The Finalists have today been announced at the two thousand twenty-three Plowman Chamber Music Contest in Columbia, Missouri. The biennial event is hosted in honor of Columbia community member Janice Plowman — who committed her life to education and the arts. Hosted in two chamber music categories, Piano & Strings and Brass, Woodwinds & Percussion, this year’s ensembles progressing to the competition's Final Circular are: Zelter String Quartet Kodachrome Saxophone Quartet Menil PIano Trio Amo Brass Quintet Estella String Quartet This year's final will be streamed LIVE here on The Violin Channel. With a Prize of US $5000, the contest also offers a Odyssey Chamber Music Series Award, worth US $2000, and an opportunity to carry out in the two thousand twenty-four Odyssey Chamber Music Series, in Columbia, Missouri.

The two thousand twenty-three jury comprises pianist Lucille Chung, cellist Amit Peled, and horn player Jeff Scott. “I founded the Plowman Contest in two thousand-fifth — as a collaborative project with the MO Symphony Society,” Contest Artistic Director Ayako Tsuruta told The Violin Channel. “Our mission was, and still is, to indicate our Mid-Missouri area audiences the exceptional talents of youthful chamber musicians across the nation, and in turn, share our enthusiastic and well-educated audiences with the following generation of performers.” "If I were judging, I'd be looking for an ensemble that's both charisma and professional polish, and most importantly, the desire and passion to carry out chamber music," she said.