On December 19, 2015, the winners of the fourth edition of the Ernani de Almeida Machado Prize, a sponsorship offered by Machado Meyer to musicians of the Youth Orchestra of the State of São Paulo, were announced. The firm annually awards a total of R$120 thousand to five students.

The main prize - a scholarship of R$60 thousand to fund studies abroad - was granted to clarinetist Filipe dos Santos Esteves, 24. Besides him, prizes of R$15 thousand were given to Renan Gonçalves (20, violin), Ariane Rovesse de Alencar Freitas (22, clarinet), Jean Arthur Medeiros da Silva (23, flute), and Johann Cardoso Marianno Pereira (21, French horn).

The award ceremony took place moments before the closing of the Youth Orchestra′s season, at Sala São Paulo. Those present were able to see a magnificent spectacle with over 250 voices, presenting the famous Carmina Burana cantata.