competition took place on Saturday, April 28th in Caltech's Ramo Auditorium. The winners will present a formal concert on Sunday, April 29th.

The judges for the 2012 competition were:

  • Jane Coop, Piano
  • Yehuda Gilad, Clarinet
  • David Lee Jackson, Trombone
  • Ronald Leonard, Cello
  • Peter Salaff, Violin

Each year, everyone is welcome to attend both days of this exciting annual event.

Download the 2012 ApplicationGroups interested in participating in the 2013 competition, please watch this page for the 2013 application, which will be posted as soon as it is available.


The Competition began in 1947 as the Coleman Auditions for young, non-professional performers; today's competing ensembles have an average age of less than 28. From a modest beginning, the annual Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition (renamed in 1982) has become a highly respected national and international event with competitors coming from the major music schools across the country.

Many Coleman Competition winners have gone on to become widely acclaimed artists. An abbreviated list of past winners includes Glenn Dicterow; Grant Gershon; Jeffrey Kahane; Anne-Marie McDermott; Paula Robison; Nathaniel Rosen; Morton Subotnick; the Ahn Trio; eighth blackbird; and the Cavani, Colorado, Pacifica, Tokyo, and Vega Quartets.

Held annually in late April, the Competition offers an opportunity for these musicians to perform before an outstanding panel of nationally chosen judges for three prizes totaling $15,500. Previous judges have included Jascha Heifetz; Natalie Limonick; Mehli Mehta; Gregor Piatigorsky; Artur Rubinstein; Eudice Shapiro; Arnold Steinhardt; Henri Temianka; the Beaux Arts Trio; and the Amadeus, Budapest, Opus One, and Smetana Quartets.