Classical MPR Announces Showcase Round Winners for Minnesota Varsity
Apr 2, 2013
Classical MPR today announced the Featured Artists and Composers for "Minnesota Varsity" --a program to showcase the best young Minnesota classical musicians and composers. To participate in Minnesota Varsity, young musicians, ages 14-18, from around the state were asked to submit a recording of themselves performing. Student composers (also ages 14-18) were invited to submit an original score for flute, oboe, and clarinet, or any of those instruments in duo or solo. The call for compositions was new to the project this year, thanks to a partnership with the American Composers Forum.
Minnesota Varsity 2013 Showcase Artists: Hartman-Warren-Doyle Trio, piano/violin/cello (Performers are from Spring Lake Park, New Brighton and Minneapolis.) Luna Quartet, string quartet (Performers are from Minneapolis and Rogers. ) Megan Ruan, piano (Arden Hills) Eric Sargent, voice (Minnetonka)
Honorable mention: Michael Davis, piano (Bloomington) Emily Johnson, marimba (Forest Lake)
Showcase Artist by Audience Vote: Kristina Butler, voice (Burnsville)
Showcase Composers selected by ACF: Austin Kraft (Savage) Grant Luhmann (Lino Lakes) Classical MPR staff received more than 90 submissions from across the state. From them, 15 were chosen as Featured Artists and 4 were chosen as Featured Composers. The student musicians received a professional recording session at MPR's studios and their music was broadcast on Classical MPR in March. The Featured Composers participated in a Mentorship Day with charter ACF member and composer Carol Barnett as mentor and received assistance in polishing their compositions and presenting them to an audience.
In late March, a panel of celebrity judges chose four performers to be Showcase Artists--the panel included Kenneth Freed, Minnesota Orchestra Violist and Music Director of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra; Bradley Greenwald, Distinguished actor, singer and musician; Douglas Nimmo, Director of Wind Orchestra, Gustavus Adolphus College; Ruth Palmer, Pianist/Vocal Coach/Choral Conductor, Minister of Music at Unity-Unitarian Church St. Paul and Amy Roisum Foley, Director of Bands, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Last month, the public participated in the online Audience Vote at classicalmpr.org and chose one of the Showcase Artists. Also in March, the ACF selected two Showcase Composers.
Minnesota Varsity Showcase Concert Sunday, April 28, 5 p.m. at the Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul
The 2013 Minnesota Varsity Showcase will include performances by the five Showcase Artists and works by the two Showcase Composers. During the event, audience members and radio listeners (via web) will have the chance to participate in the "Encore Vote," with the winner performing the encore at the concert. Mill City Winds will perform the premieres of the Showcase Composers' pieces.
Tickets: Admission is free and open to the public but a ticket is required. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Fitzgerald Theater Box Office at 651-290-1200.
TUNE IN: Classical MPR can be heard in the Twin Cities on KSJN 99.5 FM. A complete list of Classical MPR stations can be accessed online: go to ClassicalMPR.org , and click on "stations." Listeners can hear the live broadcast of the Minnesota Varsity Showcase Concert on Sunday, April 28 at 5 p.m.
Minnesota Varsity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and by the generosity of these foundations and individuals: The Charles H. Clay Family Charitable Trust; Kay & Gerry Erickson; Margaret H. and James E. Kelley Foundation; Andy Kiorpes; Robert Kriel and Linda Krach; Ann Newhall and Rick Schleuss; Steve Otto; Paul and Mary Reyelts; Robin Saunders Ryan; Kay Savik and Joe Tashjian and Irma Wyman.