2024 Frances Walton Competition Winners Outreach Tour
Winners of the Frances Walton Competition — two solo winners and one chamber ensemble winner — embark on outreach tours in September across Puget Sound and Eastern Washington State.
2024 Winners Outreach Tour is September 6th through September 13th, 2024.
East Tour: Kana Funayama, marimba, and Sean Yang, piano.
Hear the solo winners perform on Classical KING’s Northwest Focus Live on Friday, September 6th at 7pm.
Puget Sound Tour: Duo Duoro; Arin Sarkissian, flute, and Kaitlin Miller, harp.
Hear the chamber ensemble winners perform on Classical KING’s Northwest Focus Live on Friday, September 13th at 7pm.
And the Winners of the 2024 Frances Walton Competition are…
Congratulations to the 2024 Frances Walton Competition Winners:
Solo Winners: Sean Yang, piano, and Kana Funayama, marimba
Chamber Ensemble Winner: Duo Duoro, Arin Sarkissian (flute) and Kaitlin Miller (harp)
Congratulations also to 2024 Alternate Winners:
Caitlin Aloia, Soprano
Lingxiao Li, Saxophone
Mousai Quintet: Julia Benitez-Nelson, Flute; Yunze Shao, Clarinet; Ernest Chau, Oboe; Alina Liebschner, Horn; Kenny Ford, Bassoon
Click these links for:
- List of 2024 Competition Finalists
- Free Winners’ Concert Tickets at Tagney Jones Hall
- Finals Schedule
- 2024 Event Program, including events schedule, artist and judges bios, and more – coming soon!
- Finals Livestream – coming soon!
- 2024 Competition Info for Applicants
2024 Frances Walton Competition Finals Schedule
The finals will be held Saturday, June 1st from 9am to 6pm at Tagney Jones Hall (363 Mercer Street). Each finalist performs for 20 minutes. Note: This is subject to change – schedule will be finalized by 5/15.
| Finalist | Performance Time (20 minute set) |
|---|---|
| Xiaolong Lui, piano | 9:00 am |
| Haeun Jung, piano | 9:25 am |
| Sean Yang, piano | 9:50 am |
| Hongyi Zheng, piano | 10:15 am |
| Michail Thompson, trumpet | 10:40 am |
| Maggie Kinabrew, soprano | 11:20 am |
| Caitlin Aloia, soprano | 11:45 am |
| Wan Zhao, mezzo-soprano | 12:10 pm |
| The Dolphins, String Quartet | 1:10 pm |
| Wenlan Jackson, violin | 1:35 pm |
| Jeremy Kienbaum, viola | 2:00 pm |
| Abigail Elder, viola | 2:25 pm |
| Kana Funayama, marimba | 3:05 pm |
| Carter Doolittle, saxophone | 3:30 pm |
| Lingxiao Li, saxophone | 3:55 pm |
| Duo Duoro, Harp & Flute Duo | 5:05 pm |
| The Mousai Quintet | 5:30 pm |
| Winners Announcement Ceremony | 6:30 pm |
Ladies Musical Club Announces 2024 Frances Walton Competition Finalists
SEATTLE, Wash. // May 1st, 2024 – The Ladies Musical Club of Seattle is excited to announce the finalists for the 2024 National Frances Walton Competition:
| Solo Finalists | Instrument | City, ST |
|---|---|---|
| Abigail Elder | Viola | Sommerville, MA |
| Caitlin Aloia | Soprano | Houston, TX |
| Carter Doolittle | Saxophone | Inman, SC |
| Haeun Jung | Piano | Bloomington, IN |
| Hongyi Zheng | Piano | Oberlin, OH |
| Jeremy Kienbaum | Viola | New York, NY |
| Kana Funayama | Marimba | Los Angeles, CA |
| Lingxiao Li | Saxophone | Coralville, IA |
| Maggie Kinabrew | Soprano | Bethany, CT |
| Michail Thompson | Trumpet | Houston, TX |
| Sean Yang | Piano | Ann Arbor, MI |
| Wan Zhao | Mezzo | Tempe, AZ |
| Wenlan Jackson | Violin | Los Angeles, CA |
| Xiaolong Lui | Piano | San Gabriel, CA |
| Chamber Ensemble Finalists | Group Members | City, ST |
|---|---|---|
| Duo Duoro | Arin Sarkissian, Flute and Kaitlin Miller, Harp | British Columbia and Los Angeles, CA |
| Mousai Quintet | Julie Benitez-Nelson, Flute; Ernest Chau, Oboe; Yunze Shao, Clarinet; Alina Liebschner, Horn; Kenny Ford, Bassoon | Rochester, NY |
| The Dolphins String Quartet | Luke Henderson, Violin; Isaac Park, Violin; James Preucil, Viola; Ian Maloney, Cello | New York, NY |
| The Potters *withdrew | Emma Potter, Horn; Gracie Potter, Trombone; Caden Potter, Piano | Surprise, AZ |
The Finals will be held on Saturday, June 1st from 9am to 5:30pm at Seattle Opera’s Tagney Jones Hall. Winners are announced that evening and perform a free concert on Sunday, June 2nd at 2pm.
2024 Frances Walton Competition Event Program
2024 Frances Walton Competition Finals Livestream – Click here!
2024 Frances Walton Competition Application Details:
For more than thirty years, the Frances Walton Competition has provided a unique opportunity for classical musicians ages 20 to 35 to audition for an award package including finalist awards and $3500 to each winning musician and ensemble member; a live performance on Classical KING, one of the premier Classical music stations in the U.S.; and a residency outreach and recital tour of locations throughout the State of Washington.
2024 Frances Walton Competition
For Classical Musicians
Brass | Marimba | Piano | Recorder | Strings | Voice | Woodwinds
Chamber Music Ensemble
Application Deadline is March 1, 2024. A maximum of 200 applications to the 2024 FWC will be accepted.
Soloist Application Fee: $125 (non-refundable)
Chamber Music Ensemble Application Fee: $250 (non-refundable)
Frances Walton Competition Finals
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Frances Walton Competition Winners Concert
Sunday, June 2, 2024, 2:00 PM in Seattle, WA
Award Package
Finalists receive:
- A Finalist Award of $250 for EACH musician, including each member of ensembles
- Professional photography and video of their competition performance
Winners (two solo and one chamber ensemble) receive:
- $3,500 for each solo winner
- $3,500 for EACH member of the winning ensemble ($7000 for duos; $10,500 for trios; $14,000 for quartets; $17,500 for quintets)
- Professional photography and video of the Winners’ Concert
- Residency tours will be held in Washington State September 5-13, 2024, including outreach performances to public schools K-12 and public concerts.
- Live performance on Classical KING, the Pacific Northwest’s premiere Classical radio station.
Special Thanks to Our Partners:
This project is supported in part by Creative West (formerly Western States Arts Federation or WESTAF) the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.