2008-2009 MTNA National Competition winners.

COMPOSITION COMPETITIONS

Elementary Composition

Sponsored by Morty and Iris Manus

Winner: Alexandria H. Kim, Southwest Division, (California); Su-Shing Chiu, teacher

Alexandria Kim is 10 years old and a fifth grade student at Plaza Vista Elementary School in Irvine, California. Since age 4, she has been a piano and composition student of Su-Shing Chiu at Irvine Yamaha Music Center. Her music accomplishments include winning the 2005 Southwestern Youth Music Festival piano competition and the 2005 and 2008 Music Teachers Association of California Composer's Today. Alexandria also enjoys singing and dancing in the Lighthouse Christian Dance program.

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Second Place: Kaitlin Darby Thorpe, Southern Division (North Carolina); Debby Titlow, teacher

Third Place: Edison Tsai, Northwest Division (Oregon); Gary Noland, teacher

Junior Composition

Sponsored by Morty and Iris Manus

Winner: Emily Tu, Eastern Division (New Jersey); Felicia Ruffman, teacher

Emily Tu, 14, is a graduate of the Bergen Yamaha Music School, where she studied composition with Felicia Ruffman starting at age 7. She has studied piano with John Girvin since 2006. Emily has been a yearly performer at national Yamaha Junior Original Concerts since age 8. Emily has been the first-prize winner in the New Jersey MTA Composition Competition each year since 2004. She is a ninth grade student at Bergen County Academy.

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Second Place: Benjamin Davis, Northwest Division (Washington); Sharon Van Valin, teacher

Third Place: Auburn Lee, South Central Division (Texas); Thomas Conroy, teacher

Senior Composition

Sponsored by Hal Leonard Corp.

Winner: Michael Taylor, South Central Division (Texas); Tamas Ungar, teacher

Michael Taylor, 17, pianist, violinist and composer, studies with Tamas Ungar, Jan Sloman and Michael Cox. A fifth-year member of the YOFW, he is an avid chamber musician. This past year's achievements include: Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition (piano) finalist, YOFW Concerto Competition (violin) second place and ASCAP-Finalist. A recipient of the Bayard H. Friedman Award for Outstanding Student in the Performing Arts and the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, Michael was featured on NPR's From The Top.

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Second Place: Anderson E Alden, Southwest Division (California); Deborah H. How, teacher

Third Place: Dustin Katzin, Southern Division (Florida); Donald Waxman, teacher

Young Artist Composition

Sponsored by Carl Fischer Music

Winner: Joshua Green, Eastern Division (New Jersey); Jennifer Barker, teacher

Joshua Green is studying music composition at the University of Delaware. He will be attending New York University's film scoring program in the fall of 2009. His works have been premiered by Network for New Music, Zukofsky String Quartet, Del'Arte Wind Quintet and the University of Delaware Orchestra. Joshua has completed an animated film score and worked on the Broadway musical A Tale of Two Cities. Joshua is currently the composer for a new musical, Finding Dreamland.

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Second Place: William May, Southern Division (Georgia); Alfred Cohen

Third Place: Timothy J. Vallier, West Central Division (Nebraska); Roger Foltz, teacher

MTNA JUNIOR PERFORMANCE COMPETITIONS

MTNA Junior Piano Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: Kimberly J. Hou, Eastern Division (Washington, D.C.); Marjorie Lee, teacher

Kimberly J. Hou, a student of Marjorie Lee, is a homeschooled 14-year-old ninth-grade student. She was a 2007 and 2008 MTNA Junior Piano National Finalist. She won first prize in the Carnegie Hall 2007 American Fine Arts Festival, and was a finalist in 2008 Gina Bachauer International Young Artists Piano Competition. Kimberly has performed in Kennedy Center Millennium Stage Concerts, Alden Theatre Concert Series and Young Artists Musicale Series at George Mason University Performing Arts Center.

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Second Place: Yurie Farnsworth, Northwest Division (Oregon); Julia Hwakyu Lee, teacher

Third Place: Jeff Zhang, West Central Division (Minnesota); Alexander Braginsky, teacher

MTNA Junior String Competition

Sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America--Orchestral String Department

Winner: Austin Huntington, East Central Division (Indiana); Richard Hirschl, teacher

Austin Huntington, student of Richard Hirschl, has studied cello for 10 years and is the recipient of numerous first place awards and prizes. Austin made his solo orchestral debut at age 10 and has performed as guest artist with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and LaPorte Symphony Orchestra, to name a few. Austin will perform at Carnegie Hall and other venues on the IBLA Grand Prize Winners USA Tour in April.

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Second Place: Emerson Millar, Eastern Division (New York); Linda Case, teacher

Third Place: Sarah A. Hall, Northwest Division (Washington); Ronald Patterson, teacher

MTNA Junior Woodwind Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: Catherine Winters, Southwest Division (Utah); Elizabeth Weissman, teacher

Catherine Winters, 12, has studied flute since age six and currently studies with Elizabeth Weissman. She has twice been a winner in the Utah State Fair Music Competition and the UMTA Concerto Competition. Catherine has won first places in UFA's sonata and concerto competitions, and she has earned many superiors in the Federation Music Clubs auditions. Catherine has soloed with the Utah Symphony and the Utah Valley Symphony. She also plays the piano.

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Second Place: Zachary Kellogg, Northwest Division (Washington); Bonnie Blanchard, teacher

Third Place: David Kim, Eastern Division (New Jersey); Ju Young Lee, teacher

MTNA SENIOR PERFORMANCE COMPETITIONS

MTNA Senior Brass Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: Zach Gingerich, South Central Division (Arkansas); Todd Johnson, teacher

Zach Gingerich is a senior at Conway High School, Arkansas, where he participates in band, choir, jazz band and orchestra. He is the principal trombonist in the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra and a member of the Arkansas All-State band and jazz band. He was the National Junior MTNA brass winner in 2006 and placed second in the 2008 National Senior MTNA brass competition. He is a student of Todd Johnson.

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Second Place: Cameron West, Southwest Division (California); Jody Hurt, teacher

Third Place: Jordan V. Christensen, Northwest Division (Idaho); Bryce Mecham, teacher

MTNA Senior Piano Competition

Sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America Piano Division

Winner: Michael Taylor, South Central Division (Texas); Tamas Ungar, teacher

Michael Taylor, 17, pianist, violinist and composer, studies with Tamas Ungar, Jan Sloman and Michael Cox. A fifth-year member of the YOFW, he is an avid chamber musician. This past year's achievements include: Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition (piano) finalist, YOFW Concerto Competition (violin) second place and ASCAP-Finalist. A recipient of the Bayard H. Friedman Award for Outstanding Student in the Performing Arts and the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, Michael was featured on NPR's From The Top.

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Second Place: Yi-Yang Chen, Eastern Division (New York); Douglas Humpherys, teacher

Third Place: Brian Chang, East Central Division (Illinois); James Giles, teacher

MTNA Senior Piano Duet Competition

Sponsored by Kawai America

Winner: Sherry Kim/Daren Endy, Southwest Division (Nevada); Jie Bu, teacher

Sherry Kim started playing the piano at age 5. Sherry received first place in MTNA State competition four times for piano solo and twice for piano duet. Sherry is currently in the 11th grade at Clark High School. She performed at Carnegie Hall with her school's orchestra on March 2008. She is the jazz pianist for her school's jazz band. In her spare time, she loves teaching kids how to play the piano.

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Daren Endy is currently a senior at Clark High School. He has been taking piano lessons from Jie Bu for 12 years. Daren and his duet partner, Sherry Kim, won first place in both 2009 MTNA Southwest Division and in the 2008 All-State Command Performance. Daren plays violin in his school's orchestra. In March 2008, his orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall. He is the founder and president of Clark High School's Tennis Club and Music is Our Heart Club.

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Second Place: Wei Shi/Rong Shi, East Central Division (Michigan); Thomas Lymenstull, teacher

Third Place: Serena Liu/Abby Lingg, West Central Division (Kansas); DeeAnn Brown/Christy Williams, teachers

MTNA Senior String Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: Emma Louise Bobbs, East Central Division (Ohio); Melissa Kraut, teacher

Emma Louise Bobbs, 17, began cello studies at age four. She currently studies with Melissa Kraut and Richard Weiss in the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Tanya Ell of the Cleveland Orchestra. She has recently been awarded a Jack Kent Cooke scholarship from the radio show From the Top and has also won the opportunity to play with the Cleveland Orchestra in an education series in their 2009-2010 season.

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Second Place: Keir GoGwilt, Eastern Division (New York); Lewis Kaplan, teacher

Third Place: John-Henry Crawford, South Central Division (Louisiana); Andres Diaz/Hans Jensen, teachers

MTNA Senior Voice Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Supported by Jane Snow

Winner: Zoi M. Chavez, Southwest Division (New Mexico); Jacqueline Zander-Wall, teacher

Zoi M. Chavez, 16, is a home-schooled junior. She has recorded many CDs and has sung with the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque. She sings the National Anthem at several events throughout New Mexico. Active in the Santa Fe Opera's Young Voices Program, Zoi works regularly with a private vocal tutor Jacqueline Zander-Wall. Zoi enjoys singing classical, opera and other genres of music; her classical music repertoire includes 70 works.

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Second Place: Eryn LeCroy, Eastern Division (New Jersey); Dauri Shippey, teacher

Third Place: Zachary Bryant, Southern Division (Georgia); Earl Coleman, teacher

MTNA Senior Woodwind Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: Marley Eder, Southwest Division (California); Jim Walker, teacher

Marley Eder is a student of Jim Walker and Anne Zenmer. He began playing the flute at age 5 with Rosy Sackstein and since then has played concertos with the Colburn Orchestra de Camera and the Eastern Music Festival Symphony. Marley has played in several Los Angeles orchestras in venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. He is a Young Musician Foundation scholarship recipient.

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Second Place: Jennifer Zhou, East Central Division (Ohio); Beth Owen, teacher

Third Place: Charlie Fiorillo, West Central Division (Kansas); Jean Lansing, teacher

MTNA YOUNG ARTIST PERFORMANCE COMPETITIONS

MTNA Young Artist Brass Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: Gretchen Renshaw, Eastern Division (Pennsylvania); Velvet Brown, teacher

Gretchen Renshaw is currently a euphonium performance major at Penn State University, where she studies with Velvet Brown. She has also studied with Steven Mead while spending a semester abroad at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, England. Upon graduation from Penn State in 2010, Gretchen plans to return to the RNCM to complete a master's degree and then pursue a doctoral degree. Upon completion of these degrees, Gretchen hopes to become a college professor.

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Second Place: Nick Adragna, East Central Division (Michigan); Kenneth Kroesche, teacher

Third Place: Paul T. Dickinson, Southern Division (South Carolina); Mark Britt, teacher

MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition

Sponsored by Steinway & Sons

Winner: Anna Bulkina, South Central Division (Texas); Tamas Ungar, teacher

Anna Bulkina, is a graduate of the Rostov State Conservatory with R. Skorokhodova. Anna is studying with Tamas Ungar at Texas Christian University in the Artist Diploma program. She is the winner of many competitions. Anna has had concert performances in Russia, Poland, the United States, Spain, France and Italy.

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Second Place: Alexey Ivanchenko, Eastern Division (New Jersey); Veda Zuponcic, teacher

Third Place: James D. Cockmann III, West Central Division (Missouri); Jack Winerock/Richard Smith, teachers

MTNA Young Artist String Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: Stefani Collins, Southern Division (North Carolina); Paul Kantor, teacher

Stefani Collins is a Starling Scholarship student of Paul Kantor at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the 2009 DeLay Fellow at Aspen Music Festival. Accomplishments include the 2007 MTNA Senior Strings winner and solo engagements with the North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Mid-Atlantic and EMF symphonies. She has performed with the New York String Orchestra, All-Girl Vivaldi Orchestra and was featured on From the Top. Stefani will be a featured soloist at Cleveland's Severance Hall.

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Second Place: Rolf Haas, West Central Division (Minnesota); Sally O'Reilly, teacher

Third Place: Christiano Cruz, South Central Division (Louisiana); James Alexander, teacher

MTNA Young Artist Voice Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Supported by Jane Snow

Winner: Jamilyn Manning-White, Southwest Division (Arizona); Carole FitzPatrick, teacher

Jamilyn Manning-White, coloratura soprano, is a recent winner of the Jose Iturbi International Competition 2008, a regional finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions 2007 and a winner of the NATS competitions since 2002. Roles sung include The Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflote, La Fee in Cendrillon, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, and Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos. She will make her Glimmerglass Opera debut this summer as Clorinda in La Cenerentola.

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Second Place: Rachel Roby, Southern Division (Georgia); Linda Lister, teacher

Third Place: Carl Frank, East Central Division (Illinois); Caroline Smith, teacher

MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition

Sponsored by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND

Winner: John Cummins, West Central Division (Minnesota); Eugene Rousseau, teacher

John Cummins is a junior at the University of Minnesota currently pursuing a degree in saxophone performance while studying with Eugene Rousseau. He recently performed as a soloist and with the Quadrivium Saxophone Quartet at the 2008 Navy Band Saxophone Symposium held at George Mason University. Quadrivium also was a finalist at the Coleman, Fischoff and North American Saxophone Alliance chamber music competitions in 2008.

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Second Place: Noa Even, East Central Division (Illinois); Debra Richtmeyer, teacher

Third Place: Quinn Elliott Lewis, Eastern Division (New York); Chien-Kwan Lin, teacher

MTNA CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION

Sponsored by the Allen L McHose Scholarship Fund

Winner: Red Line Sax Quartet, Eastern Division (New York); Chien-Kwan Lin, teacher/coach

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The Red Line Sax Quartet is comprised of students from the Eastman School of Music, a school of the University of Rochester and America's "Hottest School for Music" according to the 2008 Kaplan/Newsweek "How to Get Into College" guide. Since the group began playing together in the spring of 2008, Red Line has made a splash at the nation's top chamber music competitions, capturing semifinals appearances at the Plowman and Fischoff chamber music competitions.

Second Place: Hi-Def Saxophone Quartet, East Central Division (Illinois); Debra Richtmeyer, teacher/coach

Third Place: Krang Quartet, Southern Division (Mississippi); Lawrence Gwozdz