Houston, Texas – February 20, 2025—Symphony North of Houston announced the 2025 Young Artist Competition 1st Place Category Winners.
Symphony North of Houston is pleased to introduce the 2025 Young Artist 1st Place Category Winners. For the past 27 years among community orchestras, Symphony North has been the foremost innovator and thought leader in providing an avenue for young artist to display their amazing talents by performing a classical concerto movement with an orchestra. Last year Symphony North elevated the concept of its Young Artist Competition by awarding first place category awards. The categories this year are Piano, Brass/Wind, and String. The Finalist Audition for each category was held on February 15, 2025, where each finalist competed for first place in their respective category.
From the Finalist Audition, there were three 1st place winners. These 1st place recipients will perform their concerto movement with Symphony North at its Late Spring Concert on May 18, 2025, at 4:00 PM at Salem Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas. At this concert, an overall winner will be selected from among the three category winners. A $500 scholarship and trophy will be awarded to each, and the one, whose performance is selected as the overall winner, will receive an additional $500 scholarship and trophy.
Winners
- 1st Place Piano, Wendy Zhou, with Saint Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2, 3rd mvt
- 1st Place Brass/Wind, Daniel Bain, with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, 3rd mvt
- 1st Place String, McKenna Petersen, with Saint-Saens’ Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso A min, Op.28
Wendy Zhou
Wendy Zhou is a 6 grader at Tays Junior High in Katy, Texas. She began her piano study at five years old. Currently she is studying with Dr. Matthew Loudermilk. Her major achievements in music includes: the winner of the Clear Lake Youth concerto competition for the Junior piano division (2025); 1st place in Taxoma piano competition (2024); 1st place in Houston Forum Completion (2024); The winner of Clear lake Youth concerto competition for the Junior piano division (2023); Gold medalist in the 12th international Chopin Youth Completion for Elementary Division (2021); 1st Prize winner of Kahan Memorial Fund competition for piano Prodigies (2020). She enjoys bringing the beauty of music to all the people who also love music. Besides piano, she also enjoys drawing, swimming, and playing tennis.
Daniel Bain
Daniel Bain, 16, began his musical journey at the age of 10 when he started learning the clarinet in his middle school’s honors orchestra. Now attending DeBakey High School, he is a member of the orchestra program under the direction of Jordan Stewart. Daniel studies clarinet with Chester Rowell and has been with the Houston Youth Symphony for three years. In the High School UIL Solo and Ensemble competition, Daniel earned a top rank of 1 and advanced to the state level, where he received a 1 and was named Outstanding Performer. His accomplishments include winning the 2023 AFA Concerto Competition as its 26th grand prize winner, which led to a performance of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the AFA Symphony Orchestra. In 2025 Daniel won 3rd prize in 26th Annual Virtuosi of Houston Concerto Competition. He was also a finalist in the prestigious Juanita Miller Concerto Competition. Outside of music, Daniel enjoys participating in various clubs such as HOSA, DECA, and Jazz Club.
McKenna Alise Petersen
McKenna Petersen, aged 12, is from Fulshear, Texas. She began taking violin lessons at age 3 with Danette Warren and currently studies with Dr. Mauricio Oliveros. McKenna is a seventh grader at Dean Leaman Junior High where she is concertmaster of the varsity orchestra. She is also a member of Virtuosi of Houston Young Artists Chamber Orchestra and Houston Youth Symphony. McKenna has performed with the Houston Civic Symphony as the junior division winner of their Young Artists Competition. She won second place in the Virtuosi Concerto Competition in 2024 and 2025 and received an Honorable Mention in the Houston Youth Symphony Concerto Competition in 2025. She was also selected as the concertmaster of the TMEA Region 13 Junior High Symphony Orchestra in 2024. McKenna is also a two-time National Champion Fiddler and holds state titles in Colorado, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, reading, swimming, rock climbing and playing piano and mandolin.
For More Information:
| Email: | |
| Phone: | (281) 803-9127 |
| Mail: | 21175 State Highway 249 No. 222 Houston, TX 77070-1655 |
| Web: | https://symphonynorth.org |
| Concert Venue: | Salem Lutheran Church 22601 Lutheran Church Rd Tomball, TX 77377 |
| Donate: | https://symphonynorth.org/donate/ |
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