CHICAGO, IL (May 19, 2025)— Cedille Records, a nonprofit, Chicago-based classical music label led by President and Founder James Ginsburg, named Oliver Talukder the winner of the second Cedille Records’ Emerging Artist Competition sponsored by the Zell Family Foundation. Talukder is of mixed Mexican and Bengali heritage, a press release from the non-profit said.
The Emerging Artist Competition was open to musicians under the age of 35 who reside in, or are originally from, the Chicago metro area and who had not yet appeared as the featured performer on a commercially released CD.
In this year’s competition, 23 first-round applications were pared down to seven semi-finalists by a panel of Cedille board members. After a live semi-final round on May 17, three musicians were chosen to compete in the public final round at the Spertus Institute’s Feinberg Theater on Sunday, May 18 where Talukder was named the winner and received the top prize, a Cedille recording contract for their debut solo album — a prize valued at $70,000, the press release said.
A Philadelphia-based oboist of Mexican and Bengali heritage, Talukder was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. His early musical experiences were shaped by the city’s classical music organizations including the People’s Music School, Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative, and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Talukder currently serves as the Second Oboist in the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra.
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A recent graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Talukder completed his final year of studies, under the guidance of Katherine Needleman and Philippe Tondre. During his time at Curtis, he served as Student Council President and was named the 2024 Presser Scholar, an award recognizing his leadership and artistry. Talukder’s talent has been underscored by accolades such as the First Prize in the 2022 Midwest Double Reed Society Competition and Outstanding Instrumentalist in the 2024 Sphinx Orchestral Partners Audition Competition.