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)
