Cincinnati Arts Association Reveals 2015 Overture Award Winners

The Cincinnati Arts Association is pleased to announce the winners of its Overture Awards Competition, held on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater, and the winner of its new Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction. The competition awarded $4,000 to six area students for education and training, with 18 runners-up each winning $1,000, while the Arts Educator Award winner received $2,500 and two finalists were awarded $500 each.

The Overture Awards recognizes, encourages and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12 and is the area's largest solo arts competition. Students are nominated by their schools and/or private studios to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

The Arts Educator Award promotes and rewards excellence in arts instruction throughout Greater Cincinnati. An educator who teaches any of the following arts disciplines may be nominated: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. They can be a high school arts specialist, teaching artist working with high school students, or an arts professional or educator providing private lessons or instruction. Video nominations for the award must come from students between the ages of 14-19 who are currently enrolled in high school. The Arts Educator Award finalists and winner are selected by a panel of judges who are arts professionals.

The Arts Educator Award was first introduced during the 2006-07 Season as the "Theater Educator Award" and was originally created by Jackie Demaline, former Cincinnati Enquirer theatre critic and arts reporter, as one of the first initiatives of the Enquirer's Acclaim Awards for Excellence in Cincinnati Theatre. In recent years, the Theatre Educator Award was hosted and presented by the League of Cincinnati Theaters at its annual theatre award ceremony. With its move to the Cincinnati Arts Association's Overture Awards program, the Theatre Educator Award has broadened its scope to become the Arts Educator Award.

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held on January 10 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, Immanuel United Methodist Church (Lakeside Park, KY), Saint Ursula Academy, University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College, and Xavier University. The top twenty percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center on January 16 and 17.

Now in its 19th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate and manage the competitions, and nurture the program.

Overture Awards Program Sponsors: Carey Digital; Citi; The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee, Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.

Scholarship Sponsors: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; The William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation; Summerfair Cincinnati; Western & Southern Financial.

Competition Sponsors: Buddy Roger's Music, Immanuel United Methodist Church (Lakeside Park, KY), St. Ursula Academy, University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College, Xavier University.

2015 Overture Awards Winners

CREATIVE WRITING: Zoe Cheng - Walnut Hills High School, grade 12

HOMETOWN: Hyde Park, OH - Zoe is a senior at Walnut Hills High School, where she is editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and president of Film Production Club. Last June, her stage play Pillow Talk was produced by The Blank Theatre in Hollywood, and her poetry has been published in The Best Teen Writing of 2012 and 2014. Zoe believes that sharing stories can foster both empathy and hope, and aspires to work as either a screenwriter or international journalist.

DANCE: Joseph Harrington - Just Off Broadway/School for Creative & Performing Arts, grade 10

HOMETOWN: Eastgate/Clermont County, OH - Joseph has studied dance since age 3 and would tell you his greatest inspiration has been his big sister Allix. Outside of school, Joseph trains at Just Off Broadway in Mt. Carmel. He attends class and workshops across the U.S., has been the recipient of multiple dance awards, and most recently was named "Breakout Artist" for NUVO. Joseph is also an accomplished actor and vocalist and has many Broadway, regional, (and Off Broadway!) shows to his credit.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Matthew Repka - Conner High School, grade 12

HOMETOWN: Hebron, KY - Matthew Repka is a senior at Conner High School and has performed in percussion for seven years. He has participated in the Kentucky All-State Bands, Northern Kentucky Select Bands, Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the Fillmore Wind Band. He has been the Percussion Captain for the Conner High School Marching Band and has been recognized for his musical achievements by the Boone County Board of Education. Upon graduation, he plans on majoring in Music Education.

THEATER: Kalie Kaimann - Seton High School, grade 12

HOMETOWN: Delhi, OH - Kalie is proud to be participating in the Overture Awards Finals Competition again this year! She's a senior at Seton High School and a full-time vocal student with Karl Resnik at the Musical Arts Center. Kalie is a performer with We Duet All Entertainment, and she can be seen onstage with Cincinnati Landmark Productions. Kalie plans to pursue Musical Theatre as a career after college and hopes this competition can help her on her journey!

VISUAL ART: Phoenix Brown - School for Creative & Performing Arts, grade 12

HOMETOWN: College Hill, OH - Phoenix Brown is a Visual Arts major at School for Creative & Performing Arts. Her work has been exhibited many times in local galleries around Cincinnati. As an illustrator, she wants her art to feel familiar to the thoughts and memories of the people who view it. Challenging the viewer to create a narrative of their own is the most powerful concept of her illustrations.

VOCAL MUSIC: James Rootring - Karl Resnik Studio / Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, grade 11

HOMETOWN: Mt. Lookout/Hyde Park, OH - James studies with Karl Resnik and participates in MAC's Young Artists Preparatory Program, directed by Lincoln Chapman. James performs in Encore choir, Electric Jazz Orchestra, and Chapel band. James is honored to participate in the Overture finals again this year. James was recently named a 2015 National YoungArts Foundation Winner. James will make his professional debut in the chorus of Cincinnati Opera's Turandot this summer. James plans a dual major in vocal performance and business.

2015 Arts educator award Winner

Gina Cerimele-Mechley, Cincinnati Actor's Studio & Academy
Discipline: Theatre
#Years working/teaching: 25
Nominated by Kate Coley

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