2023 Stanger Competition Results

Penney Stergios • February 20, 2023

O'Malley Wins, Five Chicago-Area Musicians Stand Out In Annual Concerto Competition

High school teens excel in this year’s Robert Stanger Young Artist competition hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst and the Elmhurst Symphony Association. First-place winner, violinist Cecilia O’Malley, is invited to perform with the Symphony in the 2023/24 season.

The winners of the Dr. Robert Stanger Young Artists Concerto Audition for 2023, held at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church in Elmhurst on February 18, have been announced. Conducted by the Elmhurst Symphony Association and sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst, the competition showcased 19 outstanding high school musicians from Chicago and several suburbs.

Stanger Audition first-place winner Cecilia O’Malley will perform with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra at a subscription concert during the next season. Other winners will perform for Kiwanis and other local groups later in the year. All winners receive certificates and the first four winners receive monetary awards.

Thanks go to Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church and staff for the use of the church and their able assistance and to the dedicated Symphony volunteers who helped make this event possible. The Symphony is especially grateful to the Stanger Audition’s primary sponsor, the Elmhurst Kiwanis Club, for its long-time support. For more information, call the Symphony office at (630) 941-0202 or visit www.elmhurstsymphony.org.

Judges and Winners

Special thanks go to this year's judges, Joanne May, Jennie Brown, and Kuang-Ho Huang, who spent many hours listening to and critiquing these spectacular young performers, choosing five winners:

First Place: Cecilia O'Malley, Violin (pictured) (Wheaton, IL)

Teacher: Gerardo Ribeiro

Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3 in b minor, Op. 61, first movement

Second Place: Caleb D. Kim, Piano (Roselle, IL)

Teacher: Brenda Huang

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in b-flat minor, first movement

Third Place: Sofia Radovic, Violin (St. Charles, IL)

Teacher: Desiree Ruhstraat

Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 63, first movement

Fourth Place: Jeffery Tong, Cello (Lisle, IL)

Teacher: Tanya Carey

Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 in a minor, Op. 3, first movement

Honorable Mention: Merrill Lee, Violin (Oak Brook, IL)

Teacher: Jin Zhang

Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3 in b minor, Op.61, third movement

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ESO Announces Winner of the 2025 Stanger Young Artist Competition

May 12, 2025

The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to announce that Tong-Bai Deng , pianist, has been named the winner of the 2025 Stanger Young Artist Competition. The announcement was made live at the conclusion of the Rising Stars of Stanger concert on Saturday, May 10, 2025, held at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. Deng earned top honors for his electrifying performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Movement IV , captivating both the audience and judges with his technical command and passionate artistry. The concert featured three finalist performances by exceptional high school musicians: Tong-Bai Deng , piano — Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (Mvt. IV) Sarah Gomez , Sam Deverman , Elyse Schlesinger , and Julian Kolthammer , horns — Robert Schumann’s Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra Neal Eisfeldt , violin — Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto (Mvt. I) The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Assistant Conductor Eli Chen , also performed Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Movement I , rounding out a dynamic and celebratory afternoon of music. A panel of esteemed judges— Andrea Lafranzo , Michael Lewanski , and Peter Lipari —was embedded in the audience to evaluate each finalist on musicianship, interpretation, and stage presence before announcing the winner live from the stage. “This competition is one of the most inspiring events we host all year,” said Michael Surratt, Coordinator of the Stanger Young Artist Competition. “We are so proud of all the finalists and extend our warmest congratulations to Tong-Bai Deng for his extraordinary performance.” The Stanger Young Artist Competition is an annual tradition that supports and celebrates the next generation of classical musicians by offering high school performers the opportunity to appear as soloists with a professional orchestra. It is in part sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst , whose generous and ongoing support is gratefully acknowledged. For more information on the competition or upcoming performances, please visit ElmhurstSymphony.org or contact the ESO office at 630-941-0202 (Monday-Friday 10AM-3PM).