Young Texas Artists’ (YTA) 2024-2025 season is now underway.
“This is a particularly meaningful season for us because it includes our 40th Young Texas Artists Music Competition, a major milestone for us,” YTA President/CEO Susie Pokorski said. “We’ve been helping emerging classical musicians in Texas launch successful careers since 1983. This season, we’re celebrating that legacy and looking forward to continuing our impact well into the future.”
In addition to YTA’s 40th classical music competition, taking place on March 8, 2025, the new season will feature YTA’s annual Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue gala, also on March 8, along with arts events hosted by YTA Circle, a group for YTA supporters. This season, YTA Circle is continuing its Music & Art Through the Centuries series, curated by Joseph Staley.
Classic Cabaret
But first on the lineup is YTA’s kick-off party for the season, set for Thursday, October 24.
The celebration, Classic Cabaret, honors internationally renowned concert pianist James Dick and his acclaimed Round Top Festival Institute, both icons for nurturing aspiring musicians and elevating the arts in Texas.
“James and Round Top Festival Institute are such inspirations to us,” Pokorski said, which is one of the reasons we’re honoring them.”
Dick will also headline YTA’s concert that evening.
The program, featuring a performance by a YTA medalist as well, will take place at The Woodlands Country Club.
While Dick enjoys international acclaim today, he has experienced the impact of quality programs like the Young Texas Artists Music Competition himself. As a music student, he was a major prizewinner in the international Tchaikovsky and Leventritt competitions, among others.
As a professional musician, he went on to receive such honors and commendations as the Texas Medal of Arts, the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture, and Honorary Associate of London’s Royal Academy of Music.
Dick is known just as much for his dedication to young artists as he is for his contributions as a pianist. Since he founded it in 1971, the Round Top Festival Institute has been providing an excellent training and education program for young musicians. Today, the institute operates on a 210-acre European-styled campus, “Festival Hill,” where it serves nearly 100 students annually and offers exceptional performance programs.
“The institute has a large fan base in Montgomery County,” Pokorski said. “Quite a few people here visit Round Top to see performances at the institute.”
Reserve your spot at the YTA Classic Cabaret kick-off Party here.