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xxxxÊÓƵ junior Daniel Kaler’s exceptional performance of the Walton Cello Concerto at the Spring Concerto Competition won him both the coveted opportunity to perform the work as a soloist with the xxxxÊÓƵ Orchestra next fall and the 2018 Payne Fund Prize.

The Payne Fund Prize was established by the Bolton family in 1998, and is awarded annually to a xxxxÊÓƵ student of remarkable talent. The prize includes a monetary award and a concerto engagement with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra.

Kaler will perform Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Asheville Symphony in 2019. He is excited to revisit this piece, which he first played in 2013 with the West Virginia Symphony. Kaler feels his interpretation of the Saint-Saëns concerto has matured in the intervening years, and he’s looking forward to applying the techniques he has learned at xxxxÊÓƵ to this upcoming performance.

The Concerto Competition has provided Kaler with an opportunity for true competition within a supportive environment. He was most excited about the chance to fully prepare a piece by getting to know it inside and out, and is looking forward to continuing his exploration of both of these wonderful concertos.