National Schadt String Competition

Edwin H. Schadt (left), Leigh W. Schadt (right)

Edwin H. Schadt (1910–1994) and Leigh W. Schadt (1904–1996) were lifelong Allentown residents and successful businessmen who founded Towne Auto Company. Sons of Mary and Henry Schadt, they grew up at 1048 North 11th Street and attended Lincoln School, Muhlenberg Prep, and the Wharton School of Business.

Their father, a self-taught violinist, had custom violins made for them and arranged lessons, though neither pursued a musical career. To honor their father’s passion, they established a trust supporting young violinists through scholarships, music camps, and youth concerts.

After their passing, the trust funded the National Schadt String Competition, launched in 1997 by the Allentown Symphony Association. Initially annual for 21 years, it became a biennial event in 2018, alternating between violin and cello. The First Prize includes a $12,000 cash award and a solo performance with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra.

Next Competition: March 8, 2026 (Violin)

Application portal will open July 1, 2025.
Application deadline is December 15, 2025.

The following pieces will not be allowed as entry pieces for the 2026 Violin Schadt Competition due to recent performances of these pieces by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra:

Violin Concerto by Samuel Barber
Violin Concerto by Edward Elgar
Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch
Violin Concerto by Feliz Mendelssohn

We will accept either audio or video file formats in the application, but we should emphasize that it is still a blind application process and we will not watch videos when reviewing their individual applications.

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Past Prize Winners

25th Annual competiton winners, from left to right: Gaeun Kim (First Prize), Megan Yip (Second Prize & Audience Favorite) & Aaron Wolff (Third Prize). Photography: Marco Calderon

2024 Cello · Gaeun Kim · Megan Yip · Aaron Wolff
2022 Violin · Leonard Fu · Shenae Anderson · Russell Iceberg
2020 Cello · Gabriel Martins · Nathan Le · Connor Kim
2018 Violin · Timothy Chooi · Ania Filochowska · Hannah Cho
2017 Guitar · Tengyue Zhang · Young Ik Jang · Alec Holcomb
2016 Cello · Alexander Hersh · Sujin Lee · Noemie Raymond-Friset
2015 Violin · Zeyu Victor Li · Clare Semes · Wei Lu
2014 Guitar · Silviu Ciulei · Celil Refi Kaya · Brendan Evans
2013 Cello · Christine Lamprea · Austin Huntington · Sang Yhee
2012 Violin · Ji-Won Song · Siwoo Kim · Clara Lyon
2011 Guitar · Petrit Ceku · Benjamin Beirs · Silviu Ciulei
2010 Cello · Jacqueline Choi · Meta Weiss · Matthew Zalkind
2009 Violin · SoJin Kim · Hyorim Han · Shih-Kai Lin
2008 Classical Guitar · Nemanja Ostojic · Andrew Stroud · Benjamin Beirs
2007 Cello · Jonathan Lewis · Paul Dwyer · Alice Yoo
2006 Violin · Erin Keefe · Stephanie Jeong · Eunice Keem
2005 Classical Guitar · Aaron Brock · Randall Avers · David Galvez
2004 Cello · Julia Bruskin · Alice Yoo · Mihai Marica
2003 Violin · Angie Cheng · Nelson Lee · Katie Hynn · Wu Jie
2002 Classical Guitar · Marco Sartor · Aaron Brock · David Galvez
2001 Cello · Efe Baltacigil · Jesus Casto-Balbi · Sharon Bogas
2000 Violin · Daniel Kossov · Min-Young Kim · MinJung Kamg
1999 Classical Guitar · Denis Azabagic · Luis Mantovani · Rene Izquierdo
1998 Cello · Christopher Miroshnikov · Andre Tchekmazov · Clancy Newman
1997 Violin · Irina Muresanu · Kun Dong · Judith Ingolfsson