Arizona Musicfest Young Performers Concert at the MIM

Each year, Arizona Musicfest attracts some of the brightest young musical talent from around the State of Arizona, to its instrumental and vocal competitions. Arizona Musicfest announces the winners from this year's 2015 Piano, Vocal and Instrumental Competitions which were held in March and April.

The top young talent will be performing a concert of their competition-winning selections at the Arizona Musicfest Young Musicians Winners Concert on Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 1pm in the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix AZ 85050. Tickets are $10 and are available at the MIM's website

Nearly 100 talented young artists, grades 7 through 12, annually compete in the Musicfest Competitions, which are organized into Divisions, based on their grade level. The judges award up to three winners per division, with many performing in the showcase Winners Concert.

"Arizona Musicfest is continually impressed by the level of refined artistry and talent that our Young Musicians Competitions attract. We are now in our fourteenth year of holding these competitions and we are so honored and thrilled to discover and reward such outstanding talent. Fostering our future musicians is such an important part of our mission and it will be a delight to hear them perform on May 3rd." -Allan Naplan, Executive Director, Arizona Musicfest.

2015 ARIZONA MUSICFEST

COMPETITION WINNERS

2015 Piano Competition

DIVISION 1 (Grades 7 & 8)

Samuel Xu: 1st Place Winner

Grade 8: Arizona Virtual Academy, Chandler

Zachariah Gass: 2nd Place Winner

Grade 8: Seton Catholic Preparatory, Chandler

Jessica Zhang: 3rd Place Winner

Grade 7: BASIS Ahwatukee, Tempe

DIVISION 2 (Grades 9 & 10)

(Tie for 1st Place)

Sara Johnson: 1st Place Winner

Grade 9: Home Schooled, Phoenix

Lena Han: 1st Place Winner

Grade 9: Hamilton High School, Chandler

An Phan: 2nd Place Winner

Grade 9: Arizona Virtual Academy, Gilbert

Abigail Cook: 3rd Place Winner

Grade 10: Home Schooled, Flagstaff

DIVISION 3 (Grades 11 & 12)

Nathaniel Gass: 1st Place Winner

Grade 12: Seton Catholic Preparatory, Chandler

Olivia Jensen: 2nd Place Winner

Grade 11: Sequoia Choice Arizona Distance Learning, Queen Creek

Solo Orchestral Instruments and Chamber Ensemble

DIVISION 1 (Grades 7 & 8)

Alicia Wu, Viola: 1st Place Winner

Grade 8: BASIS Scottsdale, Scottsdale

Audrey Wang, Violin: 2nd Place Winner

Grade 7: Explorer Middle School, Scottsdale

(Tie for 3rd Place)

Hannah Goldstick, Violin: 3rd Place Winner

Grade 8: Primavera Online Middle School, Chandler

Kimberly Schneider, Violin: 3rd Place Winner

Grade 7: BASIS Scottsdale, Scottsdale

DIVISION 2 (Grades 9 & 10)

Claire Thai, Harp: 1st Place Winner

Grade 9: Home Schooled, Tucson

Tiffany Chang, Violin: 2nd Place Winner

Grade 10: Corona del Sol High School, Chandler

Bobae Johnson, Violin: 3rd Place Winner

Grade 10: Desert Vista High School, Phoenix

DIVISION 3 (Grades 11 & 12)

(First Place not awarded)

Teresa Yu, Violin: 2nd Place Winner

Grade 11: Corona del Sol High School, Chandler

Olivia Espericueta, Viola: 3rd Place Winner

Grade 11: Mother of Divine Grace, Tempe

DIVISION 4 (Grades 7th to 12th)

Perfect 4th Quartet: 1st Place Winner

Hannah Goldstick, Violin 1: Grade 8 - Primavera Online Middle School, Chandler

Elena Boyd, Violin 2: Grade 9 - Chandler Preparatory Academy, Chandler

Ethan Buell, Viola: Grade 10 - Home Schooled, Gilbert

Robert Bui, Cello: Grade 10 - Mountain View High School, Mesa

(Tie for 2nd Place)

KLK Trio: 2nd Place Winner

Sungho Kim, Piano: Grade 10 - Arizona School for the Arts, Phoenix

Chase Lee, Violin: Grade 9 - Arizona School for the Arts, Tempe

Yulee Kim, Cello: Grade 11 - Arizona School for the Arts, Phoenix

BASIS Chandler String Quartet: 2nd Place Winner

Michaela Murray, Violin 1: Grade 9 - BASIS Chandler, Tempe

Rina Kubota, Violin 2: Grade 8 - BASIS Chandler, Gilbert

Daphane Guo, Viola; Grade 12 - BASIS Chandler, Chandler

Jaeyoung Kang, Cello: Grade 10 - BASIS Chandler, Chandler

2015 Vocal Competition

Wil Arends, baritone: 1st Place Winner

Grade 11: Arizona School for the Arts, Phoenix

Payton Wayne, soprano: 2nd Place Winner

Grade 12: Boulder Creed High School, Anthem

This year's piano judges consisted of Stella Saperstein, Director of Development of USASU Bosendorfer & Yamaha International Piano Competition, Jon Milbauer, Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Arizona, and Dr. Janice Meyer Thompson, Arizona State University Professor Emerita and founding director of the ASU Piano Prep Program and Coordinator of Piano Pedagogy curriculum at Arizona State University School of Music. The solo instrumental judges consisted of Elizabeth Buck, Associate Professor of Flute at Arizona State University, Christopher Wolf, Principal Trombone of The Phoenix Symphony, and Christopher McKay, Acting Assistant Principal Viola of The Phoenix Symphony. The vocal judges consisted of Erin Tompkins, voice teacher at Rhapsody School of Music, Aryln Brewster, Met Auditions Director for the Arizona District and founder of the Showcase Concerts, The Royal Renaissance Singers and the Opera-Tunity ensemble; and opera singer Rebecca Zaner, who has performed in concerts around the United States and has received awards from National Associate of Teachers of Singing, the Classical Singer Magazine Competition, and Arizona Music Educator's Association.

For additional information, visit the Arizona Musicfest website or call 480-488-0806.

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