Winner of First North America Student Musician Contest Selected
Western-Li Summerton, Sophomore of Squalicum High School, Bellingham, Washington was selected to be the winner of the student contest.
5 committee members reviewed the submittals. 5 members include:
Austin Huang- concert artistic director and concert planning committee chair, Roger Briggs - conductor of the concert and music professor of Western Washington University and conductor of Whatcom Symphony Orchestra, Sharyn Peterson - concert master of the concert and conductor and artistic director of Mt Baker Youth Symphony Kathleen Tomlonovic - professor of Western Washington University East Asian Study, and Lilly Yang - professor of Western Washington University East Asian Study.
With total 5 criteria and each 5 points, each reviewer examined and scored the submittals independently. Each scored sheet was anonymously enclosed in a sealed envelop. The envelopes were opened at the same time with eye witnesses and counted, the student who obtained the highest score was declared winner.
Chinese Cultural Festival in Bellingham Invites Student Musicians
The Bellingham Chinese Cultural Festival cordially invites students from North America to participate in a music performance competition. This new competition was established to honor exceptional student musicians who demonstrate how Chinese music has enriched their lives and the lives of others. The competition is open to any student living in North America. The student who wins the award will receive an invitation to perform at our biennial Chinese Cultural Festival New Year Concert to be held on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham, Washington, USA. The student will also receive a monetary prize. It is our expectation that this, our third concert, will be as well received and successful as the previous two, held respectively in 2006 and 2008. The student winner will have the opportunity to perform with renowned musicians from the United States and Canada as well as with special guest musicians from China. A local symphonic orchestra will perform and accompany musicians. The competition is divided into two phases. In Phase 1, the applicant must present a resume, an academic transcript and an audio clip of a solo performance. After the review committee has considered all submissions, a subset of students may be asked to participate in Phase 2. In Phase 2, the student will provide a personal statement and a letter of recommendation from a music teacher. Furthermore, the committee will arrange a meeting with the candidates to watch them perform an entire solo work with an accompanist. Following the performance, a short interview will be conducted. What kind of student should apply? We are looking for highly talented musicians who play a Chinese instrument or play Chinese music with a Western instrument. The candidates should possess qualities such as musical excellence, academic achievement, a diverse set of interests, and a desire to make music an enjoyable experience for everyone. The ideal candidate views the gift of playing an instrument as enriching rather than all-encompassing.
Important Dates:
August 3 - October 2, 2009: Initial Submission including the application letter, a resume, an academic transcript, and the title of the solo and the instrument played.
October 31, 2009: Phase I Finalists Announced
November 7--27, 2009: Phase II Audition Period
December 10, 2009: Winner Announced
February 27, 2010: Featured solo performance at Bellingham Festival Concert
Send your submittal to:
Attn: Austin Huang, Festival Artistic Director Bellingham Chinese Cultural Festival Pacific Northwest Cultural Exchange Council
2715 Meridian Street Bellingham, WA 98225 USA USA