The winners of the 2026 National Schadt String Competition are: Keila Wakao, first prize; Yebin Yoo, second prize, and Juyeon Diana Lee, third prize and audience choice winner.

The Allentown Symphony Association was host for the 26th National Schadt String Competition for Violin held March 8, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.

The competition is a biennial competition for emerging string players ages 18-30 that rotates between violin and cello.

The competition, through an endowment from brothers Edwin H. and Leigh W. Schadt, is intended to help launch careers of young, aspiring solo string musicians.

The three violin finalists competed for a $12,000 first prize and the opportunity to perform with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in the Feb. 13 and Feb 14, 2027, “Classical Series” concerts.

Eight semifinalists and three alternates were chosen during a preliminary competition round Jan. 7 in Miller Symphony Hall.

Seven semifinalists competed in a closed competition round at Miller Symphony Hall where three judges selected three contestants to compete in the Finals round.

This year’s semifinalists were from some of the most prestigious violin studies programs in the United States, including The New England Conservatory of Music, Julliard, Curtis Institute of Music, Yale, The Shepherd School at Rice University, and the Manhattan School of Music.

Judges for the Semifinal and Finals rounds March 7 and 8 at Miller Symphony Hall were Martin Chalifour, Principal Concertmaster, Los Angeles Philharmonic; Paul Kantor, the Sallie Shepherd Perkins Professor of Violin, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, and Diane Wittry, Music Director, Allentown Symphony Orchestra.

Preliminary Round Judges were Jennifer Frautschi, two-time Grammy nominee and Avery Fisher career grant recipient violinist; David Salness; concertmaster, Northern Virginia’s Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, and Wittry.

Accompanists were pianists Evan Solomon and Eri Kang.

Edwin H. Schadt (1910-1994) and Leigh W. Schadt (1904-1996), lifelong Allentown residents and businessmen, founded Towne Auto Company. Sons of Mary and Henry Schadt, they attended Lincoln School, Muhlenberg Prep and the Wharton School of Business.

Their father, a self-taught violinist, had violins made for his sons and arranged for lessons for them, though neither pursued a music career. The sons established a trust supporting young violinists through scholarships, music camps and youth concerts.

After their deaths, the trust funded the National Schadt String Competition, launched in 1997 by the Allentown Symphony Association. Initially annual for 21 years, it became a biennial event in 2018.

Information: https://millersymphonyhall.org/education-engagement/schadt/