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Alyssa Blackstone, violin
High School Division
Performing Henri Vieuxtemps'
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor, op. 37
on May 20, 2012 |
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Alyssa Blackstone began her early musical training at the age of five
studying with Joanna Keay and Charles Ponall. She currently studies
with Sylvia Ahramjian. At age 9, she placed first place in the
Kennett Symphony’s Young Artists Competition. At age 11 she played
first violin with the Delaware County Youth Orchestra and appeared on
QVC as a soloist during their holiday broadcast. In 2006, she placed
first in the Tri-County Concerts Association’s Annual Youth Festival.
She received the Estella Frankel scholarship from the Wilmington
School of Music in 2008 and placed first in a national competition in
South Carolina. Summer of 2009, she attended the String International
Music Festival. She was the concertmaster of the top orchestra, and
she also participated in master classes with members of the
Philadelphia Orchestra.
This past December Alyssa soloed with the Immaculate Symphony. In the
spring of 2011, she was awarded the Good Citizenship Award by the
Union League of Philadelphia. Also at the Union League, Alyssa was
selected to play at an awards ceremony for First Lady Laura Bush. In
November 2011, she won the Kennett Symphony’s Instrumental Competition
and performed with the Symphony this past August. Also with the
Kennett Symphony, Alyssa will be performing with them in their “Sounds
of Season” performances in December. Recently, the Newark Symphony
Orchestra selected her as the first place winner in their Instrumental
Competition. Alyssa will be playing with the Newark Symphony in Spring
2012.
For
the past three years, it has been her privilege to be the
Concertmaster for the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. Alyssa has had the
opportunity to work with many teachers and performers such as David
Kim, Yumi Scott, Ann Fontanella, Elizabeth Pitcairn, and William and
Gloria dePasquale. She also is a recipient of the Advanced Study
Scholarship at Settlement Music School of Philadelphia. At Settlement,
she played in the Braverman Quartet.
Working in her community, Alyssa regularly plays her violin in
retirement and nursing homes. She also participates with her school in
Community Work Days. She helps run her school orchestra and holds
weekly sectionals. During Christmas time, making cookies and caroling
at the local hospital is a customary habit of Alyssa’s. At church,
teaching Children’s Church is one of Alyssa’s favorite activities.
During the weekdays, she also teaches a couple individuals violin
lessons. Beside music, Alyssa enjoys playing basketball, singing, and
acting. |
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Amy Semes, violin
High School Division
Performing Henryk Wieniawski's Violin Concerto
No. 1 in F# minor, op. 14
on March 4, 2012 |
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Amy is 16 years old and a junior at The University Scholars Program at
the PA
Leadership Charter School. She is currently studying violin with
Daniel Han of The Philadelphia Orchestra. She holds a Starling Violin
Scholarship at
Temple Music Prep, where she is Concertmaster of the Youth Chamber
Orchestra. She also holds a Snitzer Advanced Studies Chamber Music
Scholarship at
Settlement Music School. On November 2011, she was heard on the
NPR show,
"From the Top," as well as on WRTI's
"Crossover" with Jill Pasternak. Amy has performed as a soloist
with The Ambler Symphony, the Bucks County Symphony, The Ocean City
Pops, The Macau Youth Orchestra and The Shanghai Philharmonic. |
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Kevin Zhang, piano
College Division
Performing
Franz Listz'
Totentanz for Piano and Orchestra
on March 4, 2012 |
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Kevin K. Zhang is an Honors sophomore at
the University of Delaware, double-majoring in Biology and French. He
studies piano with
Christine Delbeau. He was the winner and soloist of the 2011 UD
Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and has previously won awards
in the
Music Teachers National Association, West Chester University,
Austrian-American Society, and Wilmington Community Orchestra
competitions. Kevin is an alumnus of The Music School of Delaware,
where he studied with the late Benjamin Whitten. He has also attended
Music in the Mountains (PA) and
Delaware Governor's School. Aside from his work as a soloist, he
is also an accompanist and chamber musician. Kevin is also a leader in
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. |
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Nathan
Lowman, violin
2010-2011 Winner
High School Division |
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Nathan Lowman is in the eighth grade and studies violin with Kate
Ransom at The Music School of Delaware, where he is an Honor Award and
Certificate Program student. He serves as concertmaster for the
Delaware Youth Orchestra in 2007 and 2008, and for the Delaware
Orchestral and Chamber Music Institute in 2009. He is currently
concertmaster of the Delaware Youth Symphony. Nathan won the 2008 and
2010 Concerto Competition for Young Musicians, and was awarded first
prize in the 2010 Estella Hillersohn Frankel Violin Scholarship
competition. This past summer Nathan participated in the five-week
National High School Music Institute (NHSMI) at Northwestern
University, where he studied with Hal Grossman. |
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