Applications now open for Cedille’s new Emerging Artist Competition

Following the success of Cedille’s inaugural Emerging Artist Competition, completed in 2021 (after an 18-month delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Cedille Records will host its second Emerging Artist Competition in Spring 2025 with the continued generous support of the Zell Family Foundation.

The Emerging Artist Competition is designed to showcase and promote Chicago’s emerging talent and classical music community. The winner will record and release their commercial debut album on Cedille Records, joining an impressive roster of artists that includes soloists such as violinists Jennifer Koh and Rachel Barton Pine and ensembles including the Pacifica Quartet, Lincoln Trio, and Third Coast Percussion.

Saxophonist Julian Velasco, winner of the first Emerging Artist Competition in 2021, reflected on the experience of releasing his debut album:

I couldn’t be more proud to have the opportunity to make this record, and also for it to sound as good as it does. It [feels] weird to say sometimes — as an artist reflecting on the music that I create, but it’s a really beautiful representation of what I value. As an artist about to release their first record to confidently be able to say that — that’s incredible. I’m really, really grateful for the team at Cedille because I could not have done that without Cedille Records.

Artists have long told us that our recordings are invaluable promotional tools. They are opportunities to connect with audiences beyond concert halls and they provide, increasingly, a chance to share more widely the work of diverse performers and composers. With your support, Cedille Records covers the costs associated with recording, production, manufacturing, distribution, and promotion for each of its releases, allowing the musicians to focus on their artistic visions.

Cedille will accept online applications in 2024 from eligible emerging artists: soloists and ensembles raised or currently living in the Chicago area. Up-to-ten semifinalists will be selected to perform live for a panel of judges in spring 2025.

Cedille is eager to seek out, recognize, and celebrate new Chicago-based talent through this initiative and is eternally grateful to the Zell Family Foundation for its support of the next generation of Chicago artists.