The winners of the Dr. Robert Stanger Young Artists Auditions for 2013 have been announced by the Elmhurst Symphony Association.
Held on February 23 at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, the competition showcased 27 outstanding high school musicians from many of the western suburbs, who played violin, piano, clarinet, flute, French horn, cello and alto saxophone. This year’s judges, Dianne Ryan, James MacDonald and Michele Lekas, spent many hours listening to and critiquing these spectacular young performers, choosing four winners and several students who deserved honorable mention.
The winners are:
First Place:
Jennifer Cha, violin; junior, NeuquaValleyHigh School
Sibelius: Concerto in d minor; Op 47, 1st movement
Teacher: Desiree Ruhstrat
Award: $400
Second Place:
Timothy Zhou, piano; sophomore, Illinois Math and ScienceAcademy
Chopin: Concerto No. 2, Op 21 in f minor
Teacher: Sylvia Wang
Award: $350
Third Place:
Silas Ferrao, violin; junior, NapervilleCentralHigh School
Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 4 in d minor, Op 31
Teacher: Ilya Kaler
Award: $300
Fourth Place:
Serena Harnack, violin; freshman, St.FrancisSchool
Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 4, in d minor, Opus 31
Teacher: Almita Vamos
Award: $250
Honorable Mention:
Katie Gallagher, violin; junior, home-schooled
Khachaturian: Violin Concerto in d minor
Teacher: Tom Wermuth
Celina Kobetitsch, piano; sophomore, NeuquaValleyHigh School
Grieg: Piano Concerto in a minor, Op. 16
Teacher: Julia Tsien
Kyle Lee, violin; sophomore, HinsdaleSouthHigh School
Bruch: Concerto No. 1, Op. 26
Teacher: Sando Shia
Grace Ng, piano; junior, NapervilleNorthHigh School
Liszt: Concerto No. 1 in E flat Major
Teacher: Janet Hickey
Leo Thomas O’Malley, piano and violin; freshman, home-schooled
Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in g minor
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Teachers: violin: Ann Montzka-Smelser; piano: Susan Breitner-Hurm
The Stanger Competition first-place winner, Jennifer Cha, will perform with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra at the opening concert of its 2013-14 season. Other winners will perform for Kiwanis and other local groups in the next few months.
The Elmhurst Symphony is grateful to the Elmhurst Kiwanis Club and the Elmhurst Symphony Auxiliary for their generous and active support of the Stanger Auditions, to Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church for hosting the event, and to Steinway of Chicago for providing the performance instrument for pianists in the competition.
For more information, call the Symphony office at (630) 941-0202 or visit www.elmhurstsymphony.org.