Congratulations to our 2025 Concerto Competition Winners!

Thanks to all our contestants for your hard work. Your incredible talents were on full display!

Maya Mueller, Clarinetist
2025 Concerto Competition Senior Division Winner

Hear Maya perform the Mozart Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra with The Santa Fe Symphony at Sounds of the Season — Sunday, December 7 at 4 PM. 

Maya Mueller is a clarinetist currently pursuing her Master of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music, where she studies with David Krakauer. She recently graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance, studying under Mariam Adam. Originally from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Maya is proud to represent her home state in this performance. She is especially grateful to her high school band director, Daniel Holmes of Cleveland High School, as well as her early instructors Michael Herrera and Michael Gruetzner, for their foundational support and encouragement throughout her musical development. She was also a dedicated member of the Albuquerque Youth Symphony for four years, an experience that helped nurture her early passion for orchestral playing.

Maya was the recipient of the Linde B. Wilson Scholarship for musical performance during all four years at Vanderbilt. While at Vanderbilt, she performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral clarinetist. Highlights include serving as principal clarinetist in the Vanderbilt Orchestra and Wind Symphony, and appearing as a featured soloist at the 2023 College Band Directors National Association conference. She also performed regularly with the Blair School of Music’s Contemporary Music Ensemble, including a collaboration with composer Wadada Leo Smith.

Her chamber music experience spans repertoire from Bartók to Valerie Coleman, with recent performances at prestigious summer festivals. At the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival in New York, she performed at Lincoln Center and worked with clarinetists Mark Dover and Romie de Guise-Langlois. At the Zodiac Music Academy & Festival in France, Maya worked with clarinetist Kliment Krylovskiy, premiered a student composition, and performed in historic venues. She also held principal roles at the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina.

Deeply committed to making music more accessible, Maya has taught in underserved communities across the U.S. and abroad. Her outreach includes volunteer teaching through the W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville, the Banda Sinfónica Integrada de las Américas in Colombia, and the Daraja Music Initiative in Tanzania.

Through this performance and beyond, Maya is honored to share her artistry with audiences and remains devoted to a career that bridges performance, education, and advocacy.

Congratulations to all our 2025 Concerto Competition finalists!

Senior Division Finalists

First Place
Maya Mueller, Clarinet

Second Place
Nathan Aguirre, Violin

Third Place
Marina Weideman, Violin

Junior Division Finalists

First Place
Reagan Devenport, Violin

Second Place
Jackson Agee & Samson Jeansonne, Alto Saxophones

Third Place
Summer Crabb, Cello