ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 2012 FISCHOFF COMPETITION
NOTRE DAME, IN (May 13, 2012) – Out of 48 competing ensembles from across the nation and around the world, the Barkada Quartet has won the coveted Grand Prize of the 2012 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition ($7,500.00) and the Gold Medal ($3,000.00) in the Senior Wind Division. The Tesla Quartet captured the Gold Medal ($3,000.00) in the Senior String Division. In addition to prize money, both ensembles will participate in a Winner’s Tour of the Midwestern United States in October, and the Barkada Quartet will perform several concerts in the Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy in 2013. Barkada Quartet members Christopher Elchico (soprano saxophone), Marti Comas (alto saxophone), Steven Lawhon (tenor saxophone) and Justin Polyblank (baritone saxophone) currently study at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana. Tesla Quartet members Ross Snyder (violin), Michelle Lie (violin), Megan Mason (viola) and Kimberly Patterson (cello), currently study at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado.
In the Senior Wind Division, the Silver Medal ($2,000) was awarded to the Akropolis Quintet of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Members include Tim Gocklin (oboe), Kari Dion (clarinet), Matt Landry (saxophone), Andrew Koeppe (bass clarinet) and Ryan Reynolds (bassoon). The Senior Wind Division Bronze Medal ($1,000) was awarded to the Noctua Wind Quintet, who currently study at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, Houston, Texas. Ensemble members include Kayla Burggraf (flute), Michelle Pan (oboe), Nicolas Chona (clarinet), John Turman (horn) and Thomas Morrison (bassoon).
The Senior String Division Silver Medal ($2,000) went to the Trio mod3tre, whose members Tessa Lark (violin), Deborah Pae (cello) and Misha Namirovsky (piano) study at the New England Conservatory, Boston, Massachusetts. The Senior String Division Barbara Shields Byrum Bronze Medal ($1,000) went to the Ariadne String Quartet of the Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, Ohio. Members include Dorothy Ro (violin), Ling Ling Huang (violin), Evan Hesketh (viola) and Denise Ro (cello).
In the Junior Division (for musicians eighteen and under), the First Place Medal and Scholarship of $2,000 was won by the Quartet Stracciatella of The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Members include Erika Gray (violin), HyunJae Lim (violin), Stephanie Block (viola) and Johannes Gray (cello). The Second Place Medal and Scholarship of $1,500 was won by the Y Trio of the Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, Michigan. Members include Chaojun Yang (piano), Yue Qian (violin) and Yunwen Chen (cello). The Third Place Medal and Scholarship ($1,000) went to the Quartet Ardella of The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Members include Laura Park (violin), Jennifer Cha (violin), Devon Naftzger (viola) and Ben Solomonow (cello). Honorable mentions went to the Pallas Trio of The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago (Kelly Talim, violin; Mariel Werner, cello; Kate Liu, piano) and Contrapunctus String Quartet of Midwest Young Artists, Highwood, IL (Alan Snow, violin; James Hanford, violin; Andrea Ferguson, viola; Miles Link, cello).
About Fischoff
Founded in 1973 in South Bend, Indiana, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has grown to become the largest chamber music competition in the world, and one of the most prestigious classical music prizes attainable today. Since its founding, more than 5,000 musicians have participated, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in music performance and education.
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