The South Korean quartet joins the YCA roster along with soprano Bridget Esler and pianist Taige Wang
Following the finals of the 2026 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions on 9 November, Young Concert Artists (YCA) has announced the winners that will join its roster.
They are the Dōnum Quartet, soprano Bridget Esler and pianist Taige Wang. Additionally, the jury awarded laureate prizes of $5,000 to violinist Tianyou Ma, violist Emad Zolfaghari and pianist Jack Gao. They will also be invited to return to the semi-final round of a future audition cycle.
The new roster artists will receive a three-year comprehensive artists management contract, performance opportunities at top venues around the globe and YCA-presented debut recitals in New York City and Washington, D.C.
They will also receive mentorship from YCA leadership and alumni, a commercially-produced album with professional-grade video content, training in education and community engagement projects, plus brand development and special projects.
The Dōnum Quartet comprises violinists Seungwon Park, 26; Inhae Cho 26; violist Ilgyeong Shin, 26 and cellist Hyeonmin Lee, 27. It was formed in 2019 at Seoul National University, made its debut at the Seoul Arts Center in 2022 and was featured in the Kumho Young Chamber Concert in August 2025. It currently serves as graduate quartet in residence at The Juilliard School.
The jury for this year’s auditions was chaired by YCA president Daniel Kellogg and comprised YCA founder Susan Wadsworth, pianist Inon Barnatan, clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein, San Diego Symphony president and CEO Martha Gilmer, conductor Jane Glover, violist Hsin-Yun Huang, violinist Nicholas Kitchen, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts associate director for classical programming Erin Norton, cellist Paul Watkins and soprano Christine Goerke.
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