TicketsThis spring, talented chamber musicians from the Michigan State University College of Music will take the stage for the fifth annual Barbara Wagner Chamber Music Competition Showcase. Part of the MSU Federal Credit Union Showcase Series, Sunday, April 6, at 1:00 p.m. in Cook Recital Hall, where six student ensembles will compete for top honors, cash prizes, and professional opportunities.
This year’s competition features some of MSU’s finest chamber music groups, representing a variety of instrumentations including brass, winds, percussion, and strings. The ensembles will perform before a live audience and a panel of guest judges, with first, second, and third-place winners announced at the conclusion.
Winners of the 2024 Barber Wagners Chamber Music Competition Showcase, Proteus Percussion members Evan Moore, Ethan Strickland, Ben Mapes, and Cory Doran perform together on stage in Cook Recital Hall.
“There’s an incredible amount of excitement building for this year’s competition,” says Yvonne Lam, assistant professor of violin and coordinator of Chamber Music at MSU. “The students have been working incredibly hard, and I’m thrilled to see their dedication come to life on stage. With such a great variety of ensembles, this year’s showcase promises to be an unforgettable experience for both performers and audience members alike.”
This year’s guest judges include MingHuan Xu, Maury Okun, and Pavel Vinnitsky, who will evaluate the ensembles and determine the top prize winners. The competition will run approximately 3.5 hours, including a brief intermission and a short break before the final deliberation.
The six competing chamber groups include both graduate and undergraduate musicians from the College of Music:
For more information about the competing groups and the concert, visit the Wagner Chamber Music Competition event page posted online. The chamber music competition program and concert are generously sponsored by Barbara E. Wagner and the 2024-2025 Showcase Series is underwritten by the MSU Federal Credit Union.
General admission seating is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (age 60 and older) and free for students. The event will also be streamed live from the College of Music’s website at https://music.msu.edu/event/barbara-wagner-chamber-music-competition-showcase/. Information on this and other concerts, recitals and performances can be found at music.msu.edu/event-listing.
