Musical Masterworks is thrilled to announce that Julia Schilz, first-prize winner of the 2025 Irving M. Klein International String Competition, will be featured as a guest artist in their April 2026 concert weekend. This collaboration brings together two champions of chamber music excellence and marks the first time Musical Masterworks has partnered with the prestigious Klein Competition to present a rising star in its Old Lyme concert series.

Celebrated for her expressive artistry and commanding technique, Julia Schilz, a violinist from New York, emerged as the top laureate of the 2025 Klein Competition, one of the most respected classical music competitions for young string players worldwide.
“We are delighted to begin this new partnership between the Klein Competition and the renowned Musical Masterworks series”, said Competition Artistic Director Mitchell Sardou Klein. “It is especially exciting to be collaborating with our 2008 first prize winner, Tessa Lark, a master chamber musician and visionary leader.”

“We’re honored to be welcoming Julia Schilz to our stage in April,” said Tessa Lark, Artistic Director of Musical Masterworks and herself a former Klein Competition winner. “As someone who knows firsthand the power of this competition to launch careers, I’m particularly excited to share Julia’s extraordinary talent with our community. Her artistry is fresh, magnetic, and deeply rooted in musical integrity.”

This engagement reflects Musical Masterworks’ ongoing commitment to celebrating both established and emerging voices in classical music. Now in its 35th season, the organization continues to spotlight world-class musicians in the intimate and acoustically rich setting of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.

“Bringing the Klein Competition winner to Old Lyme is a wonderful expression of our mission to cultivate artistic excellence and connect audiences with transformative musical experiences,” said Alden Murphy, President of the Musical Masterworks. “We’re proud to support the next generation of great performers.”

Mic Herring, Musical Masterworks’ Executive Director, added: “This partnership reinforces our role as a cultural hub for chamber music in Southeastern Connecticut. Julia Schilz is a remarkable talent, and we’re delighted to introduce her to our devoted audiences here in Connecticut.”

Click here for more information on Musical Masterworks and the 2025–2026 season. For more about the Klein Competition, click here.