You're invited to vote for the winner of the inaugural Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, which honors Karin Larson's dedication to youth, women and classical music. Our judges chose three finalists from a pool of inspiring entries, and now the public's votes will determine the winner! We’ll announce the winner June 5.
To cast your vote:
Watch each finalist’s performance video below — presented in alphabetical order by last name — and read their responses to our two brief essay questions:
o How does your video celebrate women in classical music?
o What would winning this prize mean to you?
Vote below on which submission is your favorite!
The finalist receiving the most votes is the winner of the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize! They’ll win $20,000, studio time at MPR's renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio and the opportunity to perform at an MPR board meeting in June.
Voting closes May 31. Help determine the winner of the first-ever Karin Larson YourClassical Prize now!
Catherine Carson
CATHERINE CARSON
Violin
Northfield, Minnesota
How does your video celebrate women in classical music? “My submission, a recent performance of Rhapsody No. 2 for Solo Violin, is a piece written by Jessie Montgomery, an inspiring composer and violinist whose work has been gaining quite a bit of recognition in the past few years. In an obvious sense, this piece celebrates women in classical music because it was written by a woman — but what drew me to this work is its tempestuous, emotive and lifelike quality. Montgomery, as a Black woman composer, often writes music that is reminiscent of her identity; because of this, I often feel that her work has a unique sense of life, with a natural ebb and flow, and that this piece almost breathes with me as I play it. I think it's very special for a composition to celebrate life and identity in such a way.”
What would winning this prize mean to you? “As a woman in classical music hoping to eventually become a professional, one of my greatest aspirations is to bring even more recognition to women composers and instrumentalists in this field. I was raised by classical musicians, and the women in my family all faced varied levels of difficulties when building their careers — but watching them succeed throughout my life heavily inspired me to keep making music. The progress made in the past few decades is great, but there is still an obviously uneven ratio when it comes to women being prevalent in classical music. Winning this award would allow me to continue my journey in discovering underappreciated composers and musicians as I pursue my master's degree and would be so rewarding to me and my family as I start building my own career in the coming years.”
Ammy Lin
AMMY LIN
Dizi (Chinese bamboo flute)
Baxter, Minnesota
How does your video celebrate women in classical music? “Until the past few decades, it was rare to have a female dizi (bamboo flute) performer. With the gradual change in societal perceptions of gender roles, an increasing number of women have begun to dive into the world of traditional music, although male dizi performers are still the majority. In other words, changing the perception of males having more expertise, being more physically capable and technically advanced for playing the dizi is still an ongoing struggle; however, I've always felt supported by my female teacher, Gao Hong, over the past year that I've been learning this instrument and look up to her for her expertise and dedication to uplifting other female voices. As such, being able to perform this piece with her is an immense honor and testament to the growing strength of female voices in the music community.”
What would winning this prize mean to you? “Winning this prize would mean so much to me along so many different levels. I started learning the dizi to become more in touch with my Chinese roots, and in the process, I've discovered many other aspects of myself. For instance, I was scared of performing and making my voice heard, always trying to blend into the background and conform to the model minority, female stereotypes placed upon me. Watching and having the honor to play with my teacher has motivated me to chase my dreams not only in music but in other aspects of my life. Winning this would be a moment of pride not just for myself but for everyone who has supported and believed in me along the way. It would be a dream realized, inspiring me to continue striving for excellence and pushing boundaries in everything I do.”
Clara Wrolstad
CLARA WROLSTAD
Piano
Minnetrista, Minnesota
How does your video celebrate women in classical music? “Cécile Chaminade: praised by critics for "feminine grace” but criticized for writing ‘superficial salon music.’ Considering the broad scope of emotion and depth in her compositions, both statements are inherently demeaning. With the lack of advocacy, Chaminade never gained the notoriety she deserves. Unfortunately, this parallels many women composers' experiences, whose voices are oppressed by those who believe music by women is lesser than by men. Women composers and performers alike are commended when creating beautiful, elegant music labeled as ‘feminine’ but denounced as ‘fraudulently masculine’ when interpreting stormier, turbulent passages. Yet women understand emotion just as deeply as men and therefore are equally capable of musical expression. Automne, with its stark contrasts, encapsulates the duality of a woman's ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ traits. With this performance, I aim to celebrate that women are multifaceted beings. Whether they are composers or performers, they are equally skilled as their male counterparts.”
What would winning this prize mean to you? “I am attending Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, this fall, where I will be studying at the Bienen School of Music. I started classical piano when I was 4 years old and am ecstatic to be furthering my musical education at Northwestern. The prize money would ease the expense of college tuition. Having professional recordings of my performance would be beneficial for future opportunities by expanding my portfolio and building a foundation to form relations upon. Additionally, to have multichannel marketing would provide a platform otherwise not possible, bringing my mission of celebrating the music of all women to a wider audience. I would be deeply honored to have the opportunity to perform for the MPR board, who are behind the radio station I grew up listening to and have introduced me to pieces I otherwise would be unfamiliar with, shaping me both as a pianist and person.”
Vote now
Who gets your vote for the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize? Make your selection for one performer below. Click once to select the person you’re voting for, and then click once on the Vote button. You may vote only once.
Love the music?
Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.
Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.
YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.
