2026 Concerto Competition winners announced

Congratulations to the winners of the College of Music’s 2025-26 Concerto Competition! On March 29 in Grusin Music Hall, the competition finals showcased the college’s remarkable graduate and undergraduate students competing for a chance to perform with the ��ӽ紫ý Symphony Orchestra this fall. Undergraduate flutist Corva Graham and graduate cellist Sam Moore won that honor and will appear as soloists with the orchestra during its 2026-27 season.*

Undergraduate competition winner
Corva Graham, a third-year undergraduate studying flute performance and statistics & data science, won the undergraduate competition performing Hisatada Otaka’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Op. 30b accompanied by Associate Teaching Professor of Collaborative Piano Hsiao-Ling Lin. Graham is a student of Professor of Flute Christina Jennings, Brook Ferguson and Rachelle Crowell.

“Winning this competition is incredibly meaningful to me and I’m so excited to share the Otaka concerto later this year,” she says. “Though not widely known, it’s one of my favorite works. The concerto blends Eastern musical ideas with late-Romantic influences. It contains post-World War II gravity paired with a persistent sense of resilience and hope.

“I'd like to thank Professor Christina Jennings and Brook Ferguson as well as the ��ӽ紫ý Fludio [flute studio] for their support. I'm also feeling especially grateful to Dr. Hsiao-Ling Lin for her inspiration and collaboration.”

Graduate competition winner
��First-year master’s student in cello performance Sam Moore performed Dmitri Kabalevsky’s Cello Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 77 accompanied by Will Shi, lecturer, collaborative piano. Moore is currently studying with Associate Professor of Cello David Requiro.��

“I feel very grateful for all of my mentors, especially Professor Requiro, for their guidance,” he says. “I'd also like to thank my collaborator, Dr. William Shi, for all his work. I'm excited to perform this incredible concerto with the orchestra next year!”

Honorable mention
Congratulations also to��Spencer Cox, saxophone—a student of��Assistant Professor of Saxophone��Nathan Mertens—who performed Ingolf Dahl’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra earning an honorable mention.��

Congratulations to��all who competed this year!

Undergraduate finalists:��
Corva Graham, flute
Keegan Arnsmeier, trumpet��
Willem Rohwer, double bass��

Graduate finalists:��
Sam Moore, cello
Spencer Cox, saxophone (honorable mention)
Hannah Benson, mezzo-soprano��
Conner Johnson, trumpet��
Andrew Konopak, baritone��
Katharine Nelson, violin��
John Petefish, clarinet��
Warner Nûñez Solano, piano��
Jordan Spivack, horn��

This year, the judging panel for the finals included Co-chair, Voice + Opera + Musical Theatre and Associate Professor of Vocal Coaching Jeremy Reger, Assistant Teaching Professor of Music Education and Associate Director of Orchestras Renee Gilliland, Assistant Professor of Conducting + Music Education and Associate Director of Bands Logan Sorey and guest judge Natasha Kislenko—piano/collaborative piano faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Music Academy of the West, and principal pianist of the Santa Barbara Symphony.

*Check�� to catch the winners’ performances this fall!