Carl Rubly Named Overall Winner at Symphony North’s Late Spring Concert & Young Artist Winners Performance
Symphony North of Houston closed its 50th Anniversary Season with a memorable Late Spring Concert & Young Artist Winners performance on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM at Salem Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas.
Conducted by Dr. Karl Blench, the concert celebrated the orchestra’s milestone season while showcasing the outstanding young musicians selected as Symphony North’s 2026 Young Artist Competition 1st Place Category Winners. Following the performance, Symphony North held a special awards presentation recognizing the three category winners and announcing the overall winner of this year’s competition.
Symphony North is pleased to announce that Carl Rubly, 1st Place Piano winner, was named the Overall Winner of the 2026 Young Artist Competition.
Carl performed Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1, bringing energy, precision, and musical maturity to the stage. His performance was one of three featured concerto appearances by this year’s first-place category winners.
The concert also featured Jonathan Zhang, 1st Place Winds winner, performing Ingolf Dahl’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone, and Gabrielle Shin, 1st Place Strings winner, performing the first movement of Felix Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor. Together, these young artists represented the remarkable talent, dedication, and promise of the next generation of classical musicians.
In addition to the Young Artist performances, the program included Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony, arranged and orchestrated by Dr. Karl Blench. The work brought a lively and imaginative spirit to the afternoon, offering audiences a family-friendly musical experience filled with storytelling, color, and orchestral energy.
The concert marked the final performance of Symphony North’s 50th Anniversary Season, bringing a celebratory year of music-making to a close. Symphony North extends its gratitude to the musicians, patrons, volunteers, families, and community supporters who helped make the season possible.
This concert was funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
2026 Young Artist Competition Winners
Overall Winner
Carl Rubly, Piano
1st Place Winds
Jonathan Zhang
Ingolf Dahl — Concerto for Alto Saxophone
1st Place Strings
Gabrielle Shin
Felix Mendelssohn — Concerto in E minor, 1st movement
1st Place Piano
Carl Rubly
Sergei Prokofiev — Piano Concerto No. 1
About Symphony North of Houston
Symphony North of Houston is a community-based orchestra serving North Houston, Tomball, and surrounding communities. Through its concert season and annual Young Artist Competition, Symphony North is committed to presenting accessible orchestral performances while encouraging and celebrating the achievements of young musicians
