NEC at Minnesota Orchestra Young Artist Competition

Grand Prize for pianist Kyle Orth means an appearance with the Minnesota Orchestra under Osmo Vanska.

Four New England Conservatory students have been presented with awards from the Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra Young Artist Competition. Kyle Orth '16 M.M., piano, Alexi Kenney '15 B.M., '17 A.D., violin, Noémie Raymond-Friset '16 G.D., and Yoojin Jang '12 M.M., '13 G.D., '15 A.D., violin were among the competition’s awardees.

Kyle Orth is this year’s Young Artist Competition Grand Prize winner. The Grand Prize, awarded at the discretion of Minnesota Orchestra Music Director, Maestro Osmo Vanska, is a subscription series concert performance with the Minnesota Orchestra led by Vanska and a $8,500 cash prize.

Other prizes include performance opportunities, festivals, and monetary awards.

These New England Conservatory Students received the following:

  • Grand Prize: Kyle Orth, piano

  • Third Place: Alexi Kenney, violin
  • Elaine Lagerstrom Memorial Award: Alexi Kenney, violin
  • Mathilda Heck Award: Noémie Raymond Friset, cello
  • Twin Cities Musicians Union Award: Yoojin Jang, violin
  • Aspen Summer Program: Noémie Raymond-Friset, cello

The Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra Young Artist Competition has been rewarding and encouraging the talents of young musicians since 1956. Competitors, up to the age of 25, are judged and critiqued by professional orchestra musicians through the preliminary and semi-final rounds. The Final round is judged by Maestro Osmo Vanska, Music Director of the Minnesota Orchestra. More about this competition

About the NEC Minnesota Orchestra Young Artist Competition Winners

Kyle Orth '16 M.M., piano

Hailed as a “piano phenom” (Fort Worth Star Telegram) with “impressively multiple facets” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), Kyle Orth completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University (TCU) as a full-tuition scholarship student of John Owings. At TCU he was a recipient of several music and academic awards, including the School of Music’s Nordan Young Artist Award. He is currently studying under scholarship with Wha Kyung Byun and Russell Sherman as a graduate student at New England Conservatory.

Alexi Kenney '15 B.M., '17 A.D., violin

The recipient of a 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant, violinist Alexi Kenney has been praised by the New York Times for “immediately drawing listeners in with his beautifully phrased and delicate playing.” Alexi received his Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory, where he is currently the only violinist in the Artist Diploma program. At NEC he studies with Donald Weilerstein and Miriam Fried on the Charlotte F. Rabb Presidential Scholarship.

Noémie Raymond-Friset '16 G.D., cello

Noémie Raymond-Friset began playing the violin at age 4, and switched to the cello at 7. She has a master’s degree from the Université de Montréal, and is currently enrolled in the Graduate Diploma program of New England Conservatory, where she studies with Yeesun Kim.

Yoojin Jang '12 M.M., '13 G.D., '15 A.D., violin

Violinist Yoojin Jang is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at New England Conservatory, where she studies with Miriam Fried. She also holds a Master of Music and Artist Diploma from NEC.