Each spring, CWRU undergraduate students compete in recital format for an opportunity to perform as a soloist with Symphony Orchestra or Symphonic Winds the following academic year. Up to 5 winners can be selected during this highly anticipated event. The Department of Music is proud to offer this competition each year as an opportunity for our talented musicians to gain performance experience.
Despite the rather unusual circumstances we faced with school moving to remote delivery during COVID-19 protocol, all of our applicants displayed great professionalism and musicianship. The 2020 Concerto Competition was held remotely with video submissions due April 15, 2020. Judges: Mr. Eric Charnofsky, Mr. David Ellis, Dr. Kathleen Horvath, Dr. Ryan Scherber, and Ms. Cynthia Watson.
Congratulations to the 2020 Concerto Competition Winners
Samuel Chaffee, piano (Sean Schulze)
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 2
Alexander Lenhart, trumpet (Loren Toplitz)
Trumpet Concerto by Aleksandra Pakhmutova
Nicholas Strawn, percussion (Matthew Larson)
Rachel Beller, percussion (Matthew Larson)
Emmanuel Sejourne, Double Concerto for Marimba, Vibes and Orchestra
Thank you to all of our performers:
Joshua Adams, bass trombone (Paul Ferguson)
Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra, John Williams
Selections from I. Allegro Moderato and II. Andante
Ryan Buechele, trumpet (Loren Toplitz)
Fantaisie and Variations on the Carnival of Venice, Jean Bapsiste Arban
Benjamin Cheung, piano (Gerardo Teissonnière)
Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30
I. Allegro ma non tanto
Abigail Cross, soprano (Denise Howell)
Exsultate, Jubilate by Mozart
ii. Tu virginum corona
iii. Alleluja
Hudson Hu, piano (Gerardo Teissonnière)
Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor, Op. 18
I. Moderato
Diane Jo, violin (Carol Ruzicka)
Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1
Aditya Mahesh, saxophone (Greg Banaszak)
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble by David Maslanka
Mvt. 1: Song: “Fire in the Earth”
Hannah Messenger, horn (Meghan Guegold)
Richard Strauss Horn Concerto No. 2
I. Allegro
Ryan Saathoff, horn (Meghan Guegold)
Kerry Turner Concerto fo Low Horn in F
Mvt. I, II
Past winners include:
- 2019 | Brian Liu (piano), Jon O’Brien (saxophone), Tim Orlando (violin), Nick Pogharian (trombone)
- 2018 | Julie Kim (violin), Bianca Pierson (saxophone), Devin Reddy (horn)
- 2017 | Kieran Aulak (marimba), Tyler McMaken (piano), Jason Linn (trombone), Zoe Ruolin Yang (violin), Timothy Nicholas (violin)
- 2016 | David Hsiao (violin), Christina Liu (violin), Rebecca Pfieffer (trumpet), Vincenzo Volpe (flute), Ann Wang (piano)
- 2015 | Ailin Yu (piano), Meigen Yu (piano), Robin Jo (violin)