Klein Competition

The Irving M. Klein International String Competition is a music competition held annually in June in San Francisco, California. The Klein is open to string players between the ages of 15 and 23 who are not under professional management. The competition was founded in 1985 in memory of Irving M. Klein, an acclaimed cellist and educator.

Each of eight or nine semifinalists, selected in a triple-blind review process from among 110 to 130 applicants, performs a 25-minute recital on the first day. The jury panel advances up to four finalists, who play 35-minute programs on the second day. The judges then award top prizes, which include substantial cash prizes and performance contracts. The performances are open to the public at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and are live-streamed worldwide.

Prize Winners
Past winners of the competition:

Trivia
In the book The Eggnog Chronicles, one fictional character is introduced as "the youngest violinist to win the Irving M. Klein String Competition."