The winners of the Dr. Robert Stanger Young Artists Auditions for 2015 have been announced by the Elmhurst Symphony Association. Held on February 7 at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, the competition showcased 16 outstanding high school musicians from many of the western suburbs. Special thanks go to this year’s judges, Joanne May (Elmhurst College), Jennie Brown (Wheaton College), and James MacDonald (Columbia College), who spent many hours listening to and critiquing these spectacular young performers, choosing four winners:
First Place: Joshua Brown, Violin
Carmen Fantasie, Franz Waxman
9th Grade, Home schooled
Teacher: Almita and Roland Vamos
Second Place: Jamie Zhang, Violin
Concerto No. 4, Finale, Henri Vieuxtemps
9th Grade, Naperville Central High School
Teacher: Nan Zhou/Sooka Wang
Third Place: Steven Song, Violin
Violin Concerto in D Major, Mvmt 3, Tchaikovsky
10th Grade, Neuqua Valley High School
Teacher: Gerardo Ribeiro
Fourth Place: Corey Chung, Piano
Concerto No. 27, B flat Major, KV 595, Mvmt 3, Mozart
9th Grade, Neuqua Valley High School
Teacher: Pawel Checinski
The Stanger Competition first-place winner, Joshua Brown, will perform with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra at a subscription concert during its 2015-16 season. Other winners will perform for Kiwanis and other local groups in the next few months
Thanks go to Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church and staff for the use of the church and their able assistance and to the dedicated Symphony volunteers who made the event possible: Bruce Forbush, Irmgard Olson, Sue Coons, Mary Lou Saville, Cynthia Krainc, Elizabeth Robinson, Rosie Klepper, and Heidi Forbush. The Symphony is especially grateful to the Elmhurst Kiwanis Club, the Elmhurst Symphony Auxiliary’s Eunice B. Sidner Scholarship Fund, and individual contributors for their generous and active support of the Stanger Auditions. For more information, call the Symphony office at (630) 941-0202 or visit www.elmhurstsymphony.org.