Kettering resident, high school sophomore wins cash award, chance to play with the DPO
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director Neal Gittleman and Education Director Gloria Pugh today announced that Tiffany Woo, a Kettering resident and sophomore at The Miami Valley School, has won the Dayton Philharmonic David L. Pierson Young Musicians Concerto Competition held on March 18 at Sinclair Community College.
A pianist, Miss Woo won the competition with her performance of the first movement of Chopin’s Concerto No. 3 in F minor. With the win, she received a first-place cash award of $500 and the opportunity to perform with the DPO at the May 15, 2007 Young People’s Concert.
The purpose of the Dayton Philharmonic David L. Pierson Young Musicians Concerto Competition is to identify outstanding talented musicians in the greater Dayton metropolitan and surrounding areas, to encourage young talented musicians to pursue further study, and to stimulate competition among musicians.
With few exceptions, the competition is open to area high school students residing in Butler, Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Shelby, or Warren counties who were in grades 10-12 during the 2006-2007 academic year, had the recommendation of both their private and public school music teachers, were members of a high school music group (band, orchestra, or choral group) and remained members during the 2006-2007 academic year.
The DPO held auditions for piano, strings, woodwinds, and brass players. Distinguished area musicians acted as judges and used the highest artistic standards. Music Director Neal Gittleman judged the final competition. All competitors performed their audition selections from memory, using no printed music.
There was a finalist and one honorable mention award made in each category. Second- and third-place winners were Beavercreek High School junior Elizabeth Casci and William Holten, a junior at Fairmont High School. They received $200 and $100 awards, respectively.