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 2026 Stanger Young Artist Competition

By Abigail Karr • May 21, 2026

The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to announce that Ella Wimbiscus , cellist, has been named the winner of the 2026 Stanger Young Artist Competition. The announcement was made live at the conclusion of the Rising Stars Concert & Competition concert on Saturday, May 16, 2026, held at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. Wimbuscus earned top honors for her lyrical rendition of Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B Min., Op. 104, Movement I , performed alongside the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Assistant Conductor Eli Chen. The concert featured three finalist performances by exceptional high school musicians: Ella Wimbiscus , cello — Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104, 1st Mvt Francesca Gaus Ehning , oboe — Clemence de Grandval’s Oboe Concerto, Op. 7, Mvt III Adrian Gonzalez , piano — Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 Mvt I 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).