In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the National Schadt String Competition, past competition winners will perform recitals Jan. 27 and Feb. 25, leading up to this year’s competition March 6. All performances are free and open to the public.

The Allentown Symphony Association, in partnership with Congregation Keneseth Israel, presents a “Schadt Celebration Recital” by the Cavatina Duo featuring Denis Azabagic, classical guitar, and Eugenia Moliner, flute, at 7 p.m. Jan. 27, Congregation Keneseth Israel, 2227 W. Chew St., Allentown.

Azabagic, the 1999 Schadt Competition winner, and his wife, Eugenia Moliner, were hailed by New Yorker magazine as “generally considered to be the best of them [flute-and-guitar duos].” The recital will feature works by Bach, Clarice Assad, Fernando Sor, Alan Thomas and Ástor Piazzolla.

A solo recital featuring 2013 Schadt Cello winner, Christine Lamprea, is at 6 p.m. Feb. 25, Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown.

After winning the Schadt Competition, Lamprea went on to win the XVI Annual Sphinx Competition, a highly-prestigious competition for young Black and Latino classical string players. She has appeared as a soloist with the Houston Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony and Costa Rica National Symphony.

The final rounds of the 20th anniversary National Schadt String Competition are at 2 p.m. March 6. Three cello finalists will compete for the $8,000 prize and a chance to perform with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in the November Classical Series concerts. The competition is free and open to the public.

The Schadt String Competition is the annual national solo string competition of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. Begun in 1997 following a bequest to the Allentown Symphony Association from Edwin H. and Leigh W. Schadt, the competition alternates annually between violin, cello and classical guitar.

Edwin H. Schadt (1910-1994) and Leigh W. Schadt (1904-1996) were brothers who lived in Allentown all their lives. They were the sons of Mary and Henry Schadt, who ran a wholesale grocery business along Front Street in Allentown.

The Schadt brothers graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business in the 1920s. The Schadt brothers founded Towne Auto Company along Linden Street.

Their father was a self-taught violinist and wanted his sons to learn to play the instrument. Henry Schadt commissioned a local craftsman and musician, John Johnson, to make a violin for each of the boys and give them violin lessons. The custom-made violins are being used today by young violinists from the Lehigh Valley.

Although the Schadts did not become violinists, they kept their father’s interest alive by establishing a trust to provide financial aid to promising young violin students. The trust provides scholarships to area string musicians, sends young musicians to music camps and underwrites youth concerts.

After the Schadts’ deaths, the trust provided funding for the Allentown Symphony Association to host the Schadt String Competition.

Information: MillerSymphonyHall.org