Symphony Concerto Competition Finalists Announced, Public Invited to Competition Finals on Saturday October 13
10/03/2007
The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra at Okaloosa-Walton College and the Northwest Florida Symphony Guild announce the finalists in the orchestra's annual Concerto Competition for young musicians.
The public is invited to attend the final round of competition, on Saturday, October 13 at from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Tyler Recital Hall in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center music wing on the OWC Niceville campus. Admission is free of charge. Students compete for prize money and the opportunity to play with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. The NFSO Concerto Competition provides a venue for middle-school age through college-age performers of orchestral instruments, keyboard, or voice to showcase their skills. The competition has been hosted annually by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and the NFSO Guild for 20 years. Winners are chosen by a panel of judges independent of the college and are normally invited to perform with the NFSO at the symphony's annual concerts in February for all fifth-grade students in Okaloosa and Walton County. Winners may also perform with the symphony at the NFSO's evening performance for the public on February 22, 2008.
The Concerto Competition finalists are:
Middle school division: G. Bolton Ellenberg, Jr., piano, of Pensacola, 8th grade home schooled student
High school division: Daniel Pyon,piano, of Crestview, 11th grade student at Niceville High School; Matthew Allen, cello, of Tallahassee, 10th grade student at Florida State University School; Julia Yang, cello, of Tallahassee, 12th grade student at Maclay School.
Collegiate division: Wonkak Kim, clarinet, of Tallahassee, student at Florida State University; Julian Toha, piano, of Tallahassee, sophomore at Florida State University; Mitchell Giamballo, piano, of Tallahassee, senior at Florida State University; Matthew Cataldi, piano, of Tallahassee, senior at Florida State University.
Winners also receive a monetary award made possible by the NFSO Guild. The competition makes awards in the amounts of $500 for Junior Division (through 8th grade), $1,000 for Senior Division (grades 9-12), and $1,500 for College Division (college undergraduates only who are 23 years or younger at performance).
For information about the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, its performance schedule and various educational programs, see www.nfsymphony.org or contact Jeffrey Rink, conductor and music director, at 729-6023.