Ted Stevens Young Alaskan Artist Award

History of the Ted Stevens Young Alaskan Artist Award

Since 2000, the Anchorage Festival of Music has held an annual competition to recognize an Alaskan classical musician entering the professional field. This competition is unique in Alaska in its presentation of the young artist in a debut recital with a substantial monetary award. Past winners continue to enjoy national and international careers as performers and music educators.

In 1998, Alaskan pianist and Anchorage Festival of Music board member Juliana Osinchuk received a letter from Senator Ted Stevens asking her to contact and advise a young oboist from Fairbanks who had recently performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Like every young talented, upcoming artist, Jaren Philleo was looking for performance opportunities and scholarship monies to enable further studies. The result was a successful Anchorage recital in August 1999. After this, the award became known as the Young Alaskan Artist Award and was annually sponsored by one of Alaska’s oldest performing arts organization, the Anchorage Festival of Music.

In 2008, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Young Alaskan Artist Award program, the Anchorage Festival of Music invited previous winners to celebrate with three concerts of solo and chamber music. Six previous winners came to Alaska to perform.

Senator Stevens remained a strong supporter of the Award throughout his lifetime, often attending the winner’s recital. Two former winners performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. at the memorial concert honoring Senator Stevens in 2010.

The 20^th year of the competition was celebrated with a gala reunion concert in summer 2018. Eight previous winners performed. The award was officially renamed as the Ted Stevens Young Alaskan Artist Award to honor and recognize the contributions of the late Senator.