March 11, 2020
xxxx视频 Announces Winners of Spring Concerto Competition
Congratulations to the winners of the Spring Concerto Competition, which was held Wednesday, March 4, in Kulas Hall.
Harpist Grace Roepke (Kondonassis), who is studying for her master鈥檚 degree, and pianist Yuhang Wang (Babayan), an undergraduate student, were selected to perform with the xxxx视频 Orchestra in the fall semester under the direction of a guest conductor.
鈥淚 am extremely honored to have been selected as a winner of xxxx视频鈥檚 concerto competition,鈥 Roepke said. 鈥淥ne of my passions as a musician is introducing the harp and classical music to new audiences. Being a winner of the competition allows me to showcase the soloist capabilities of the harp with audience members who may have never seen a harp up close and personal before.鈥
For the competition, Roepke performed Ginastera鈥檚 Harp Concerto, which she said is one of the most important works in her repertoire. She鈥檚 also excited about performing the concerto with her friends in the xxxx视频 Orchestra next year.
鈥淭his concerto shows all the capabilities the harp has to offer, and in turn continues to inspire many new compositions for the instrument,鈥 Roepke said. 鈥淚 am really looking forward to performing with an orchestra full of my closest friends and colleagues. For my final year at xxxx视频 to culminate in a solo performance with the xxxx视频 Orchestra seems like the perfect ending to this chapter.鈥
Wang is equally excited to perform with his friends and colleagues in the xxxx视频 Orchestra.
鈥淭his will be my first time playing this concerto with an orchestra. I am so excited to perform it with all my friends,鈥 Wang said of his future performance of Chopin鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor. 鈥淭he Chopin concerto is a great piece which moves me not only musically but also psychologically 鈥 especially in the second movement. It feels like a warm hug from someone you love deeply.鈥
Faculty members Sam Bivens (music theory), Keith Fitch (composition), Mary Schiller (voice) and Gerardo Teissonni猫re (piano) served as competition jurists.