Webster University Community Music School Student Jerry Chang Receives 2023 YoungArts Award

Webster University Community Music School student Jerry Chang was selected to receive a 2023 YoungArts Award in Classical Music. Chang was recognized at the Honorable Mention level, which is the organization’s second highest honor. By being selected for this award, Chang joins 702 of the most accomplished young literary, visual, and performing artists from across the country.  

Chang is currently a 9th grader at the John Burroughs School in Ladue, Missouri. He has studied piano with Zenan Ilyashov at Webster University’s Community Music School for eleven years. He has previously earned several awards in piano, such as 1st prize of Chopin International Piano Competition at Hartford Young Talents category in 2021, 1st prize of Young Artist I category and Grand Prize finalist of Chicago International Music Competition in 2020, 2nd prize at the Kaufman Youth International Piano Competition Junior II division in 2022, and Winner of MTNA Missouri State Piano Competition Senior Division in 2022. Jerry was selected as the co-winner of the Artist Presentation Society 2020-22 and was selected as a full scholarship recipient by the Chopin Foundation of the United States 2022-2023. 

“Every year we are inspired anew by the talent, dedication and creativity of extraordinary early career artists,” said YoungArts Artistic Director Lauren Snelling. “YoungArts is proud to support artists at critical junctures throughout their lives, and we look forward to providing community and professional and creative development opportunities that will empower the 2023 award winners as they embark on exciting careers in the arts. Now more than ever, it is essential to support artists so that their voices can be heard long into the future.” 

YoungArts award winners must be between the ages of 15-18 years, or in grades 10-12. Award recipients are selected by a panel of artists based upon artistic achievement within a rigorous, blind process.  As an award recipient, Chang has access to exclusive professional and artistic support from YoungArts throughout his career. This includes eligibility for a range of microgrants, fellowships, residencies, opportunities with major venues and cultural partners, and access to YoungArts Post, a free, private online platform for YoungArts artists to connect, collaborate and discover new opportunities. 

Chang joins a distinguished group of accomplished artists as a YoungArts award winner, including Daniel Arsham, Terence Blanchard, Camille A. Brown, Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis, Amanda Gorman, Judith Hill, Jennifer Koh, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Andrew Rannells, Desmond Richardson and Hunter Schafer.

A complete list of award winners can be found at youngarts.org/winners.