Concert Artists Guild Announce Winner of 2019 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition

Concert Artists Guild is proud to announce four new winners from the 2019 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, held on Sunday, October 6 at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City.

Turkish cellist Jamal Aliyev, American violist Jordan Bak, German recorder player Tabea Debus, and Boston-based piano trio Merz Trio were all named as winners of the competition. See below for videos of the winning performances!

Each of the winners receives prize money, management contracts with CAG (including performance opportunities with more than 40 leading orchestras, concert series, and festivals), a New York showcase performance, and professional career development and coaching.

Jamal and Tabea are both also on the roster of the UK-based Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT). CAG looks forward to furthering opportunities for these artists in both North America and the UK and Europe in partnership with YCAT.

The jury for the CAG Competition included Hanna Arie-Gaifman (Director, 92nd Street Y Tisch Center for the Arts), Liz Mahler (Artistic Administrator, Carnegie Hall), Jessica Lustig (Founding Partner and Managing Director, 21C Media Group), Andrea Fessler (Founder and Executive Director, Premiere Performances of Hong Kong), David Frost (recording producer, multi-Grammy Award winner), Rossen Milanov (conductor), Tito Muñoz (conductor), Dana Fonteneau (Professional Development Consultant and Founder, The WholeHearted Musician), Chris Williams (Senior Vice President, CAG) and Tanya Bannister (President, CAG).

Concert Artists Guild is a non-profit organization that identifies and develops artists with a desire to make an impact in the world through music. Since 1951, CAG has helped more than 500 young musicians launch meaningful careers in the arts. Winners of CAG's annual competition receive comprehensive management support, a New York showcase performance, concert bookings, and professional career development and coaching.