Winners and Judges

UMSL Young Artist Competition
Judges and Winners

2020-2021
Judges:
Taras Gabora, performing artist and teacher. Professor of violin at McGill University, the JMC Orford Art Centre, Conservatoire de Musique du Québec
Tian Ying, performing artist and teacher. Associate Professor of Keyboard Performance at the Frost School of Music - University of Miami

Winners:
Collegiate Division 
Winners: Alayna Epps, soprano; Jiaping Hu, piano; Conor Mathenia, percussion
Runners-up: Anna Klein, piano; Lexi Neal, mezzo-soprano; Samantha Barton, piano 
Honorable Mention: Madeleine James, soprano

Junior Division
Winners: Jay Lipsutz, viola; Izabella Saldana, flute; Kai Montgomery, bass/Natalie Van Winkle, cello (Duet)
Runners-up: Hannah Ohms, piano; Hope Hyink, viola
Honorable Mentions: Natalie Van Winkle, cello; Sophia Heaton, violin

2019-2020

Judges:
Collegiate division
Jennifer Gartley, flute. Washington University/Chamber Project St. Louis
Pavel Ilyashov, violin. Community Music School. Violin soloist, chamber music performer, educator

Junior division
University of Missouri - St. Louis Music Faculty

Winners:
Junior division
Winner: Katie He, violin
Runner-up: Michael Tu, Piano

Collegiate division
Winner: James Farquhar, cello
Runners-up: Haydn Jones, violin; David Brown, cello
Honorable mention: Lexi Neal, Mezzo-Soprano

2017-2018
Judges:
Laureen Di Bisceglie, Artist Presentation Society
Jonathan Chu, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Winners:
Collegiate division
1st Prize -- Young Oh, piano (Rachmaninov, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, op. 18)
Honorable Mention -- Marvin Lewis, trumpet (Enescu, Légende)

Junior division
1st Prize -- Alex Cho, cello (Elgar, Cello Concerto in E Minor, op. 85)
2nd Prize -- Geoffrey Laude, piano (Galynin, Concerto No. 1 in C Major)
Honorable Mention -- Ethan Mayer, violin (Lalo, Symphonie Espagnole)
Honorable Mention -- Molly Prow, viola (Bruch, Romanze)

2016-2017
Judges:
Winifred Crock,Clinician, author, and award-winning violin teacher and orchestra director
Ivo Kaltchev, Associate Professor of Piano, Catholic University of America

Winners:
Collegiate division
1st prize -- Marta Kersulis, piano (Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, mvt. 1)
Honorable Mention -- Melissa Priese, cello (Saint-Saens, Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33, mvt. 1)

1st Prize (shared) -- Elizabeth Nguyen, viola (Stamitz, Viola Concerto in D Major, Op. 1, mvt. 1)
1st Prize (shared) -- Hannah O'Brien, violin (Prokofiev, Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 63, mvt. 1)
Honorable Mention -- Alex Cho, cello (Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33)
Honorable Mention -- Nathan Hsu, cello (Dvorak, Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, mvt. 1) 

2015-2016

Judges:
Seth Carlin, Professor of Piano, Washington University
Joseph Kaminsky, Kirkwood Academy

Collegiate Division:  1st prize -- Marisa McKeegan, viola (Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher, mvt. 1)
2nd prize: Resilda Lala, flute (Griffes, Poem for Flute and Orchestra)
Junior Division:  1st prize -- Hava Polinsky, violin (Sarasate, Zigeunerweisen)
2nd prize: Adam Martin, piano (Prokofiev, Concerto No. 1, mvt. 1)
Honorable mention: Eric Cho, cello (Dvorak Concerto, mvt. 1)
Honorable mention: Hannah O'Brien, violin (Saint-Saens Concerto No.3, mvt. 1)

2014-2015
Judges:
Hal Grossman, Associate Professor of Violin, University of Oklahoma
Patrick Jackson, Director, Kirkwood High School Orchestra
Amy Kaiser, Director, St. Louis Symphony Chorus
Dennis Parker, Professor of Cello, Louisiana State University

Winners:
Collegiate Division: 1st Prize -- Joanne Lee, violoncello (Dvorak, Cello Concerto, mvt. 1)
2nd Prize -- Marta Kersulis, piano (Mendelssohn, Piano Concerto no. 2, mvt. 1)
Junior Division (shared): John Li (Sibelius, Violin Concerto, mvt. 1); Michael Lu (Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto no. 1, mvt. 1

2013-2014
Judges:
Carole Gaspar, Director of Vocal Studies, Webster University
John Gilbert, Professor of Violin, Texas Tech University

Winners:
Collegiate division: Daniel Kuehler, piano (Brahms, Concerto No. 1 in D minor, 1 ^st movement)
Junior division: Grant Riew, violoncello (Elgar, Cello Concerto, 1 ^st movement)

2012-2013

Judges:
Christine Armistead, Director of Vocal Activities, Washington University
Ilia Radoslavov, pianist, Illinois Wesleyan University

Winner:
Martin Laufhutte, cello (Bloch, Schelomo)

Judges:
Bjorn Ranheim, cellist, St. Louis Symphony
Patti Wolf, pianist, St. Louis Symphony, Chamber Music Society of St. Louis

Daniel Kuehler, piano (Rachmaninov, Concerto No. 2 in C minor, complete)

Judges:
Daniel Schene, piano, Webster University
Susan Slaughter, trumpet, St. Louis Symphony

Daniel Dickson, cello (Dvořák, Cello Concerto in B minor, 1 ^st movement)
Lauren Weber, soprano (Händel “Tornami a vagheggiar” from Alcina; W. A. Mozart “Zeffiretti lusinghieri” from Idomeneo)

Judges:
Marc Thayer, violinist, Director of Education for American Voices
Barbara Lieberman, piano, St. Louis Symphony

Daniel Dickson, piano (Grieg, Concerto in A minor, 1 ^st movement)
MeiMei Segura Wang, violin (Saint-Saëns, Introduction et Rondo Capricioso)

2008-2009
Judges:
Angie Smart, violinist, St. Louis Symphony
Mike Walk, trumpet, St. Louis Symphony

Winners:
Natalie Raney, cello (Dvořák, Cello Concerto in B minor, 1^st movement)
Honorable Mention: Stephen Luehrman, viola (Walton, Viola Concerto)