Young Texas Artists Get a Rising Star Boost At The Crighton Theatre — a 40th Anniversary With Classical Music Power

Young Texas Artists pulled out all the stops for its 40th anniversary celebration. The evening at the Crighton Theatre in Conroe was packed with electrifying performances, Texas star power and world-class classical music talent. Gala proceeds support the Young Texas Artists Music Competition, where emerging classical musicians compete for $40,000 in cash prizes and performance opportunities. Grammy-winning musician Ray Benson, founder of Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel, served as both the evening’s emcee and guest performer.

YTA’s Night of Music, Art and Texas Spirit

The celebration kicked off with Young Texas Artist’s benefit gala dubbed Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue. Attendees enjoyed Texas barbecue, dancing and a live auction. An art show, curated by Joseph Staley, highlighted emerging Texas visual artists. 

After the meal, everyone witnessed the direct impact of their support during the YTA Finalists’ concert and awards program at Conroe’s historic Crighton Theatre. Benson praised the talented finalists and shared memories about his own musical beginnings.

“As a young man, I played in the high school orchestra and band,” Benson recalls. “I played upright bass and tuba, and I studied to be a tubaist for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Everything I learned in high school enabled me to pursue the career I’ve had for the last 55 years.

“That’s why I’m here. Because it’s the young folks who start out in music, and classical music needs that support.”

A Platform for Rising Stars

Young Texas Artist’s music competition primarily supports Texas musicians but welcomes young artists from around the world who are either Texas residents or studying at Texas music schools. Founded in 1983, it has become a premier arts nonprofit and cultural jewel for Texas. The competition has launched the careers of thousands of young musicians and built strong connections with orchestras, opera companies, universities and conservatories. Alumni include Grammy Award winners, three Grammy nominees, a silver medalist in an international band competition and singers from New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

This year, 82 artists from 12 countries and 70 music schools entered the competition. The evening featured the top two in each of four categories vying for gold and silver medals.

“The night was pure Texas,” YTA president and CEO Susie Moore Pokorski says. “Our entertainers, from Ray Benson to Bill Mock and The Highway 105 Band, infused our celebration with the Lone Star spirit. Our guests, decked out in their Lone Star bling, added to it.

“It meant so much to be able to create a special night for our supporters. To see them enjoying our young artists’ performances is an integral part of YTA’s 40-year legacy.”

Celebrating the Winners

The artists, ages 18 to 30 (20 to 32 in the Voice division), competed in one of the four performance divisions: Piano; Strings; Voice; Winds, Brass, Percussion, Harp & Guitar. The competition awarded Grand Prize and Audience Choice awards.

The 2025 Grand Prize winner is violinist Fiona Shea, following up Gold Medal and Audience Choice Award wins in 2023. Shea is pursuing a doctorate at Rice University and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Colburn Conservatory of Music. She also earned YTA’s Gold Medal in the Strings division for her performance. She won a total of $10,000.

Shea got her start in music at three years old. “My parents are classical musicians, and I grew up seeing them perform,” she says. “They were a big inspiration to me, as well as all of my teachers.”

Other gold medal winners include Zhengyi Huang (Piano), saxophonist Jacob Feldman (Winds, Brass, Percussion, Harp & Guitar) and soprano Elizabeth Marlow (Voice). The gold medalists received $5,000 each.

Voice gold medalist Elizabeth Marlow, a proud product of Conroe ISD, made history as YTA’s first Montgomery County winner in years. “Through my education and the support of my family, I had a lot of experience with choral singing, musical theater and the all-state process,” Marlow says. “I started voice lessons at 10 and kept going with it.”

Silver medals were awarded to cellist William Suh (Strings), Szuyu Su (Piano), harpist Maria de Jesus Contreras (Wind, Brass, Percussion, Harp & Guitar) and Hannah Moreno (Voice). The silver medalists received $3,000 each. Su, also the Audience Choice Award winner, received an additional $3,000.

Before leaving the stage, Benson emphasized the importance of supporting musicians and schools. That’s something Young Texas Artists is dedicated to providing.

“It’s important to support our local symphony orchestras and ensembles,” Benson says. “They inspire the next generation of musicians and performers. Like many of these artists, I benefited from both public and private education, starting in the junior high and continuing through high school and colle

“Arts programs in schools are the foundation of what we become.”