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KMFA
Young Violinist Competition & Award debuts
at McCallum High School Fine Arts
Academy
Prizes include custom violin donated by The Amati Foundation
 Wednesday,
February 11, 2009---Austin, TX--- The McCallum Fine Arts Academy today announced
their role as the featured public school participating in the KMFA Young Violinist
Competition & Award. Committed to supporting young classical music students,
KMFA is hosting the first-of-its-kind competition, which includes the yearlong loan
of a highly valuable custom made violin donated by William Townsend of The Amati
Foundation.
KMFA 89.5 FM, Austin's classical music radio
station is pleased to debut their KMFA Young Violinist Competition & Award at McCallum
High School, which features Austin's only fine arts academy embedded in a public
high school. As a flagship beneficiary, McCallum Fine Art Academy Orchestra
was identified as critical starting point for introducing the new program to the
Austin community, focused on young violinists playing in school orchestras.
Joan Kobayoshi, General Manager for KMFA, offers, "The
KMFA Young Violinist Competition & Award was developed to provide a unique opportunity
to deserving young violists within a robust school music education program to compete
in a professional-style scenario, while also allowing them the chance to earn prizes
that contribute to their performance experience while in school."
Ricky Pringle, Orchestra Director of the McCallum
Fine Arts Academy Orchestras adds, "We are honored to be chosen by KMFA as the launching
pad for their debut violinist competition. Our violin students in all classes
and at all levels are enthusiastic about this opportunity. We look forward
to seeing them have this experience, and we are encouraging them to take full advantage
of the chance to play for such esteemed judges and win great prizes."
The winning young violinist will receive use
of the Amati Foundation violin valued at $8,000 for one year, as well as an invitation
to Starling Series Master Classes with Anne Akiko Meyers, one of the world's premiere
concert violinists. Additional prizes include tickets to Starling Series concert,
tickets to an Austin Symphony concert featuring a violinists 'meet and greet',
as well as, an Austin Chamber Music Center Festival Workshop scholarship, Season
Pass to the festival and an opportunity to perform live with local ensemble, Will
Taylor & Strings Attached.
To round out the robust prize package, the winner
will also receive $200 scholarship from Blackerby Violin Shop for music and supplies
for the year, and repairs and adjustments to the violin as needed, provided by Sandro
Cocco Violin Studio.
Three finalists will also have the opportunity
to win prizes, including a "Master Class" on violin making and care provided by Sandro
Cocco Violin Studio, repair services by Sandro Cocco Violin Studio, and sheet music
and supplies, provided by Blackerby Violin Shop.
On Saturday, March 7, 2009, violinists from
McCallum Fine Arts Academy Orchestra will perform excerpts from Schubert's Mass No.2
in G major for a selection of esteemed competition judges. The judges include
Peter Bay, Music Director and Conductor of The Austin Symphony; Michelle Schumann,
Artistic Director, of Austin Chamber Music Center; Jennifer Bourianoff, Assistant
Concertmaster for The Austin Symphony, and instructor at the Austin Chamber Music
Center; Aurelien Petillot, Founder and Director of Viola by Choice, and instructor
at the Austin Chamber Music Center; and Will Taylor, Founder of Will Taylor & Strings
Attached.
Schubert's Mass No.2 in G major was selected
as the audition music for The KMFA Young Violinist Competition as it is the featured
music to be performed by the McCallum Fine Arts Academy Orchestra at New York City's
famed Carnegie Hall this June as part of the Masterworks Series. The Masterworks
Series invites qualified ensembles to collaborate on a major work for choir, professional
orchestra and soloists under the direction of a nationally recognized conductor.
This is the McCallum Orchestra's second invitation to Carnegie Hall, performing there
in 2006.
For additional information on the KMFA's Young
Violinist Competition & Award or to learn how to donate to the Carnegie Hall Performance
Fund, go to the McCallum Orchestra Performance Fund at www.macorchestrafund.org.
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Contact: Fiona Cherbak
ThemePark
Studios
fiona@themeparkstudios.com
512/916-9633
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