Vote Now: Preprofessional Musician Category

Public voting for the 2026 Karin Larson YourClassical Prize is now open! Below you will find the entries of each of our finalists in the Preprofessional Musician category, including the video of their performance and their answers to the essay questions. Videos and essay question answers are presented as submitted by the finalists. Scroll down to view each submission, and then cast your vote for your favorite candidate at the end. You may cast one vote in each category.

Public voting is open through June 7. One winner in each category will be announced on June 12.

To vote for finalists in the Emerging Artist Category, visit this page.

Preprofessional Musician Finalists

• Andy Kocher
• Tina O’Malley
• Timothy Pinkerton
• Elisa Schiller
• Christina Uhrenbacher
• Vote now: Preprofessional Musician

Andy Kocher

From: Savage, Minnesota

Title of work: Variations On Japanese Children's Songs

Name of composer: Keiko Abe

Share your story of why you selected your piece and how it celebrates women in classical music.

Keiko Abe is a marimba performer/composer whose career created the landscape of concert marimba we have today. She has premiered over 180 compositions in addition to the over seventy works she has composed herself, and had a hand in the creation of the five octave version of the instrument that has become standard in recent years. "Variations on Japanese Children's Songs" exhibits her unique compositional voice, blending classical, folk, and contemporary elements into a vibrant and exhilarating work. The piece uses these elements as well as Japanese cultural references to evoke imagery, such as a market with street vendors singing in various back alleys, or walking in geta (wooden sandals) across a wood bridge. Marimba is still a fairly new and obscure instrument in the context of classical music, and I believe this piece highlights not just the technical capabilities of the marimba, but also its unique potential for expression.

Keiko Abe's influence can be felt by everyone in the marimba world, but my hope is that by selecting this piece, her music can reach people in the wider music community that may not have heard it otherwise, especially given that female composers have often been overlooked in classical music. Her music was one of the first things that made me interested in the marimba, and continues to serve as one of my biggest inspirations musically. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do!

Tell us what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

As someone who decided to go down the path of performance just a few years ago, receiving this prize would mean a great deal. It's easy to be clouded by anxiety and doubt as a performer, but my most rewarding experiences in music have always come with a leap of faith. This has taught me how to put myself out into the world and be vulnerable, especially when it's difficult. Winning this prize wouldn't just affirm my abilities as a performer, but it would be a sign that I've been able to truly connect with other people as a musician, and hopefully move people with this music the same way it has moved me.

Tina O’Malley

From: New Brighton, Minnesota

Title of work: "When I was a Little Girl" from A.E. Reverie

Name of composer: Kamala Sankaram

Share your story of why you selected your piece and how it celebrates women in classical music.

This piece, excerpted from the one-woman chamber opera A.E. Reverie by Kamala Sankaram, celebrates living women artists who are telling distinctly women-centered stories. Ms. Sankaram is a woman of color who is a member of MN Opera's New Works Initiative Cohort and whose new opera is opening MN Opera's upcoming season. A.E. Reverie is about a young woman who reveres Amelia Earhart and covets the freedom that Ms. Earhart experiences flying around the world, seemingly unrestrained by the same rigid gender norms imposed upon herself and other women in 1929 in the U.S. She feels different from other girls and misunderstood by her family and friends. I performed this piece this past fall and upon my conversations with the director, librettist, and composer, I concluded that this character is queer-coded and celebrates the many facets of gender expression before having the language to express her identity. This entire piece is a celebration of women throughout history who so desperately wanted a voice or tried hard to exercise their voice but felt powerless and unheard. I recognize these queer women of the past with such love and pride as their struggles heralded a time when more women are able to be their authentic selves and have the freedom to pursue the life that they desire for themselves. This queer girl is forever grateful to the bravery of those women who paved the way, and I find such joy in celebrating the legacy of these women onstage through song.

Tell us what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

This past year has been hard. While I have made more progress than ever before, both technically and professionally, challenges in my personal life have begun to hinder my professional success. My disabled brother has been hospitalized on a ventilator since August, and until then, I never would have imagined taking an emergency flight home from a summer opera program in Berlin hoping to make it home in time to say goodbye to my big brother. He miraculously survived, defying the odds, but his health continues to deteriorate. I have poured my entire heart into every single performance this season because every moment spent pursuing this wild career as a classical musician comes with massive sacrifice, but at the core of my artistry is the people I love. Winning this prize would mean that despite this difficult time, I can continue to do what I was put on this earth to do, fund projects in my community and beyond highlighting works of living women composers, and have a financial security net to be able to live close to my brother and help care for him while also having the necessary funds for audition trips to NYC. This is the first major time in my career that I have had to step back, reassess what is most important to me in life and determine how to find balance. I'm feeling a bit lost right now, but it has always been my beloved art form that shows me the way forward.

Timothy Pinkerton

From: Bemidji, Minnesota

Title of work: Three Pieces for Violin and Piano: I. Nocturne II. Cortège III. D'un matin de printemps

Name of composer: Lili Boulanger (1893-1918)

Share your story of why you selected your piece and how it celebrates women in classical music.

French composer Lili Boulanger deserves recognition as a tenacious, brilliant, and innovative musician who made a remarkable impact with her compositional output, despite her tragically short lifespan. Lili suffered many chronic health issues beginning at the age of two — the same age that her musical precocity became realized— and battled continuously until her death at age twenty-four. Her own trials, combined with the death of her father when she was seven, informed much of her music's context and impression.

I first encountered Lili Boulanger's work while playing the orchestral version of D'un matin de printemps at school with the Minnesota Orchestra's Sarah Hicks conducting. This past summer, I discovered the violin and piano pieces and at once fell in love with the sound world and storytelling that Boulanger achieves so effortlessly. When performing the Nocturne, I envision a mother singing her child a lullaby, not just to put them to sleep, but to cultivate their imagination and sing of the wondrous night sky. To me, the Cortège depicts a young child walking through a garden, innocent and naïve of the real world around them. Finally, D'un matin de printemps utilizes a vast range of textures, each reminiscent of strong imagery: a gust of wind, a babbling brook, singing birds, croaking frogs, or a hint of a thunderstorm. While Lili Boulanger greatly suffered during her brief lifetime, the unique harmonic and imaginative qualities in her music have established her as one of the greatest compositional voices of the early 20th century.

Tell us what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

Akin to Lili Boulanger, I lost my father early in life, albeit to a terminal illness, when I was seventeen. The proverb "It takes a village!" has resonated with my upbringing to this point. Without so many incredible women in my life, I would not be where I am today — both physically and career-wise. Prominent inspirational women include my mother, many of my private teachers, collaborative pianists, orchestral mentors, chamber coaches, community orchestra members, and relatives, all who have not only guided me in my musical journey but have encouraged and advocated for me.

Being a recipient of the Karin Larson prize would not solely bring credit to my work but would highlight the investment of the countless women who have poured into my life. I owe so much to those who have sacrificed their time and knowledge for my sake and who have believed in my potential as an artist, and I aspire to one day give back to young artists in the ways that others have so graciously given to me.

Additionally, I aim to set an example for other young men in the Classical music industry by programming works by both living and past women composers, not just for the sake of programming statistics, but to properly celebrate and highlight women who deserve public awareness for the quality of their work. This is just one way in which we can honor the voices of women in our industry and encourage musicians to keep working in this difficult field.

Elisa Schiller

From: Bloomington, Minnesota

Title of work: "Légende"

Name of composer: Henriette Renié

Share your story of why you selected your piece and how it celebrates women in classical music.

I chose "Légende" by French harpist and composer Henriette Renié (1875-1956). This piece truly showcases the harp's virtuosic and expressive capabilities. Due to time constraints, I chose a few representative sections of the different themes in the piece. However, it is an incredible composition and well worth listening to in its entirety! Renié was a child prodigy, beginning her harp study at the age of eight with renowned harpist Alphonse Hasselmans and progressing so quickly that she began studying at the Paris Conservatoire a year later. By age thirteen, she was teaching students far older than she. At fifteen, she began giving solo recitals.

Renié utterly transformed harp performance and pedagogy. She blended sublime artistry with technical command, revolutionizing stereotypes regarding the harp’s capabilities. Not only did this influence the way the harp was viewed and played, but she overcame the barriers that stood against female professional musicians at this time. Her sheer excellence and musical accomplishments led to her wide renown as a performer, pedagogue, and composer (Jacy, 2021, 11-24).

This piece depicts the poem "Les Elfes" by French poet Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle. Renié masterfully created a musical picture of the various emotions and images of this dreamlike, yet macabre poem. This stunning work showcases the excellence of a female composer while also celebrating the wide range of emotions women can convey. The poetic text of Renié's piece and musical images she expertly crafted challenge the stereotypes of her day that women can only be demure and quiet!

Tell us what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

I am still finding my voice in the professional music scene after earning my music degree. I have many opportunities to share the gift of music with my audience, but I have also found that you never stop learning. I have actively sought opportunities that can advance my career and help me continue to grow musically. Winning this competition would be such a gift to me as a harpist seeking more of these opportunities! Moreover, while the harp is a beautiful instrument with a rich history, it often gets overshadowed by "louder" or more "powerful" instruments. I adore the harp and want others to experience the depth that it can convey. Entering this competition is not simply for my benefit, but also to bring more visibility to the harp and challenge the stereotypes of it being simply an "angelic" instrument.

Beyond these reflections, I find that I identify with my instrument. I have been described as "shy" or "quiet" by people who do not know me well; yet, after they come to know me better, they are surprised by certain aspects of my personality! The harp, likewise, is quiet at first glance, and yet it can be a strong and powerful instrument too. Women's personalities come in every variety imaginable, and all are special and deserving of celebration. Those of us who seem quieter deserve celebration too. The harp reminds us that there is beauty in gentleness, and yet great strength and power can lie underneath a quiet surface.

Christina Uhrenbacher

From: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Title of work: Sonata in C# minor

Name of composer: Fernande Decruck

Share your story of why you selected your piece and how it celebrates women in classical music.

Taking listeners on a breathtaking journey, Fernande Decruck's Sonata in C♯ minor for alto saxophone and piano is a beautiful and moving work. Since the first time I heard this piece in high school, I have been enamored with the elegance and expressive depth in Decruck’s writing. As an important composer during the first half of the 20th century, she contributed many works to the saxophone repertoire. I chose this sonata because it is one of the most celebrated works in our repertoire today and showcases her impressionist-influenced style and the way the saxophone can gracefully paint immersive musical images.

Decruck's Sonata in C♯ minor is also one of the earliest major works for saxophone written by a female composer, and it is important to recognize how monumental it has become for our instrument. I have performed this piece many times throughout my studies, and the performance I am sharing was particularly meaningful. My dissertation research brought me to Mexico, where I lived for just under half a year. In December 2025, I was invited to teach and perform as a guest artist in San Luis Potosí­, where I presented the sonata as part of my program. I collaborated with pianist Malkuth Zavada, and together we brought the piece to life, highlighting both its technical virtuosity and its lyrical qualities.

Performing this work alongside another woman musician felt like stepping into a lineage of creativity that continues to shape our field.

Tell us what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

Being a woman in classical music has presented many challenges throughout my career so far. The saxophone field is largely male-dominated, and the number of times I have been the only woman in a chamber ensemble or jazz band is too many to count. As women, we often have to find our own ways to feel comfortable in the situations we're placed in. The journey can feel lonely and isolating, and our inner strength and resilience are constantly called to shine through. These experiences have shaped not only my musicianship, but also the kind of mentor I hope to become.

Receiving this prize would give me the freedom to begin impacting the saxophone and music world in meaningful ways. After I graduate in May, I will likely move either to Denver or back to Mexico and establish my own private lesson studio. Through this studio, I hope to cultivate an inclusive environment for all musicians, and especially for young female saxophonists. Neither location has many prominent female saxophone teachers or pedagogues, and it would be my dream to serve as a role model for aspiring players. As someone who never had a female lesson teacher or professor, I know it would be powerful and comforting to have a mentor you can truly relate to. This prize would help make that goal possible by providing the support I need to build and sustain this studio, allowing me to offer young musicians the guidance and representation I spent years searching for.

Vote now: Preprofessional Musician

Who gets your vote for the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize Preprofessional Musician category? Make your selection for one performer below. Click once to select the person you’re voting for, and then click once on the Vote button. You may vote only once.

To vote for finalists in the Emerging Artist Category, visit this page.

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