2026 Christine Kim
Young Artist Award

Congratulations to Samuel Cao, winner of the
2026 Christine Kim Young Artist Award!
Samuel will perform Andrea Casarrubios’ Armadura at the Jasper Chamber Concerts Season Finale on April 16, 2026 at 7:30pm.

Samuel Cao is a 17 year old cellist from Philadelphia, PA. He started playing the cello at 6 years old, and he studies privately with Gloria dePasquale of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He serves as the principal cellist of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, is a full scholarship recipient of the Settlement Music School Advanced Study Chamber Music Program, and has been a member of the Philadelphia Music Alliance for the Youth Artists' Initiative since 2020. He was recently named a 2026 National YoungArts Award Winner in Classical Music and a 2026 From The Top Fellow and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award Recipient, and he was featured on WRTI's Young Artist Spotlight. During the 2024-2025 season, he performed as a soloist with the Warminster Symphony Orchestra and the Rowan University String Ensemble as a winner of their concerto competitions. As a member of the Myer Schwartz Piano Trio, he was a two-time semifinalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (2024, 2025) and a top-four finalist in the 2024 Coltman Chamber Music Competition. Additionally, Samuel was awarded the First Runner-Up award in the 2022 Philadelphia Young Artists’ Orchestra Concerto Competition and second place finalist in the 2023 Bucks County Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. Samuel has participated in prestigious summer music programs such as the Heifetz International Music Institute and the Domaine Forget International Music Festival, working with teachers like Colin Carr, Clara Minhye Kim, Thomas Mesa, and Julia Lichten. He has participated in masterclasses with artists like Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Amit Peled, Natasha Brofsky, Christine Lee, and Timothy Eddy. Outside of music, Samuel enjoys leading his school’s debate and business teams, watching all of Philly’s sports teams, and exploring the city’s many museums, food spots, and neighborhood parks.

Previous Christine Kim Young Artist Award Winners:

2025: Daniel Qi, violin (Rhapsody No. 1 by Jessie Montgomery)

2024: Aaron Liu, cello (SEVEN for solo cello by Andrea Casarrubios)

Established in 2024 by Jasper Chamber Concerts, the Christine Kim Young Artist Award, is an annual award given to a string player or string chamber ensemble displaying extraordinary artistry performing an 8-15 minute work written after 1980. The winner receives a prize of $500 and an invitation to perform on the Jasper Chamber Concerts Series Finale.

Award: $500 and performance at the Season Finale of Jasper Chamber Concerts on April 16, 2026 at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting in Philadelphia, PA

Eligibility: String players under the age of 22 as of May 1, 2026. Open to solo instrumentalists and string ensembles up to four (4) players. All members of ensembles must meet the age requirement and be available to perform on April 16, 2026 at Jasper Chamber Concerts. Please note, ensembles with piano are not eligible at this time.

Repertoire: A piece for solo string or string ensemble written in or after 1980 with a duration of 8-15 minutes. Works with piano are not eligible. The winning repertoire from the previous competition year will not be eligible for one year (2025: Rhapsody No. 1 by Jessie Montgomery)