The winners of the 2018 Young Artist’s Harp Competition have been announced. From July 4–7, 2018, 23 finalists from five countries came together in Gambier, Ohio to compete. Claire Thai won the emerging artist division, and Renee Murphy, Janice Hur, and Danielle Nam received second, third, and fourth respectively. The YAHC is part of the Young Artist’s Harp Seminar, an annual two-week training program for harpists ages 12–26, though the competition portion is held every two years prior to the seminar. Competitors were selected from a preliminary video audition held in May 2018, and the live finals were judged by Lynne Aspnes, Jude Mollenhauer, Maria Luisa Rayan, Katherine Siochi and Florence Sitruk.
Emerging Artist Division (age 19 and under)
First Place: Claire Thai (U.S.)
Second Place: Renee Murphy (U.S.)
Third Place: Janice Hur (Korea)
Fourth Place: Danielle Nam (U.S.)
New Artist Division (age 14 and under)
First Place: Yuet Kan (China)
Second Place: Aimee Hang Yu Lam (China)
Third Place: Isabella McCormick (U.S.)
Preparatory Division (age 11 and under)
First Place (tie): Lydia Kessler (U.S.)
First Place (tie): Goldi Woods (U.S.)
Second Place: Olivia Lee (U.S.)
Third Place: Zulaykha Kadieva (Russia)
For more information about the competition visit http://www.harpseminar.com/about-the-competition/.
