The winner of the 2025 Youth Artist Competition is violist Sophia Chacko. She performed the Viola Concerto in G Major by Cecil Forsyth with the Dexter Community Orchestra on May 10th, 2025.

Sophia began piano at the age of four and viola at seven. When she was twelve, she performed her first piano concerto at the International Piano Festival in Poland and went on to win several competitions. She was a finalist in the Steinway Piano Competition in both 2022 and 2024.

As a violist, Sophia studied with the late Yizhak Schotten and currently studies with Mike Chen. She has performed with the MSBOA High School All-State Orchestra for three years, serving as principal chair in 2023. She has also been a member of the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra since 8th grade, where she has held principal chair for two seasons. In 2025, Sophia received an Honorable Mention in the CYE Concerto Competition, and her quartet won first prize at the MASTA Chamber Music Competition.