The entry period for the 2026 Prize has closed. Finalists will be announced in late May, followed by the opportunity for the public to vote for the winners!

Up to five submissions in each prize category will be selected as finalists. Finalists’ entries will be shared on our website, and our audience will vote to determine who is the winning Emerging Artist and winning Preprofessional Musician. In each category, the finalist receiving the most votes will be the winner.

For more details, please visit our FAQ page.

Questions? Please contact karinlarsonprize@mpr.org

You must be 13 or older to submit any information to American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about things like our programs, products and services. See Terms of Use and Privacy.

1. HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST

NO CONTRIBUTION OR PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER

To enter the Karin Larson Your Classical Prize Contest (the “Contest”), follow the instructions on the Contest web page at YourClassical.org/KarinLarsonPrize to submit the following (collectively, the “Submission”): (i) a URL to an accessible video file of you performing a piece of music that celebrates women in classical music; the video file must be under seven (7) minutes in length and must be an original video (i.e., not a video by a third party) of a continuous solo performance, although it may include an accompanist; (ii) two 250-word essays as further outlined below; and (iii) a completed copy of the entry form posted on that page, including selecting one of two prize categories for your entry. The prize in each category will be awarded only to the soloist. Submissions must be submitted and received between 12:01 a.m. CT on February 1, 2026, and 11:59 p.m. CT on March 31, 2026 (the "Submission Period"). Sponsor’s computer timeclock is the official timekeeper for all Contest purposes. Sponsor (as defined below) has sole discretion for determining if an entry has been successfully submitted. Limit one entry per person. Any Submission that is not in compliance with these Official Rules may be disqualified, at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Evidence of submitting a Submission does not constitute evidence that Sponsor received it. Any entry that is not properly submitted or received for any reason, including any technical difficulties, upload failures, failures to save or properly store the entry, efforts of hackers or any lost or disconnected Internet connections, will be disqualified. Any attempt by any Entrant (as defined below) to obtain more than the stated number of entries allowed will void that Entrant's entries, and that Entrant may be disqualified. Use of artificial intelligence or any automated system to participate in the Contest is prohibited and will result in disqualification; all such entries will be deemed void.

If you are a minor under the age of 18, you must review these Official Rules with your parent or legal guardian and have permission from your parent or legal guardian to participate in the Contest. If a minor is chosen as a finalist, they must submit written permission, including confirmation of age, from their parent or guardian as a condition of further participation and potentially winning a prize.

2. ENTRANT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to enter the Contest, a participant (the "Entrant") must be 14 to 28 years of age at the time of entry. Entrants in the Emerging Artist category must be current high school students between 14 and 18 years old. Entrants in the Preprofessional Musician category must be out of high school and between 18 and 28 years old. Entrant and their immediate families and persons living in the same household may not be employees of American Public Media Group or its related organizations, including Sponsor. Previous winners of the Contest are not eligible to enter. Any Entrant (i) who does not meet all eligibility requirements, or (ii) who exhibits behavior that is illegal, unethical, inconsistent with good citizenship, or is otherwise inappropriate may be disqualified at any time, at the sole discretion of Sponsor. Entrant must be a Minnesota resident. Residency means you currently live in Minnesota and have a Minnesota address. Students attending school in Minnesota at the time of the competition are eligible to participate. Students who are Minnesota residents but are attending school outside of Minnesota at the time of the Contest are also eligible to participate provided they have a primary Minnesota home address when not at school. The soloist featured in the video will be deemed the Entrant for all Contest purposes.

You must be a nonprofessional musician to enter. Entrant will not be disqualified if the Entrant has accepted a modest stipend, payment, or honorarium for performances (e.g., paid church musician, paid accompanist). However, no Entrant (i) may be represented under a talent contract (e.g., by a talent agent or manager), (ii) may have a merchandising agreement, (iii) may have a signed contract with a record label, (iv) may have any contract that would limit or impair Sponsor's ability to use the Submission, (v) may have any contract that would make an Entrant's appearance in the Submission a violation of any third-party right(s), and/or (vi) may have any other contractual relationship (e.g., guild or union memberships) that may prohibit the Entrant from participating fully in this Contest, or from allowing Sponsor to use, on a residual-free and royalty-free basis, the Submission worldwide (subject to all local laws and regulations) in all media in perpetuity.

3. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to win the Contest, a Submission must meet all of the Submission Requirements. Any Submission that does not meet all Submission Requirements may be disqualified at any time, at the sole discretion of Sponsor. All physical and electronic entry materials and Submissions will be used by the Sponsor for the purposes outlined herein and will not be acknowledged or returned.

1. The Submission must include a video of the Entrant performing music that celebrates women in classical music. Sponsor reserves the right to determine whether the musical works are within the scope of the required musical genre.

2. The Submission must be made by an Entrant who meets all eligibility requirements.

3. Length of the video submitted may not be longer than seven (7) minutes. Entrants are allowed to fade out their video at seven minutes, or at an earlier natural place, if the recorded performance is longer.

4. Submissions must include two (2) 250-word essays:

   a. One essay should explain why the piece was selected and how the submission celebrates women in classical music.

   b. One essay should share a personal story of what winning this prize would mean to the Entrant.

5. Essays should cite sources for any historical references made. Sponsor will review essays for historical accuracy. Essay responses generated by AI are not allowed.  

6. Submissions must comply with all Terms of Service for the website where they are posted.

Additional Submission Requirements: Sponsor reserves the right to, in its sole and absolute discretion, disqualify any Entrant and/or Submission from the Contest for any good-faith reason. Entry Submission Requirement restrictions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Submissions may not include trademarks, logos or copyrighted material not owned by Entrant or material that is used without permission (including, but not limited to, company names, photographs, works of art or images published on any media) or that otherwise infringes or violates the rights of any third party (including, but not limited to, copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, logos, contract and licensing rights, rights of publicity or privacy, moral rights [i.e., “droit moral”] or any other intellectual property rights);

• Submissions may not include any unauthorized people, videos, photos, images, comments or plagiarism of any kind;

• Submissions may not contain or reference nudity, inappropriate, indecent, sexually explicit, pornographic or obscene content or images (which shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion);

• Submissions may not contain any religious, political or politically themed or motivated messages, comments, statements or images as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion;

• Submissions may not defame, slander, libel, misrepresent or contain disparaging remarks or any other content that could adversely affect the name, reputation or goodwill of the Released Parties (as defined below) or any other individuals and/or entities as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion;

• Submissions may not depict or include any comments, descriptions or images that may be considered unlawful, harmful, threatening, violent, abusive, harassing, tortuous, defamatory, vulgar, libelous, invasive of another’s privacy, hateful, or racially, religiously, ethnically or otherwise objectionable in any manner as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion;

• Submissions may not include any commercial message or monetary solicitations;

• Submissions may not be subject to any third-party agreement or require payment or incurrence of any sums to obtain further permissions of any person or entity as a result of its use or exploitation of the Submission or its component parts; and

• Submissions may not include the name, likeness, description, photograph or any other identifying element, in whole or in part, of any person, living or dead, without explicit written permission from such person, their representative, or estate.

Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify and remove any Submission at any time that is not in compliance with these Official Rules. All Submissions must conform to the Submission Requirements as outlined herein or may be disqualified and not considered for the Contest. If, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified Submissions, Sponsor may terminate the Contest, and no prize will be awarded.

Once a Submission has been submitted, it may not be revised, changed or edited. Entrant is responsible for any and all expenses associated with participating in the Contest, including any recording or submission costs.

4. SPONSOR’S RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Sponsor reserves the right to modify these Official Rules (e.g., add rules or to clarify any or all of the rules) at any time during the Contest. Any such additions or clarifications will be posted with these rules, and Sponsor will have no further obligation to announce or publicize such additions or clarifications. Likewise, Sponsor reserves the right to make exceptions to the Rules in its sole discretion and without further obligation to other Entrants.

5. LICENSE

By entering the Contest, all Entrants grant an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, nonexclusive, royalty-free license to Sponsor and its related companies to reproduce, distribute, and display the Submission: in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, including, but not limited to terrestrial broadcasts, streaming, digital, internet, and/or via any other platform or media now known or hereafter developed. Sponsor will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such use. Sponsor or its related organizations may use the name and likeness of winning Entrants, any accompanists and the full Submissions for advertising, fundraising, promotional or publicity purposes without further compensation or approval. Any finalist(s) who is a minor must provide a signed copy of Sponsor's parent/legal guardian consent form to be provided by Sponsor. Winners and accompanists (or their parent/legal guardian) will be required to sign a release and affidavit documenting agreement to the terms herein, including without limitation a license to use name, image and likeness of all relevant participants, a license to use all Submission materials, a release of Sponsor and the Released Parties from any claims associated herewith, and otherwise confirm compliance with the terms herein. Failure to execute and deliver this affidavit and release within the time frame requested by Sponsor may result in disqualification in Sponsor’s sole discretion, in which case the Entrant with the next highest vote total will be deemed the winner.

6. WINNER SELECTION

Every eligible Submission will be considered. Selection will be made according to the following process.

Judging Stage: Eligible Submissions will be judged by a Sponsor-appointed panel of judges pursuant to the following guidelines, requirements, and criteria to choose up to five (5) finalists in each category for the voting stage of the Contest:

• Relevance to Theme (20%): Submission’s success and relevance in celebrating women in classical music;

• Quality of Performance (30%): Technical and musical quality of the performance;

• Quality of Essays (30%): Content and style of written essays; and

• Overall Presentation (20%): Thoughtfulness and professionalism of entire Submission.

In the event of a tie, the tied entry with the highest score in the Quality of Performance criteria will be deemed the finalist. If the tied entries are still tied, the tied entry with the highest score in the Quality of Essays criteria will be deemed the finalist, or Sponsor may decide in its sole discretion to select both of the tied parties as finalists. Sponsor will not disclose judging scores. Decisions of the Sponsor and judges in the selection and determination of finalists, prize winners and all matters relating to this Contest are final and binding.

Public Voting Stage: Following the determination of the selected finalists, Sponsor shall provide access to the finalists’ Submissions via the Contest website, social media outlets and other marketing channels to facilitate consumer voting to choose the winner in each category. The voting period shall commence on or about 12:01 a.m. CT May 20, 2026, and end on or about 11:59 p.m. CT June 3, 2026 (the “Voting Period,” subject to change at Sponsor’s sole discretion). Should the voting date(s) change, Sponsor will prominently announce the new dates via the Contest website. During the Voting Period, individuals may vote for their favorite finalist via the Contest website. Limit one (1) vote per person during the Voting Period.

In its sole discretion, Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant/Submission should the voting process appear to have been tampered with or manipulated in any way. In its sole and absolute discretion, Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any votes deemed to be fraudulent, in violation of these Official Rules, or in any way contrary to these Official Rules which would be unfair to other finalists or that would otherwise undermine the integrity of this Contest. Votes that have been tampered with, reproduced, falsified, or altered are void. Votes are subject to verification at any time.

Selected finalists may use their social media platforms and other forms of media to encourage consumers to vote for their Submission. However, obtaining votes by any fraudulent or inappropriate means, including vote-bartering, bribes, threats or offering prizes or other incentives to members of the public, is prohibited. Sponsor reserves the right to request proof (in a form acceptable to Sponsor – including, without limitation, government-issued photo identification) for any votes entered, or purportedly entered, to be considered valid for the purposes of this Contest. Where requested, failure to provide such proof to the satisfaction of Sponsor may result in a disqualification of the Entrant/Submission receiving such questionable votes. If it is discovered or reasonably suspected in Sponsor’s sole discretion that attempts were made to: (i) use (or attempt to use) multiple names, identities, email addresses and/or any automated, macro, script, robotic or other systems(s)/ program(s) to submit votes; (ii) engage in any form of proxy voting scheme or (iii) engage in any behavior deemed to be in violation of the letter and/or spirit of these Official Rules, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify the implicated finalist.

Following the close of the Voting Period, the Sponsor-appointed panel of judges shall review the voting results for accuracy and any potential voting irregularities. The finalist with the highest number of valid and confirmed votes in each category shall be deemed the winner.

7. PRIZES

The winners will receive the following prizes:

1. $12,500 to the Preprofessional Musician winner and $7,500 for the Emerging Artist. We will award each prize to one winner or divide the prize amount among more than one winner if there is a tie in the voting process for either or both categories.

2. Recording studio time at a recording studio chosen by Sponsor and for a duration to be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. The studio session will include photo, audio and video recording of the winner’s musical performance and an interview to be conducted by Sponsor. Sponsor will own all rights in this content for future promotional purposes ($950 approximate value).

3. Multichannel marketing ($4,000 approximate value).

4. Invitation to perform submitted piece of music for the MPR board of directors.

Total prize package approximate retail value: $17,450 for Preprofessional Musician category and $12,450 for Emerging Artist category.

Use/broadcast of winner’s video and performance are not part of the prize, and Sponsor has no obligation to broadcast the video performance. All other costs and expenses related to prize acceptance, delivery, redemption or use not specified herein as being provided are the sole responsibility of winner. All income, federal, state and local taxes are winner’s sole responsibility. All prize awards are nontransferable, and no cash redemption or prize substitution allowed, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion or as provided herein. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize with one of comparable or greater value, at its sole discretion. Failure to collect or properly claim a prize in accordance with these rules will result in forfeiture of the prize. If any portion of the prize is forfeited for any reason, winner will not receive any other prize substitution or compensation. Any unclaimed prizes will not be awarded.

8. GENERAL/LIABILITY

The Entrant acknowledges that by entering the Contest, the Entrant agrees (i) that no form of cheating will be tolerated, specifically including, without limitation, vote fraud, vote sharing, vote exchanges, vote purchases or any other methods that artificially increase the number of votes received for a Submission, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion, (ii) that the performance may not be edited prior to submission, and (iii) that the Entrant and the Submission meet all requirements of these Official Rules. Any persons found cheating or otherwise violating the Official Rules, as determined in the sole discretion of Sponsor, may be immediately disqualified from the Contest. By entering this Contest, Entrants agree to abide by these Official Rules as stated herein and the decisions of Sponsor and judges, which are final and binding in all matters pertaining to this Contest. Additionally, by participating, Entrants agree to comply with the terms of use and other contracts and policies governing any related website.

By participating, Entrants agree to hold the Sponsor, judges, the applicable social media sites and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and each such company’s officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) harmless from any claims, losses, actions, or damages of any kind, whether actual, incidental or consequential, for injury (including but not limited to death), damages, losses or expenses arising out of or relating to Entrant’s participation in this Contest, or the acceptance, possession or use/misuse of any prize, or participation in prize-related activities (including but not limited to travel or activity related thereto), and to assume all liability therefor. Furthermore, the Entrant agrees to indemnify and defend the Released Parties from any third-party claims associated with the Submission, participation in the Contest and use of the prize, including without limitation injury, death or claims for monetary damages.

9. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

By participating in this Contest, Entrants agree the Released Parties have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind which result from use of the prize, or by participation in the Contest, are not responsible for interrupted or unavailable network server or other connections, miscommunications, failed telephone or computer transmissions or jumbled, scrambled or misdirected Submissions or transmissions, or for phone, electrical, network, computer hardware or software or program malfunctions, failures or difficulties or for other errors, omissions, interruptions, or deletions of any kind whether human, mechanical or electronic, or for any damage to any person’s computer related to participating in the Contest. Sponsor and its affiliated organizations, their agents and employees are not responsible for illegible, unintelligible, late, lost or stolen Submissions or mail or incorrect or inaccurate entry information, whether caused by Internet users or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest or by any technical, typographical or human errors that may occur in the processing of any Submissions in, or the administration of, this Contest. Persons found tampering with or abusing any aspect of this Contest, as solely determined by Sponsor, may be disqualified and may be subject to prosecution. If in the sole judgment of Sponsor, the Contest is compromised by viruses, bugs, nonauthorized human intervention, harassment or other causes which otherwise corrupt or interfere, or may corrupt or interfere, with the administration, security, fairness, safety or intended facilitation of the Contest, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion to discontinue, suspend, modify or terminate the Contest and proceed in a manner it deems fair and reasonable, which manner shall include the selection of winners from among eligible entries received prior to such discontinuation, suspension, termination or modification.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner based on an email address, the winning entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the email address submitted at time of entry. “Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an internet access provider, on-line service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address. SPONSOR MAKES NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NONINFRINGEMENT AS REGARDS TO A PRIZE OR ANY COMPONENT OF A PRIZE.

10. PUBLICITY RIGHTS

By participating in this Contest, each Entrant agrees to allow Sponsor, and/or its designees the perpetual right to use their Submissions, name, personal information, photos and/or likeness, and statements for Contest, trade, commercial, entertainment, advertising and publicity purposes, at any time or times, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including but not limited to the Internet, without notice, review or approval and without additional compensation, except as and where prohibited by law.

11. DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND CHOICE OF LAW

Issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these rules shall be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota. All disputes arising out of or connected with this Contest will be resolved individually, and without resort to class action, exclusively by the appropriate federal or Minnesota State Court located in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Should there be a conflict between the laws of the State of Minnesota and any other laws, the conflict will be resolved in favor of the laws of the State of Minnesota. All judgments or awards shall be limited to actual incurred out-of-pocket expenses (excluding attorneys' fees) associated with participation in this Contest and shall not include any indirect, punitive, incidental and/or consequential damages.

12. CONTEST SPONSOR

Minnesota Public Radio, 480 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, 651-290-1500

Below are answers to common questions for the 2026 Karin Larson YourClassical Prize. Please read before entering and also refer to the Prepare Your Entry and Official Rules links for more details. If you have questions, please email us at karinlarsonprize@mpr.org.

Why should I submit to the 2026 Karin Larson YourClassical Prize?

The Karin Larson YourClassical Prize is an exciting opportunity for young emerging and preprofessional musicians to showcase their talents through a focus on celebrating women in classical music. Entering offers the following opportunities:

• Experience selecting a piece of music to match our purpose of celebrating women in classical music.

• Experience preparing a video presentation of your musical talent.

• Experience writing succinct, compelling essay question responses.

• If a finalist, having your entry featured on YourClassical MPR’s website and promoted for public voting.

• If a winner, receiving a cash award, an invitation to perform for the MPR Board of Directors, and an audio/video recording and photography session in MPR’s renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio with the potential of excerpts being featured for the YourClassical audience.

What is required for submission?

All entrants are required to submit:

• A link to a recently recorded video of a piece of music that celebrates women in classical music. The video performance can be up to seven minutes in length, should be a continuous solo performance (an accompanist is permitted), and should be an original video (not a video by a third party). Please see below for more information on preparing your video submission.

• Two essays up to 250 words each: one explaining why you selected your piece and how your submission celebrates women in classical music, and one describing what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

Who is eligible?

• If you are a current high school student, ages 14-18, you can enter the Emerging Artist category.

• If you are post-high school, ages 18 to 28, you can enter the Preprofessional Musician category.

• Be a resident of Minnesota. Please see our Official Rules for our residency requirements.

• Professional musicians are not eligible. Please see our Official Rules for our distinction between a nonprofessional and professional musician.

• Previous winners of the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize are not eligible to participate.

If you are under 18, you must review the Official Rules with your parent or legal guardian and have permission from your parent or legal guardian to participate in the contest. Written permission will be required of all entrants under 18 who are selected as finalists before they can be included in public voting and win a prize.

What are the awards?

The cash awards per category are:

• Emerging Artist: $7,500

• Preprofessional Musician: $12,500

The winner in each category also receives an invitation to perform before the MPR Board of Directors and a recording session in MPR’s renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio. The session includes audio and video recording as well as photography.

What are the deadlines and timelines?

• Complete entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. central on March 31, 2026.

• Finalists will be announced on May 20, 2026, and public voting for one winner in each category will be held from May 20, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Central on June 3, 2026.

• Winners will be announced on June 12, 2026.

How are submissions judged?

Eligible submissions will be judged by a YourClassical-appointed panel of judges who will choose up to five finalists in each category for the public voting stage. Submissions will be judged by the following weighted criteria:

• Relevance to theme (20%): Submission’s success and relevance in celebrating women in classical music.

• Quality of performance (30%): Technical and musical quality of the performance.

• Quality of essay (30%): Content and style of written essays.

• Overall presentation (20%): Thoughtfulness and professionalism of entire submission.

Is there anything I should keep in mind when recording my entry video?

To enter the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, you must submit an original video (not a video by a third party) that can be up to 7 minutes in length. The video should be a continuous solo performance. An accompanist is permitted. Entrants are allowed to fade out their video at seven minutes, or at an earlier natural place, if the recorded performance is longer. All videos that are submitted will be judged equally by the criteria, including overall presentation. Below are some ideas on how to prepare your video:

• The video should be clear and visible.

• The soloist of the performance should be the focal point.

• The soloist should be facing the camera in at least one angle.

• The audio should be clear and audible.

• Consider using simple but interesting backgrounds that enhance the performance rather than detract from it.

• The video should be one continuous performance without any internal blackouts, fades or edits. Soloist should remain on camera the whole time.

• Consider how your attire supports your overall presentation.

How will YourClassical manage submission information?

Submission data will be shared with YourClassical staff participating in administering the contest and judging submissions. We will not publicly publish submission data.

Finalists in each category will be required to release the following submission data for participation in the public voting: first and last name, city of residence, video performance, and essay question responses. Anyone under age 18 will be required to provide a signed parent or legal guardian release to participate in public voting.

Any personally identifiable information sent to, shared with, or collected by American Public Media Group on this website is subject to APMG’s Privacy Policy.

Minnesota Public Radio, 480 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, 651-290-1500

The winner of the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, Preprofessional Musician category, is Agnes Barthel of Duluth, Minnesota. Her entry featuring her organ performance of Cecilia McDowall’s “Church Bells beyond the stars” was chosen by YourClassical listeners as the submission that best celebrated women in classical music.

Barthel received $12,500, studio time in MPR’s renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, and the opportunity to perform at an MPR board meeting in June of 2025.

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Agnes Barthel performs for the MPR Board

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Agnes Barthel’s winning Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, Preprofessional Musician category, entry

How does your video celebrate women in classical music? “Cecilia McDowall is a contemporary composer whose music brings fresh energy and beauty to the organ repertoire. ‘Church Bells beyond the stars’ showcases her distinctive, lyrical style and captures the shimmering resonance of church bells through flowing, cascading passages. Inspired by a poem by George Herbert, the piece evokes both grandeur and serenity, demonstrating the organ’s ability to create vivid, atmospheric soundscapes. Through works like this, McDowall helps keep the organ vibrant and relevant in the modern classical world; something that is deeply inspirational for young organists like myself. By choosing this piece, I hope to honor her contributions and help bring greater recognition to female composers who have often been overlooked. I also want to help inspire other young musicians, especially young girls, to explore music by women composers, and discover the powerful role we play in shaping the future of classical music.”

What would winning this prize mean to you? “Winning this prize would mean a great deal to me as a young organist who is passionate about this incredible instrument. I am especially committed to promoting music by women composers, and it would be an honor to help bring greater recognition to these works in the organ world, and beyond. Most of all, I think it would be a powerful way to show that the pipe organ is not just a historic or ‘dying’ instrument, but very much alive and full of exciting possibilities for the future. This prize would encourage me to continue learning, performing, and encouraging other young people to explore the organ, as we try to create space for new voices, perspectives, and a new generation of musicians in the current world of classical music.”

The winner of the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, Emerging Artist category, is Anna Pitsavas Wakely of Northfield, Minnesota. Her entry featuring her violin performance of Pablo de Sarasate’s ‘Ziguernerweisen” Op. 20 was chosen by YourClassical listeners as the submission that best celebrated women in classical music.

Pitsavas Wakely received $7,500, studio time in MPR’s renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, and the opportunity to perform at an MPR board meeting.

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Anna Pitsavas Wakely’s winning Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, Emerging Artist category, entry

How does your video celebrate women in classical music? “Spanish composer, Pablo de Sarasate, composed ‘Ziguernerweisen’ after becoming acquainted with gypsy ways… their song, their music style, their culture, their dance, and their customs. The female gypsy performers, whose prime instrument was always the violin, tantalized audiences with their passionate storytelling and dynamic lyricism. These underrepresented women, who had experienced much suffering and exile, poured their voices and lives into their performances, captivating composers throughout much of history. ‘Zigeurnerweisen’ celebrates these nationless mothers and daughters whose musical traditions continue to inspire classical music enthusiasts to our present day.”

What would winning this prize mean to you? “As a daughter of first-generation immigrant parents who have been a shining model of strength and beauty, and whose love of music has accompanied me from a very young age, I must say that being considered for such a prize would be but one token of my deepest appreciation for the sacrifices that they have made toward supporting my pursuit of classical music. It would be a tremendous gift that would go toward advancing my current commitments in music as well as my future goals in performance. I have come to find that the highly competitive world of performance can often be accompanied with criticism and skepticism. Earning such an esteemed prize would be a great accomplishment — a real recognition which has the potential to help foster the confidence to keep on playing! ”

The winner of the inaugural Karin Larson YourClassical Prize is Ammy Lin of Baxter, Minnesota. Her entry honoring female dizi (Chinese bamboo flute) performers and her teacher Gao Hong was chosen by YourClassical listeners as the submission that best celebrated women in classical music.

Lin received $20,000, studio time in MPR’s renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, and the opportunity to perform at an MPR board meeting in June of 2024. "I just want to thank everyone for your support ...,” she said. “I hope everyone had as much fun listening to it as I had playing it!"

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Ammy Lin performs in the recording studios of Minnesota Public Radio. Lin plays the dizi, a Chinese bamboo flute, with accompanist Gao Hong on pipa. In the first video, they perform “New Song of the Herdsmen” and in the second video, they perform her submission piece, “Birds Singing in the Shade.”

In additional video clips available as YouTube Shorts, Ammy Lin speaks about playing the dizi, recording at Minnesota Public Radio, gives a Bangdi dizi demonstration, Qudu dizi demonstration, and finding her authentic voice.

Listen to Ammy’s interview with YourClassical MPR host John Birge:

Ammy Lin performs for the MPR Board

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Ammy Lin’s winning Karin Larson YourClassical Prize entry

AMMY LIN
Dizi (Chinese bamboo flute)
Baxter, Minnesota

How does your video celebrate women in classical music? “Until the past few decades, it was rare to have a female dizi (bamboo flute) performer. With the gradual change in societal perceptions of gender roles, an increasing number of women have begun to dive into the world of traditional music, although male dizi performers are still the majority. In other words, changing the perception of males having more expertise, being more physically capable and technically advanced for playing the dizi is still an ongoing struggle; however, I've always felt supported by my female teacher, Gao Hong, over the past year that I've been learning this instrument and look up to her for her expertise and dedication to uplifting other female voices. As such, being able to perform this piece with her is an immense honor and testament to the growing strength of female voices in the music community.”

What would winning this prize mean to you? “Winning this prize would mean so much to me along so many different levels. I started learning the dizi to become more in touch with my Chinese roots, and in the process, I've discovered many other aspects of myself. For instance, I was scared of performing and making my voice heard, always trying to blend into the background and conform to the model minority, female stereotypes placed upon me. Watching and having the honor to play with my teacher has motivated me to chase my dreams not only in music but in other aspects of my life. Winning this would be a moment of pride not just for myself but for everyone who has supported and believed in me along the way. It would be a dream realized, inspiring me to continue striving for excellence and pushing boundaries in everything I do.”