February 7-8, 2025
Vera Lea Rinker Hall
Welcome to the 2025 Palm Beach Atlantic University Young Artist Competition where we advance the arts by providing young pianists with opportunities for prizes and performances. Held on February 7-8, 2025, selected high-school pianists will compete for prizes, participate in masterclasses, and gain valuable experience. The competition will take place at the Vera Lea Rinker Hall at PBA’s College of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Important Dates
Prizes
- 1st Prize $14,500
Manfred and Trudy Bung Scholarship* $12,000 and $2,500 cash - 2nd Prize $11,500
Sandra Houle Memorial Scholarship* $10,000 and $1,500 cash
- 3rd Prize $9,000
Marlene Woodward-Cooper Scholarship* $8,000 and $1,000 cash
Honorable Mentions: At judges’ discretion, participation in the afternoon masterclass and certificate.
*Scholarship dependent upon acceptance to and enrollment at Palm Beach Atlantic University when eligible
Our Judges
This year we are thrilled to announce the judges for the competition. Hosted by PBA the panel includes our very own, Dr. Jackie Yong and we welcome this year’s guest artist, Victor Rosenbaum.
Victor Rosenbaum has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across the U.S., Europe, Asia, Israel, Brazil, and Russia in renowned venues like Tully Hall in New York and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. He has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Leonard Rose, Paul Katz, and the Brentano and Cleveland String Quartets, and has appeared at prestigious festivals including Tanglewood, the Heifetz Institute, and the International Music Seminar in Vienna. In addition to his focus on classical repertoire by composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Brahms, he has premiered works by contemporary composers like John Harbison and Norman Dinerstein. A versatile musician, Rosenbaum is also a composer and conductor, and a respected educator at the New England Conservatory since 1967, where he chaired the piano department, as well as at Mannes School of Music and other institutions worldwide. He served as Director and President of the Longy School of Music from 1985 to 2001.
Dr. Jackie Yong is an internationally-recognized scholar-pianist and pedagogue, Dr. Yong, achieved both Licentiate and Associate Performance Diploma accredited by Trinity College of London. He has won top prizes in the Rockwood Piano Competition, Asia-Open International Piano Competition, Charleston International Piano Competition, ASWARA International Piano Competition, and the Young Person’s Piano Competition. As a scholar, Dr. Yong has been presenting and performing at CMS, MTNA and NCKP conferences. He is a two-time winner of the David Z. Kushner Paper Award in CMS Regional Conference. Dr. Yong is also a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and Phi Kappa Phi honor society. Dr. Yong is an MTNA certified adjudicator where he has adjudicated the Tallahassee Sonata and Sonatina Festival and the Tallahassee Student Day since 2008. Doctor of Music degree in piano performance, Florida State University Certificates in piano pedagogy, music theory pedagogy and college teaching.
How to Register for the Competition
- Please review the details and requirements of the competition below.
- With all materials and video links (YouTube / Vimeo) ready, click below and begin the application process under “Apply Now.”
- Once you have completed the application form, submit your non-refundable, $50 application fee through Eventbrite by clicking below. Your application will notbe processed nor accepted until the fee has been submitted.
Important Information
Eligibility Details
1. All participants must be 15 to 18 years of age at the time of the competition.
2. The 2025 PBA Piano Competition will be open to a limited number of accepted finalists.
3. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m., January 6, 2025
4. Application fee is $50
5. Previous first-prize winners are not eligible to compete again.
6. Applicants must submit a prescreening video comprising two contrasting compositions which showcase the applicants’ abilities.
7. Finalists shall prepare 20 minutes of music including two of the following four styles: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionist/Contemporary. All repertoire must be performed from memory. Performances may be interrupted without penalty for the sake of time.
Schedule of Events
- Distinguished Artist Recital
Victor Rosenbaum, Piano
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 - Young Artist Piano Competition
Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Piano Competition
2 – 4 p.m. Masterclasses with the judges
- Young Artist Piano Competition Winners’ Recital
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8
Reception to follow
All rights to audio/video recordings or photographs during the competition belong to Palm Beach Atlantic University.