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2010 Rising Star Awards Announced

By: Feb. 04, 2010
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Ten finalists will compete for a cash prize totaling $5,000 in the Howard County Arts Council's 2010 Rising Star Emerging Performing Artist Award Competition on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at the 13th annual Celebration ofthe Arts in Howard County, to be held at the Jim Rouse Theatre in Columbia.

The Celebration is a multi-faceted signatureevent, showcasing and raising funds for the arts in Howard County. Eligible applicants between the ages of 18-35 who currently live, work, perform regularly, or received training in Howard County, auditioned in January before a panel ofprofessionals working in their field of discipline.

Review criteria include artistic merit, demonstrated experience in the arts,and commitment to a career in the arts. The ten finalists who will perform at the Celebration are:Nathan Carlisle (Classical Voice), Joanna Dabrowska (Percussion), Mark Edwards (Classical Guitar), Matthew Hill(Musical Theatre), Erin K. Holmes (Classical Voice), Paul Jenkins (Violin), Caleb Jones (Cello), Kevin McAllister (MusicalTheatre), Rolando Sanz (Classical Voice), and Stephanie Yezek (Modern Dance) A packed audience of artists, arts patrons, business and political representatives and community members will select bypopular vote, one winner to receive an award of $5,000.

The winner will be on stage!The Howard County Arts Council established the Rising Star Award Competition in 2003 to provide emerging performingartists with roots in Howard County, opportunities for assistance in the development and practice of their art. The RisingStar Award Competition was designed to encourage professional development in the performing arts in all disciplines, recognize individual achievement in the performing arts, support performing artists with strong ties to Howard County,Maryland, and provide a venue for artists through a performance of award finalists.

Past Winners: 2009 winner, DeWanda Wise, a Maryland Distinguished Scholar of the Arts, attended Altholton HighSchool and received her BFA at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Upon graduation she received a Tisch Scholar award,the Atlantic Studio Award, and served as the BFA Representative of her graduating class. Presently she works in film,theatre, and television.

Dancer Alicia Graf, the 2003 Rising Star Award winner, grew up in Columbia and received herdance training under Donna Pidel at the Ballet Royale Academy. At the age of seventeen she moved to New York City. Graf toured with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, graduated from Columbia University and, in 2005, joined the prestigiousAlvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. 2004 Rising Star winner, actress/singer Carly Hughes, graduated from Wilde LakeHigh School, received her BFA in Musical Theatre from Penn State University. She is the recipient of a 2003 PrincessGrace Scholarship and Grace Le Vine Theatre Award, to honor outstanding achievement in dramatic arts. ClarinetistMark Dubac won the award in 2005.

The Atholton High School and Julliard School graduate recently received hisMaster's degree at the University of Wisconsin's Peck School of the Arts and is working toward a professional orchestral career. 2006 marked the first year that three winners were selected: singer Korey Jackson, cellist Caleb Jones, andpianist Alex Brown. Violinist Tao Chang Yu, actress/singer Caroline Bowman and actor/singer Phil Olejack were 2007's winners. In 2008, pianist Alexander Francis, singer Colleen Daly and monologist Courtney Bell received awards. For more information, call 410-313-ARTS (2787) or visit the Arts Council website: www.hocoarts.org



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