Young Artist 2026 Competition Winners
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Senior Piano Soloist - Jared Dorrough will perform the Tchaikovsky piano concerto No. 1., mvmt 1 with the Meridian Symphony in the February 28, 2026 concert.
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Senior Strings Soloist - Abigail Eddy will performed the Samuel Barber violin concerto No. 1, mvmt 1. with the Meridian symphony in the May 2, 2026 concert.
Other Category Winners:
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Adelyn Bendorf, winner senior instrumental
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Daniel Kim, winner junior strings
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Brady Lacy, honorable mention senior instrumental
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Kambri Jensen, honorable mention junior strings
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Darren Su, honorable mention senior piano
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Adrienne Jensen, honorable mention senior strings
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Seungmin Lee, honorable mention junior instrumental
ABOUT THE YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION
The opportunity for a young musician to appear in concert as a soloist with a symphony orchestra is both extremely valuable and quite rare.
The Symphony always looks forward to this annual event and the great music prepared and performed by the outstanding young musicians in the Treasure Valley. We look forward to each year as the feedback provided by our judges continues to assist the student performers in their musical growth.
The Meridian Symphony has now completed its 20th Annual Young Artist's Competition for student musicians through grade 12 from Southwest Idaho.
The Junior Division and Senior Division Soloist Award recipients from this competition have the opportunity to perform with the Meridian Symphony Orchestra onstage at the Orchestra's February and May performances.
Competition guidelines 2026 [click here]
Competition application 2026 [click here]
For any questions about the competition, please email Louise van der Eijk directly at drvandereijk@gmail.com (Meridian Symphony harpist and YAC organizer).
2026 Young Artist Participants
FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS
The Meridian Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition is an immeasurable motivation for advanced junior high and high school students. Students who participated prepare with such diligence that their technical and interpretive insights develop considerably. Students who are selected to solo with the orchestra invariably mature musically as they acquire performance skills with a greater sense of artistry. I strongly urge all serious young musicians to participate and reap the benefits from this remarkable opportunity!
— Craig Purdy, participant teacher
The Meridian Symphony Young Artist Competition provided our daughter with an exceptional opportunity to debut her musical skills. The competition itself was rewarding for all participants, who received constructive and insightful feedback from the distinguished panel of judges. The Meridian Symphony is the only organization in the Treasure Valley offering young artists this kind of supportive audition process and potential subsequent performance with a professional orchestra. Our daughter will always be grateful to the Meridian Symphony, its wonderful conductors and musicians, and its appreciative audience.
— Michael Vandervelden, parent of YAC participant
ANNUAL YOUNG ARTIST SOLOIST WINNERS
2025
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Adrienne Jensen
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Indigo Della Badia
2024
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Gunnar Henry
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Mia Huang
2023
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Hayoon Lee
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Darren Liu
2022
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Paige Malan
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Adelyn Bendorf
2021
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Julia Erway
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Truman Walker
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Zachary Cheng
2020
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Christian Nielsen
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Benjamin Gallafent
2019
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Alec Tzeng
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Gigi Finn
2018
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Reiko Tachibana
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Jake Curtis
2017
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Julia Caven
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Minjun Kwak
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Anthony Luo
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Christian Nielsen
2016
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Anna Black
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Fernando Perez
2015
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Aubrie Church
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Elizabeth Lee
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Anthony Luo
2014
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Anna Black
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John Shieh
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Lauren Vandervelden
2013
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Jacqueline Audas
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Noah Samuel Jessee
2012
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Anna Black
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Christa Cole
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Ethan Davis
2011
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Michelle Hembree
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Nolan Nguyen
2010
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Jacqueline Audas
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Jiwon Kim
2009
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Katherine Audas
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Stephanie L’Heureux
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Lisa Montierth
2008
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Nicole Oswald
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Sophie Petroski
2007
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Katherine Audas
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Kate Jarvis
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Jaymeson Pon