Schumacher Young Artists Competition
Congratulations to the 2025 Schumacher Competition winner; James Carson!
James will perform Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor with the Cleveland Philharmonic on May 3rd and 4th, 2025
The competition is open to all Ohio vocal and instrumental students in grades 7 through 12. The winner receives a solo performance with the orchestra and a cash prize.
Frieda Schumacher
Pictured here on the right, Frieda lived and taught in the former Briggs Estate located in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
In 1929, Frieda was the first woman at the Cleveland Institute of Music to earn a Bachelor of Music degree.
Miss Schumacher advocated for and organized the beginning of the competition which continues to this day.
Past Winners
2025 – James Carson, piano
2024 – Louis Wang, piano
2023 – Marina Ziegler, violin
2022 – Moshi Tang, violin
2021 – No competition held
2020 – Ania Lewis, cello
2019 – Christina Nam, violin
2018 – Abhik Mazumder, piano
2017 – Celina Bethoux, violin
2016 – Henry Shapard, cello
2015 – Isabelle Durrenberger, violin
2014 – Megan Lee, piano
2013 – John Mietus, double bass
2012 – Hannah Moses, cello
2011 – Michael Ferri, violin
2010 – James Thompson, violin
2009 – Stephanie Lee, piano
2008 – Anna Czerniak, violin
2007 – Katrina Bobbs, piano
2006 – Jessica Wen, piano
2005 – Rebekah Daley, horn
2004 – Jinjoo Cho, violin
2003 – Alice Yoo, cello
2002 – Joyce Oh, piano
2001 – Katie Elder, viola
2000 – Elizabeth Diener, flute
Alina Costaras, violin
1999 – Paul Kwak, piano
1998 – Orion Weiss, piano
1997 – Johnny Lee, violin
Jenny Robinson, flute
1996 – Frank Huang, violin
1995 – Andrew and Gilbert Wong,
piano duo
1994 – Wei-Tang Huang, piano
1993 – Stephanie Misono, violin
1992 – Jason DePue, violin
1991 – Stacey Barnes, piano
Karen Lee, violin
1990 – No competition held
1989 – Christina Jennings, flute
Edward B. Christopher, baritone
1988 – Wei-Pin Kuo, violin
1987 – David Borishansky, violin
Lester Lynch, baritone
1986 – Lydia Brown, piano
1985 – Mary Jane Austin, piano
Amy Larsen, piano
Timothy McCoul, trumpet
1984 – Megan Sherman, harp
David Thrall, violin
1983 – Eric Tishkoff, clarinet
Beth Ann Simmons, flute
1982 – Claire Eichhorn, clarinet
Sook Mee Hahn, piano
1981 – Ellen Payne, violin
Brian Reno, trumpet
Christine Rigby, flute
Patricia Welsh, soprano
1980 – Molly Fung, violin
Robert Royse, English horn
1979 – Christopher Norton, marimba
Eugene Chung, violin
1978 – Florence Schwartz, violin
1977 – Karen Berk, piano
1976 – Daniel Silver, clarinet
1975 – Amy Smukler, piano
1974 – Mark Guy, horn
1973 – Laurie Smukler, violin
Anne Cherry, piano