Winners Announced in 18th Annual Walgreens National Concerto Competition

HIGHWOOD, Ill. – A total of 175 young musicians from all corners of the USA, and as far away as Finland competed in Midwest Young Artists’ (MYA) 18th Annual Walgreens National Concerto Competition, which took place on December 28-29 at the Ravinia Festival and MYA Center in Highwood.

Students from 2nd to 12th grade competed for more than $10,000 in scholarships and cash prizes in the MYA Orchestra Division and the Open Division, which were divided into the Junior Level (for students up to 8th grade) and the Senior Level (for 9th through 12th graders). Judges from the Eastman School of Music, Knox College, The University of Illinois, Interlochen, Cleveland Institute of Music, Roosevelt, University of North Texas and other prestigious positions selected the winners. Perhaps the most exciting prize for these musicians is the chance to perform their winning pieces with MYA full orchestras.

The overall winning soloists, Chris Gao and Hansuh Rhee, will perform with the MYA Symphony Orchestra on the February 22nd Crescendo of Victory concert event at Chicago’s Symphony Center at 3:00pm. In addition to the winning concertos, the MYA symphony will perform Symphony No. 5 by Dmitri Shostakovich.

In Addition, Masha Lakisova will perform her winning Saint-Saens concerto at the February 16th Midwest Young Artists concert at Ravinia Festival with the MYA Concert Orchestra. For more info, please visit www.mya.org.

 Winners from the upcoming Discover National Chamber Music Competition (February 9, Ravinia) will also perform at Symphony Center. Tickets are available through CSO.org. Visit www.mya.org for further information, or call the MYA offices at (847) 926-9898. To find out more about registering for the Discover Chamber Music competition, visit www.mya.org/chambercomp.php

18th Annual Walgreens Concerto Competition Winners 2013 Results:
MYA Senior Division Results

Overall Division Winner and String Category Winner (will perform in February at Symphony Center): 
Chris Gao, cello: Prokofiev - Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 125, Mvt 2
Honorable Mentions (String Category):
David Berghoff, viola: Hindemith - Der Schwanendreher, Mvt 1
Anastasia Dalianis, cello: Kabalevsky - Cello Concerto in G Minor, Mvt 3
Daniel Kaler, cello: Dvorak - Cello Concerto in B Minor
Grace Pechianu, violin: Glazunov - Violin Concerto in A Minor, Mvt 1
Rachel Stenzel, violin: Dvorak - Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53, Mvt 3

Honorable Mention (Piano Category):
Allen Wang: Tchaikovsky - Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Mvt 1

Early Music Category Winner:
Marissa Takaki, bassoon: Mozart - Concerto for Bassoon, Mvt 1

Other Instruments Category Winner:
Torin Bakke, clarinet: Mozart - Concerto for Clarinet, Mvt 1
Honorable Mentions (Other Instruments Category):
Scott Greene, clarinet: Debussy - Premiere Rhapsody
Nina Laube, bassoon: Weber - Concerto for Bassoon in F Major, Mvt 1

MYA Junior Division Results

Overall Division Winner and String Category Winner: 
Masha Lakisova, violin: Saint-Saens - Introduction and Rondo Capricciosso
Honorable Mentions (String Category): 
Haddon Kay, cello: Elgar - Concerto in E minor Op 85, Mvts 1 & 2
Masha Lakisova/Rebecca Moy, violins: Reicha - Concerto Concertante for 2 Violins
Rebecca Moy, violin: Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy

Piano Category Winner:
Kimberly Han: Saint-Saens - Piano Concerto No. 2, Mvt 1
Honorable Mention (Piano Category):
Alice Zhang: Chopin - Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21, Mvt 1

Early Music Category Winners:
Natalie Clarke and Colin Priller, violas: J.S. Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, BWV 1051, Mvt 1

Honorable Mention (Other Instruments Category):
Ariel Kaler, clarinet: Weber - Clarinet Concerto No. 1, Mvt 1

Open Senior Division Results

Overall Open Division Winner and String Category Winner (will perform in February at Symphony Center): 
Hansuh Rhee, violin: Sibelius - Concerto in D Minor, Mvt 1
Honorable Mentions (String Category): 
Paolo Dara, violin: Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto, Mvt 1
Serena Harnack, violin: Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy
Alexandra Kim, cello: Saint-Saens - Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33
Nathan Mo, cello: Shostakovich - Concerto No. 1 in E Flat Major, Mvt 1
Steven Song, violin: Prokofiev - Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Mvt 1
Lucie Ticho, cello: Shostakovich - Concerto No. 1 in E Flat Major, Mvts 3 & 4

Piano Category Winner:
Cindy Yang: Saint-Saens - Concerto No. 5, Mvt 3
Honorable Mentions (Piano Category):
Justin Ma: Grieg - Concerto in A Minor, Mvt 1
Jonah White: Tchaikovsky - Concerto No. 1, Op. 23, Mvt 1
Isabella Wu: Rachmaninoff - Concerto No. 1 in F Sharp Minor, Mvt 1

Honorable Mention (Other Instruments Category):
Elizabeth Chang, flute: Nielsen - Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Mvt 1

Honorable Mention (Voice Category):
Loucine Topouzian, soprano: Puccini/Rodgers - O Mio Babbino Caro, If I Loved You

Open Junior Division Results

Overall Junior Division Winner and String Category Co-Winner: 
Julian Rhee, violin: Dvorak - Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53
String Category Co-Winner:
Maya Anjali Buchanan, violin: Paganini - Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6, Mvt 1
Honorable Mentions (String Category): 
Kitsho Hosotani, violin: Wieniawski- Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 22, Mvt 1
Christian D. Kim, violin: Kreisler - Praeludium and Allegro
Charlotte Loukola, violin: Wieniawski - Polonaise Brilliante in A Major
Calvin Yoon, violin: Shostakovitch - Concerto No. 1, Mvt 4

Piano Category Winner:
Colin Choi: Grieg - Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16, Mvt 1
Honorable Mentions (Piano Category):
Derek Chung: Liszt - Piano Concerto No. 1, S. 124
Lia Kim: Saint-Saens - Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22

Early Music Category Winner:
Tyeese Braslavsky, piano: Mozart - Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K446, Mvt 1
Honorable Mention (Early Music Category):
Lilian Xu, piano: Mozart - Concerto in A Major, K488, Mvt 1

Honorable Mentions (Other Instruments Category):
Noah Jung, clarinet: Mozart - Concerto, Mvt 1
Lindsey Wong, flute: Mozart - Concerto No. 2 in D, K314, Mvt 1

Honorable Mention (Voice Category):
Laura Bretan, soprano: Adolphe/Puccini - O Holy Night, O Mio Babbino Caro

The application deadline for next season’s 19th Annual Walgreens Concerto Competition is December 1, 2014, and applications are being accepted now – www.mya.org/competition.php

For more information, please visit www.mya.org or call (847) 926-9898.

Midwest Young Artists (MYA) is one of the leading youth music ensemble programs in the country and represents some of the brightest young musicians in the world. A top rated nonprofit by Great Non-Profits, MYA offers exceptional training in jazz, choral, chamber, wind symphony and orchestral performance. Founded in 1993, MYA currently reaches more than1,000 students from 74 communities in the Chicago area, with students ranging in age from12 months old through 12th grade. MYA encompasses 8 youth orchestras, more than 65 chamber music ensembles, four choral groups, a comprehensive jazz program, a wind symphony and a multi-level music theory program. Students have the opportunity to travel abroad and perform in major venues throughout the United States and around the world. MYA graduates are accepted at the most prestigious conservatories and colleges in the USA and abroad.

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