WCO Press Releases - 2007

WISCONSIN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF YOUNG ARTIST CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNER TO PERFORM AT CONCERTS ON THE SQUARE® AND RECEIVE DAVID LEWIS CROSBY SCHOLARSHIP


MADISON, WI — February 8, 2007 Eighteen talented young musicians braved frigid temperatures last Sunday, February 4, to travel from Dane, Rock, Rusk, Outagamie, Grant, Fond du lac and Waukesha counties to compete in the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's Young Artist Concerto Competition at MATC's Mitby Theater. Despite temperatures dipping to near-record lows, all students who were scheduled to compete made it safely to the competition.

Cellist Stephanie Smith took top honors. Smith, an 18-year-old home schooled student from Appleton and a student of Janet Anthony, Cello Professor at Lawrence Conservatory of Music, will appear as a soloist before 20,000 people at the June 27 Concert on the Square®. She will perform Shostakovich's Concerto No. 1 with the Orchestra. Smith will also be awarded the David Lewis Crosby Scholarship Award in the amount of $500.

Top honors also went to the runner-up, violinist Nathaniel Wolkenstein. Wolkenstein is a 15-year-old sophomore at Middleton High School. He will perform with the WCO at their spring youth concerts at MATC's Mitby Theater on Wednesday, May 2, 2007, and he will receive a $250 scholarship. Wolkenstein has been playing the violin for seven years and is a student of Eugene Purdue.

The judges also presented two highly commended awards to Laura Smith, an 18-year-old flutist from Appleton, and Akornefa Akyea, a 15-year-old flutist and a junior at Verona Area High School.

The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's Young Artist Concerto Competition was open to piano, string, woodwind, brass and percussion students in grades 9-12 and living in the state of Wisconsin on the audition date, February 4, 2007. Applicants performed one movement of a concerto from the suggested list provided by the WCO and an additional short solo work of contrasting style. All contestants were required to perform both pieces from memory. The Competition was adjudicated by Maestro Andrew Sewell and WCO cellist Liz Weamer. Ward-Brodt Music Mall generously donated the use of several pianos for the competition.

For further information about the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's Annual Statewide Young Artist Concerto Competition, please call 608-257-0638 or visit www.wcoconcerts.org.

Press Contact:
Tracy Fischer
Marketing Coordinator
Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
22 N. Carroll Street, Suite 104
Madison, WI 53701
(608) 257-0638
fax (608) 257-0611
tracyfischer@wcoconcerts.org