SAMUEL FORDIS YOUNG ARTISTS
CONCERTO COMPETITION
Samuel Fordis Young Artists Concerto Competition
Named in honor of former concertmaster and cherished colleague Sam Fordis, the annual Georgia Philharmonic Young Artists Concerto Competition invites the next generation of great musicians to establish their place in musical history! In a spring concert of every calendar year, we feature several outstanding young musicians from Georgia* in concert with the orchestra. Concert laureates are selected by audition in the late fall for this opportunity for a premiere performance with the Georgia Philharmonic.
*String, Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion musicians who reside in or attend school in the state of Georgia. There may not be a winner selected for every category every year.
Previous Winners
2025/26
David Jeong, cello
Larry Kong, saxophone
Andrew Lee, violin
2024/25
Ethan Goh, cello
Arina Lee, violin
Hamin You, violin
2023/24
Kate "Sunny" Kim, violin
Caroline Malcom, piano
Tej Panchal, harp
Grant Peng, flute
2022/23
Charlotte Jeong, violin
Roy Lee, violin
Jiayi Lu, cello
Chloe Park, flute
2021/22
Eric Chen, cello
Tobias Liu, violin
Alexia Toma, flute
Rebekah Willard, violin
Yining Zhang, violin
2020/21
Maria Victoria Chirinos, violin
Charlotte Jeong, violin
Brandon Leonard, cello
Alexia Toma, flute
Lily West, violin
2019/20
Lexine Feng, cello
Eugenie Lim, violin
Matthew McDowell, violin
Nathaniel Parker, violin
Asaph Tsai, violin
2018/19
Clair Cho, violin
Anna Gribkova, violin
Richard Lee, violin
Roy Lee, violin
Passacaglia Mason, violin
Samuel Fordis
July 21, 1921 - March 17, 2010
Samuel Fordis, Hazzan and violinist, had a lifelong passion for music, studying violin with Branislaw Gimpel and Abram Shtern. After leaving the Army Air Corp Orchestra, he became a recording artist for Universal Studios. He served as concertmaster of the Palisades Symphony, Brentwood-Westwood Symphony and three orchestras in Georgia. He also played with the Santa Monica Symphony.
As Hazzan, he served Valley Beth Shalom, Burbank Temple Emanu El, Adat Shalom and other synagogues. He trained many Cantors who serve around the U.S. and Canada. Sam was concertmaster of the Georgia Philharmonic for many years and his passion and love of music lives on with the orchestra.
Previous Winners
2022/23
Charlotte Jeong, violin
Roy Lee, violin
Jiayi Lu, cello
Chloe Park, flute
2025/26
David Jeong, cello
Larry Kong, saxophone
Andrew Lee, violin
2024/25
Ethan Goh, cello
Arina Lee, violin
Hamin You, violin
2023/24
Kate "Sunny" Kim, violin
Caroline Malcom, piano
Tej Panchal, harp
Grant Peng, flute
2021/22
Eric Chen, cello
Tobias Liu, violin
Alexia Toma, flute
Rebekah Willard, violin
Yining Zhang, violin
2020/21
Maria Victoria Chirinos, violin
Charlotte Jeong, violin
Brandon Leonard, cello
Alexia Toma, flute
Lily West, violin
2019/20
Lexine Feng, cello
Eugenie Lim, violin
Matthew McDowell, violin
Nathaniel Parker, violin
Asaph Tsai, violin
2018/19
Clair Cho, violin
Anna Gribkova, violin
Richard Lee, violin
Roy Lee, violin
Passacaglia Mason, violin
Samuel Fordis
July 21, 1921 - March 17, 2010
Samuel Fordis, Hazzan and violinist, had a lifelong passion for music, studying violin with Branislaw Gimpel and Abram Shtern. After leaving the Army Air Corp Orchestra, he became a recording artist for Universal Studios. He served as concertmaster of the Palisades Symphony, Brentwood-Westwood Symphony and three orchestras in Georgia. He also played with the Santa Monica Symphony.
As Hazzan, he served Valley Beth Shalom, Burbank Temple Emanu El, Adat Shalom and other synagogues. He trained many Cantors who serve around the U.S. and Canada. Sam was concertmaster of the Georgia Philharmonic for many years and his passion and love of music lives on with the orchestra.
Samuel Fordis
July 21, 1921 - March 17, 2010
Samuel Fordis, Hazzan and violinist, had a lifelong passion for music, studying violin with Branislaw Gimpel and Abram Shtern. After leaving the Army Air Corp Orchestra, he became a recording artist for Universal Studios. He served as concertmaster of the Palisades Symphony, Brentwood-Westwood Symphony and three orchestras in Georgia. He also played with the Santa Monica Symphony.
As Hazzan, he served Valley Beth Shalom, Burbank Temple Emanu El, Adat Shalom and other synagogues. He trained many Cantors who serve around the U.S. and Canada. Sam was concertmaster of the Georgia Philharmonic for many years and his passion and love of music lives on with the orchestra.