CLASSICAL MPR ANNOUNCES MINNESOTA VARSITY FEATURED ROUND FINALISTS
Feb 3, 2015
Classical MPR has announced the Featured Artists and Composers for its fifth annual Minnesota Varsity classical music showcase for instrumentalists, vocalists and composers. To participate in Minnesota Varsity, musicians ages 14-18 from around the region were asked to submit a recording of themselves performing. Student composers (also ages 14-18) were invited to submit an original score for clarinet, French horn, and piano, or any solo or combination of those three instruments. For a third year, American Composers Forum (ACF) is a partner with MPR in the Composition category.
Classical MPR staff received more than 125 submissions from across the state. From those, 13 were chosen as Featured Artists and 5 were chosen as Featured Composers.
In this phase of the program, the Featured Artists will be matched with a professional recording engineer from MPR to produce a high-quality recording. These recordings will then be broadcast throughout the month of March on Classical MPR--on air and online. Featured Round composers will participate in a day-long composer workshop session with musicians Jennifer Runck, Annie Kezar, and Francesca Tortorello and mentor Carol Barnett, to be held at American Composer Forum's headquarters at the Landmark Center next month. The students also will receive assistance in polishing their compositions and presenting them to an audience.
Minnesota Varsity 2015 Featured Artists:
Chase Bernard, guitar, Bloomington
Noah Chojnacki, piano, Eagan
Sarah & David Coltz, violin duo, Robbinsdale
Collin Jinks, piano, Bayport
Julian Maddox, violin, Minnetonka
Jonathan Mattson, piano, Rochester
Max Melin, marimba, Excelsior
Caroline Paulsen, cello, Minneapolis
Daniel Richards, cello, Duluth
Scottie Schwefel, voice, Excelsior
Anna Stolte, voice, North St. Paul
Trio Tesoro, oboe/clarinet/piano trio, Minneapolis
Christina Waldron, piano, Inver Grove Heights
Minnesota Varsity 2015 Featured Composers:
Louisa Byron, Waseca
John Kuntz, Eagan
Cynthia Heck, Maple Grove
Samuel Hoch, Eden Prairie
Thanasi Pantazides, Edina
The Showcase Round
Showcase Artists: Beginning March 23, the general public will be able to choose one of the Showcase Artists from the 13 Featured Artists by participating in the online Audience Vote at classicalmpr.org. Then, at the end of March, a panel of celebrity judges will choose four performers to be Showcase Artists. Past Showcase judges have included conductor Nicholas McGegan, Minnesota Orchestra Principal Conductor, Pops and Presentations Sara Hicks, Cantus baritone Aaron Humble, and actor Bradley Greenwald, and SPCO concertmaster Steven Copes. All five Showcase Artists will be asked to perform at MPR's Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on Sunday, April 19, 2015, for a live theater and radio broadcast--where the audience members will get to vote live for their favorite performer.
Showcase Composers: Two Showcase Composers will be selected by musicians Jennifer Runck, Annie Kezar, and Francesca Tortorello, Mentor Carol Barnett, and the American Composers Forum. The Showcase Composers' works will be premiered at the Fitzgerald Theater as part of the live Showcase concert broadcast.
Minnesota Varsity Showcase Concert Sunday, April 19, 5 p.m. at MPR's The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul
The 2015 Minnesota Varsity Showcase will include performances by the five finalists. During the event, audience members and radio listeners (via the Internet) will have the chance to participate in the "Encore Vote," with the winner performing the encore at the concert. Musicians Jennifer Runck, Annie Kezar, and Francesca Tortorello will perform the premiere 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: Listen to Featured Artists of Minnesota Varsity on Classical MPR March 9-27. 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."
Minnesota Varsity is supported by the generosity of these foundations and individuals: James and Kathryn Catalano; Kay and Gerry Erickson; Mary Gale; Margaret H. and James E. Kelley Foundation; Andy Kiorpes and Farrel Rich; Ann Newhall and Rick Schleuss; Stephen Otto; Ed and Jenni Ryan; Saunders Therapy Centers; Kay Savik and Joe Tashjian and Irma Wyman.