The Young Concert Artists (YCA) has announced the winners of the 2026 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions.

The winners were selected on Nov. 8, 2026 at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center in New York City.

Two solo artists and YCA’s 2026 Ensemble-in-Residence were chosen from a pool of more than 150 applicants to join the YCA roster.

The 2026 winners are 26 years old Canadian soprano Bridget Esler, 16 year old American pianist Taige Wang (age 16); and ensemble, the Dōnum String Quartet from South Korea.

In addition, the jury awarded Laureate Prizes—$5,000 career development grants, and an invitation to return to the Semi-Final Round of a future audition cycle. The recipients of the the laureate prize were  Chinese pianist Jack Gao, Chinese violinist Tianyou Ma and Canadian violist Emad Zolfaghari.

In a statement, YCA President Daniel Kellogg said, “These Auditions represent the heart and soul of YCA. Our final round showcased an exceptional group of artists who delivered truly superb musical performances. It is a privilege to invite these extraordinary musicians, including our 2026 Ensemble-in-Residence, into the YCA family, and we look forward to introducing them to our community during tonight’s Winners Concert.”

This year’s jury included 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.