Through the Serge & Olga Koussevitzky Young Artist Awards, the Musicians Club of New York consistently identifies and presents some of the very best upcoming artists, and by cycling annually through strings, piano, winds/brass, voice, and occasionally other categories, the Club is able to identify a wide range of exceptional artists. A rigid application process requires either a letter of recommendation or a major competition prize, or, in the case of vocal, an audition recording. Every participant is respected from the beginning as a colleague by the Musicians Club of New York.

LIST OF YOUNG ARTIST AWARDS BY YEAR 

2023, Voice

First Prize- Samuel Kidd, Baritone

Second Prize- Kerrigan Bigelow, Soprano

Third Prize- Sara LeMesh, Soprano

2019, Woodwind/Brass

First Prize - Bixby Kennedy, clarinet
Second Prize - Lucija Stilinovic, flute 
Third Prize - Chun Sum Chris Wong, flute
Finalist ($250) -  Julie Nah Kyung Lee, flute
Finalist ($250) - Tae Ho Hwang, saxophone 

2018, Piano
First Prize - Sun-A Park
Second Prize - Sophiko Simsive
Third Prize - Wenting Shi
Fourth Prize - Chrstopher Goodpasture

2017, Strings
First Prize - Wei Lu, violin
Second Prize - Mo Mo, cello
Third Prize - GiYeon Yoon, violin

2016, Voice
First Prize - Michelle Bradley, soprano
Second Prize - Galeano Salas, tenor
Third Prize - Virginie Verrez, mezzo soprano

2015, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Caleb Hudson, trumpet
Second Prize (tie) - Andy Cho, clarinet
Second Prize (tie) - Yen-Chen Wu, bassoon

2014, Piano
First Prize - Meng-Sheng Shen
Second Prize - Yang Liu
Third Prize - Yue Chu

2013, Strings
First Prize - Ha Young Jung, double bass
Second Prize - Tavi Ungerleider, cello
Third Prize - Katha Zinn, violin  

(2011 and 2012 not held)

2010, Voice
First Prize - Joyce El-Khoury, soprano
Second Prize - Jennifer Glière, soprano
Third Prize - Jorell M. Williams, baritone 

2009, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Alexander White, trumpet
Second Prize - Yoobin Son, flute
Third Prize - Paul Won Jin Cho, clarinet
Adjunct Award - Curtis Prichard, euphonium

(2007 and 2008 not held)

2006, Piano
First Prize - Ching-Yun Hu
Second Prize - Roman Rabinovich
Third Prize - Masha Massiuk-Korf
Fourth Prize - Alexey Koltakov

2005, String
First Prize - Yulia Sakharova, violin
(others tk)

(2001-2004 not held) 

2000, Piano
 First Prize - Héctor Sanchez
Second Prize - Gabrielius Alekna

1999, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Andrew Day, flute
Second Prize - William Bomar, flute
Third Prize - Tong Cui, oboe
Adjunct Award Winner - Alice Dade, flute
Adjunct Award Winner - Oskar Espina-Ruiz, clarinet

1998, String
First Prize - Andrey Tchekmazov, cello
Second Prize - Hrant Parsamian, cello
Ju Young Baek, violin
Hung-Wei Huang, viola
Troy Rinker, double bass
David Frühwirth, violin

1997, Voice
First Prize - Kaori Sato, lyric soprano
Maire O'Brien, soprano
Paul Bellantoni, bass baritone
Thomas Meglioranza, baritone

1996, Piano
First Prize - Gustavo Diaz
Ji Eun Kang
James Lent
Jeremy Denk

1995, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Demarre McGill, flute
Second Prize - Jörg Widmann, clarinet
Adjunct Award Winner - Hye Ri Yoon, flute
Adjunct Award Winner - Alison Veronica Potter, flute

1994, String
First Prize - Francois Salque, cello
Second Prize - Lara St. John, violin
Third Prize - Alexis Pia Gerlach, cello
Fourth Prize - Gilad Karni, viola

1993, Voice
First Prize - Eleni Matos, mezzo soprano
Second Prize - Oxana Arkaeva, soprano
Third Prize - Ricardo Tavura, tenor
Adjunct Award Winner - Cristina Fontanelli, soprano

1992, Piano
Prize money was distributed evenly among 5 finalists:
Thomas Bagwell
Ossie Borosh
Wai Cheng
Tatanya Goncherova
Aleksandar Serdar

1991, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Elizabeth Ostling, flute
Second Prize - Igor Begelman, clarinet
Third Prize - Catherine Ransom, flute

1990, String
First Prize - Chui-Yee Lee, cello
Second Prize - Stephanie Finn, cello
Third Prize -Catherine Sim, violin 
Adjunct Award Winner - Joshua Gordon, cello
Adjunct Award Winner - Jeremy McCoy, bass
Adjunct Award Winner - David Niwa, violin

1989, Voice
First Prize - Young Ok Shin, soprano
Second Prize - Brian Matthews, bass
Third Prize - Michele Franco, soprano
Adjunct Award Winner - Matthew Lord
Adjunct Award Winner - Nancy Rathbun

1988, Piano
First Prize - Avner Arad
Second Prize - Janet Newman
Third Prize - Margaret Kampmeier
Adjunct Award Winner - Dan Wen Wei
Adjunct Award Winner - Kyoung Seun Pee
Adjunct Award Winner - Tatiana Rankovich

1987, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Susan Hoeppner, flute
Second Prize - Todd Palmer, clarinet
Third Prize - David Fidele, flute

1986, String
First Prize - Mihai Tetel, cello
Second Prize - Hee-Jin Paik, cello
Third Prize - Alexander Simionescu, violin
Adjunct Award Winner - Erik Harris, double bass
Adjunct Award Winner - Sang Min Park, cello

1985, Voice
First Prize - Lynnen Yakes, mezzo soprano
Second Prize - Mary McClain, lyric soprano
Third Prize - Mary Winston Smith, coloratura soprano
Adjunct Award Winner - Kenn Hicks, tenor

1984, Piano
First Prize - Frederick Blum
Second Prize - Hae Jung Kim
Third Prize -Gregory Slag

1983, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Laura Paulu, flute
Second Prize - Robert Ford, flute
Third Prize - Martin Mangrum, bassoon

1982, String
First Prize - Laura Hamilton, violin
Second Prize - Paul Neubauer, viola
Third Prize - Julie Rosenfeld, violin
Adjunct Award Winner - Stephen Balderson, cello
Adjunct Award Winner - John Feeney, double bass

1981 (information missing)

1980, Voice
First Prize - Cynthia Karnstadt, soprano
Second Prize - Gail Hadani, soprano
Third Prize - Susan Neves, soprano

1979, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Thomas Friedman, French horn
Second Prize - Tyra Gilib
Third Prize - David Henderson

1978, String
First Prize - Carolyn Davis, double bass
Second Prize - Paul Gati, violin

1977, Piano
Prize money was distruted evenly among 5 finalists:
Michael Blum
Virginia Lum
Douglas Montgovery
Henry Palkes
Joanne Polk

1976, Voice
First Prize - Maxine Davis
Second Prize - Sharon Edgeman

1975, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Jeff Cohan, flute
Second Prize - Stewart Newbold, clarinet
Honorable mention: Andrew Cordle, bassoon
Honorable mention: Wendy Denbaum, flute

1974, String
First Prize - Nils Oliver, cello
Honorable mention: Philippe Djokoc, violin
Honorable mention: Bruce Dukoff, violin
Honorable mention: Carol Webb, violin

1973, Piano
First Prize - Marian E. Hahn
Second Prize - Paul Baer
Second Prize - Gary Steigerwalt
Second Prize - Peter Vinograde
Third Prize - Gary de Sesa
Third Prize - Steven Mayer
Third Prize - Ian Shapinsky
Fourth Prize - Roy Jennings
Fourth Prize - Mary Stanton

1972, Voice
First Prize - Pamela Herbert, soprano
Second Prize - Stephen R. Berman, baritone
Third Prize - Peggy Pruett, soprano

1971, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Ransom Wilson, flute
Second Prize - David Stern, clarinet
Third Prize - David Shifrin, clarinet

1970, String
First Prize - Irene Beslau, viola
Second Prize -Fred Slatkin, cello
Honorable mention: R. Frederickson, double bass
Honorable mention: Louis Halle Rowen, cello

1969, Piano
First Prize - Robert DeGaetano
Second Prize - Peter Schaaf
Third Prize - Sandra Rivers
Honorable mention: Michael Schub

1968, Voice
First Prize - Robert Owen Jones, tenor
Second Prize - Lee Bellaver, soprano

1967, Harp
First Prize - Karen Krisel
Second Prize - Frances Cohen
Third Prize - Sylvia Sanders

1966, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Paul Dunkel, flute
Second Prize - Paul Green, clarinet

1965, String
First Prize - Martha Gerschefski, cello
Second Prize -Ann Rylands, violin
Third Prize - William A. Rhein, double bass

1964, Piano
First Prize - Bonnie Bogle
Second Prize -Dolores Holtz
Third Prize - Bela Szilagi

1963, Voice
First Prize - Mary Beck, soprano

1962, String
First Prize - Charles Castleman, violin
Second Prize -Evalyn Steinbock, cello

1961, Woodwind/Brass
First Prize - Paula Robison, flute
Second Prize - Sherman Friedland, clarinet

1960, Voice
First Prize - Jean Kraft, contralto
Second Prize - Joseph Williiams, tenor

1959, Piano
First Prize - Armenta Adams
Second Prize - Mitchell Andrews
Third Prize - Augustin Anievas

1958, String
First Prize - Gilda Muhlbauer, violin
Second Prize - Jules Eskin, cello
Third Prize - Stanley Hoffman, violin

1957, Voice
First Prize - Judith Raskin, lyric soprano
Second Prize - Carl White, baritone

1956, Piano
First Prize - Claudette Sorel
Second Prize - Carol Smith

The Musicians Club of New York actively promotes worldwide orchestral performances of contemporary composers. In 1979, the Koussevitzky Foundation chose the Musicians Club of New York to administer the American International Music Fund, Inc., which was funded by Serge Koussevitzky. This fund was established to give recognition to Composers during their lifetime and to encourage the performance and appreciation of contemporary music. KIRA, the annual Serge & Olga Koussevitzky International Recording Award, is given to a living Composer for a recorded symphonic work, scored for not less than sixteen musicians. In addition to the Koussevitzky Foundation, Serge Koussevitzky's wife Olga, who served as President of the Musicians Club from 1962 to 1975, also willed the Club money, which was received upon the death of her niece, in 1991.

From 1963 to 1978, the prize was known as the Koussevitzky International Recording Award, but following the death of Olga in 1978, the award was officially renamed the Serge and Olga Koussevitzky International Recording Award. For many years, especially during its co-sponsorship periods with Musical America, it has come to be known simply as the KIRA. The Musicians Club of New York carries on the award in both Serge and Olga Koussevitzky's honor, as part of the Club's program in support of contemporary musicians.

LIST OF KIRA WINNERS BY YEAR

2007 Roberto Sierra for 
Sinfonia No. 3 “La Salsa”
Frost Symphony Orchestra, Thomas M. Sleeper, conductor; (Albany TROY942)