During an orchestra rehearsal on November 24, Davin Lee ‘26 received a notification on his phone and checked his email. After reading it, Lee quickly stepped outside of the orchestra room.
“I remember visibly shaking with shock,” Lee said. “Seeing my name on the winners list didn’t feel real, and I still can’t believe it.”
The email that Lee read on that Monday morning turned out to be one from National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (also known as YoungArts,) informing him that he had won the organization’s competition for classical clarinet.
YoungArts selects a small list of winners in each discipline — including classical music — out of a pool of upwards of 13,000 applicants, with the winners being determined by a panel of Juilliard faculty members. Each winner receives up to $10,000 and lifelong access to YoungArts’ vast alumni network and mentorship programs, which include names such as Michael Thurber (orchestrator for Broadway musical “Just in Time”) and Timothée Chalamet.
Some YoungArts winners go on to receive national recognition, and fewer still get the opportunity to be named U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts. Each of those further steps will take place at a later date.
For Lee, the award represents a monumental moment in his young playing career. He stated that hundreds of hours of practice went into the competition, dating all the way back to December 2024. Given that this would be his last chance to be selected after making submissions the two years prior, Lee stated that he put his “maximum effort” in from the start — an effort that paid off. On top of practicing for other contests and programs, such as the statewide ILMEA and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO), Lee’s application
In commenting about the competition, Lee said that it meant “finally seeing all of his hard work come to fruition.” He noted his own struggles in recent years in competitions and national programs, and how this win “made the past decade of clarinet practicing and dedication worth it.” Lee, a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) Core Chamber Orchestra who has played at Carnegie Hall, described the YoungArts award as “the greatest achievement [he’s] ever earned.”
Conductor of the LFA Symphony Orchestra Sally Stephenson said, “I’m very proud of his resilience and determination… not getting accepted didn’t deter him, he kept trying, and finally his senior year he got in. It’s a huge honor.”
After reflecting on the monumental achievement, Lee talked about what comes next for him in his study and pursuit of music. “I’m probably going to pursue a music degree in college as part of a double major… I don’t think I want to go professional but I would still like to continue my music journey post-college.” Though he’s known for wearing Juilliard sweaters around campus, Lee also remarked that he “only auditioned to a few music schools” and doesn’t see himself “going fully into music.”
As he continues his senior year as the LFA Symphony Orchestra’s principal clarinet and looks towards what’s next, Davin Lee ‘26 will be able to look back with pride on taking home the YoungArts award, making yet another feather in his cap of illustrious musical achievements.