What do you get when you combine Seattle University students, esteemed judges, exceptional musical talents and awesome prizes? The answer will conveniently take place this weekend.
On Sunday, Seattle U is hosting its very first Young Artists Festival and Competition. Sponsored by the music division in the department of performing arts and arts leadership, the competition will showcase the soloistic talents of both music majors (and minors) and non-music majors.
“We thought it would be really cool to do a Young Artists Competition where students who study instruments privately have the opportunity to perform their repertoire,” said Director of Chamber and Instrumental Music Quinton Morris.
To apply for the festival and competition, students must attend Seattle U and be enrolled in private music lessons. Each participant is required to perform a soloistic piece (or multiple pieces) that showcases contrasting musical styles and technical prowess.
To encourage the involvement of all eligible students, the music department decided to include a non-competitive division so newer performers could still gain performance practice and receive feedback.
The competition’s winner will receive a $500 scholarship, a performance opportunity with the Classical KING FM 98.1 radio station, a performance at the Seattle U Music Convocation later this fall, and an internship with cello professor Dr. Kevin Krentz, who is curating and directing a concert.
Here are just a few of the performers you can look forward to hearing at this year’s competition, which is this Sunday, April 26 at 6 p.m.
in Pigott Auditorium.
Vikki may be reached at [email protected]
Year: Sophomore
Instrument: Voice
Competition Division: Junior Competitive
Pieces: Vincenzo Bellini’s “Vaga luna, che inargenti” and Robert Schumann’s “Widmung”
What Makes These Pieces Unique: “These pieces are so romantic and heartfelt that they bring me joy whenever I sing or listen to them. One or both of these songs will play at my wedding for sure.”
Name: Grant Hanner
Year: Sophomore; string performance Major
Instrument: Violin
Competition Division: Junior Competitive
Pieces: The third movement of Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor and the second movement (“Courrante”) of Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D Minor
What Makes These Pieces Unique: “[Bruch’s] concerto as a whole has such life and character. It encompasses a full range of emotion. But the movement I’ll be playing in particular is so energetic and full of joy. It’s a great triumphant ending to the concerto. [Bach’s] entire partita is five moments and is very reflective and meditative. I would go so far as to say spiritual, but the Courrante is one of the two more lively movements. Traditionally a French dance, it invokes courtly dances but with a tension seen through the partita.”
Name: Chris Baltazar
Year: Sophomore; string performance major
Instrument: Viola
Competition Division: Junior Competitive
Pieces: Bach’s Suite No. 4 in E Flat (Prelude) and the first movement of Ernest Bloch’s “Suite Hebraique”
What Makes These Pieces Unique: “Especially for the Bach, it is really demanding technically just to be able to get the right sounds out of your instrument. For the Bloch [piece] as well, they are both completely different styles that you have to go for. For Bach, it is very classical and for my other piece it is a lot more passionate and very demanding emotionally. You have to convey the right feelings, and that is what I really enjoy. Together they showcase a lot of different things that I can do.”
Name: Gemma Balinbin
Year: Junior; interdisciplinary arts major with a vocal performance focus
Instrument: Voice
Competition Division: Senior Competitive
Pieces: Pergolesi’s “Stizzoso, Mio Stizzoso,” Bellini’s “Almen se non poss’io,” and Fauré’s “Mandoline”
What Makes These Pieces Unique: “My favorite thing about these pieces is that they cover such a wide range of style and emotion, which really pushes me to develop both my singing technique and my character work. The two Italian pieces could not be more different. ‘Stizzoso’ is fast, playful and incorporates rapid vocal runs to showcase virtuosity, while ‘Almen’ is slow, dramatic and showcases legato singing and extreme breath control. ‘Mandoline’ is a French piece, which means it is completely different in terms of style in comparison to the Italian pieces. It has a sparkling quality that really draws the audience in.”
Name: Chyna Mapel
Year: Junior; string performance major
Instrument: Viola
Competition Division: Senior Competitive
Pieces: Prelude to Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 3, Paul Hindemith’s Sonata No. 1 for Solo Viola, and the second movement of Arnold Bax’s Sonata for Viola and Piano What Makes These Pieces Unique: “I think that my program is interesting because it contrasts two fairly recent pieces (both written in 1922) with a Bach prelude which is so different. I’m excited to be able to show people the diversity of the viola.”
