The winners of the Dr. Robert Stanger Young Artists Audition for 2016 have been announced by the Elmhurst Symphony Association. Held on February 13 at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church in Elmhurst, the competition showcased 22 outstanding high school musicians from many of the western suburbs. Special thanks go to this year’s judges, Joanne May, Kara Bancks, and Sara Sitzer, who spent many hours listening to and critiquing these spectacular young performers, choosing four winners; each receives a cash award.
First Place: Karisa Chiu, Violin
Violin Concerto in d minor, opus 47, Movement 1 by Sibelius
11th Grade, Palatine, home-schooled
Teacher: Almita Vamos
Second Place: Jack Boettcher, Cello
Variations on a Rococo Theme, Theme plus variations 1,2, Cadenza 5,6,7 by Tchaikovsky
9th Grade, Naperville, Naperville North High School
Teacher: Hans Jorgen Jensen
Third Place: Sofiya Kyrylyuk, Viola
LaCampanella by Paganini
11th Grade, Huntley, American High School
Teacher: Rami Solomonow
Fourth Place: Kitsho Hosotani, Violin
Symphanie Espagnole, Opus 21, Movement V, by Lalo
10th Grade, Wilmette, home-schooled
Teacher: Olga Kaler
Honorable Mention
Christina D’Anotonio, Viola
Viola Concerto in D Major by Stamitz
11th Grade, Wheaton, Wheaton-Warrenville South High School
Teacher: Peter Slowik
Steven Song, Violin
Violin Concerto in D Major by Brahms
11th Grade, Naperville, Indiana University High School
Teacher: Gerardo Ribeiro
The Stanger Auditions first-place winner, Karisa Chiu, will perform with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra at a subscription concert during its 2016-17 season. Other winners will perform for Kiwanis and other local groups in the next few months.
Thanks go to Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church and staff for the use of the church and their able assistance and to the dedicated Symphony volunteers who made the event possible: Bruce Forbush, Irmgard Olson, Mary Lou Saville, Cynthia Krainc, Rosie Klepper, Linda Lyman, Wendee Greene, and ESO interns Sarah Sabet and Josh Kuo. The Symphony is especially grateful to the Stanger Audition’s main sponsor, the Elmhurst Kiwanis Club, for its long-time support and to the Stanger Audition’s administrator, Becca Anderson, for organizing the event. Thanks also go to the Elmhurst Symphony Auxiliary’s Eunice B. Sidner Scholarship Fund (fourth-place winner sponsor) and to Raita Vilnins and other individual contributors for their generous support of the Stanger Auditions. For more information, call the Symphony office at (630) 941-0202 or visit www.elmhurstsymphony.org.