News Taffy

The Delta Symphony Orchestra will perform the Young Artists Concerto Concert conducted by Dr. Neale Bartee on Sunday, February 16 at 3:00 p.m. at the Arkansas State University Fowler Center.  Grand prize winners from the Young Artist Concerto Competition, which was held on January 11, 2014, will perform as soloists with the symphony.  19 year-old percussionist Michael Barnes from Lawton, Oklahoma and 24 year-old cellist, Nathan Cottrell from Memphis, Tennessee are the 2014 grand prize winners.

Each year young musicians from across the country send in audition recordings for this competition and qualifying applicants are invited to audition in five categories: Voice, Piano, Strings, Brass & Percussion, and Woodwinds. The Grand Prize winners will receive $500 each, and the other category winners will receive $250 each.  The outstanding high school student will receive $100.

This year’s vocal category winner is 25 year-old Genevieve Kimbrough of Jonesboro, currently residing in Little Rock. She is the daughter of Jack & Bonnie Kimbrough of Jonesboro, AR. Grand prize winner Nathan Cottrell won the string category. He is the son of Pat & Camilla Cottrell.  Grand Prize winner Michael Barnes won the brass and percussion category. He is the son of Lorrie & Fredy Barnes. Ten year old Conner Dang and 13 year old Elizabeth Dang won the piano category performing a duo. They are from Memphis, Tennessee and are the children of Paul & Nora Dang. Twenty year-old Eric Stults of Norman, Oklahoma auditioned on saxophone and is the winner of the woodwinds category. He is the son of Elaine & Doug Stults. Sixteen year-old Charlotte Jeong of Jonesboro won the high school division of the competition playing flute. Ms. Jeong is the daughter of David & Suna Jeong.

Vocal division winner Genevieve Kimbrough currently lives in Little Rock and has been performing for the last 9 years. She studied voice in high school with Mrs. Robin Yates and is a Jonesboro High School graduate. She went on to study voice at the University of Central Arkansas and later received her Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She has performed with the University of Tennessee Opera Theatre, the UCA Opera Workshop and the Opera Experience Southeast. Miss Kimbrough has portrayed “Musetta” in La Boheme, “Monica” in The Medium and is currently a soloist with Opera in the Rock. The vocal division is sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. David Yates.

Mr. Nathan Cottrell is our string division winner and an overall winner who will perform with the DSO on the February 16, 2014 concert. He was born in Huntington Beach, California and is currently living in Memphis, TN. He has been performing for ten years. He has attended Colburn School for the Performing Arts, Biola University and University of Memphis. Mr. Cottrell has studied with Leonardo Altino, Andrew Shulman, Marlin Owen and Richard Naill. He has performed with the University of Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the University of Memphis Graduate Quartet, the Biola University Orchestra and Honors Quartet. He has performed on numerous recitals and concerts with the ensembles listed above as well as with the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra. He has won the University of Memphis Concerto Competition, the SAI Pasadena Chapter Concerto Competition and the Biola University Concerto Competition. The string division is sponsored by Drs Warren & Phyllis Skaug.

Mr. Eric Stults is the winner of the woodwind division. He has been playing saxophone for seven years. He is a graduate of Westmoore High School and attends Oklahoma State University. He has studied with Shain Baldwin, Chris Wiser and Dr. Jeff Loeffert. Mr. Stults has performed in the Oklahoma All State Band, Oklahoma State Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and Saxophone Quartet.  His solo performances and recitals include: Freshman recitals, a Wind Ensemble performance in Japan and his graduate recital. His saxophone quartet recently won the MTNA State Competition. The Woodwind Division is sponsored by Dr. Dan Ross.

Overall winner Michael Barnes is also our Brass and Percussion division winner. Mr. Barnes has been playing marimba for six years. He is originally from Ft. Belvoir, Virginia where he attended MacArthur High School. He is currently attending Oklahoma State. He has studied with Dr. Lambert and Stuart Langsam. Mr. Barnes performs in the OSU Percussion Ensemble, at the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, with the OSU Wind Ensemble and the Oklahoma All-State Orchestra. The Brass & Percussion Division is sponsored by Dr. John B. Kirkley, M.D.

Our Piano Division has two young winners this year. Conner and Elizabeth Dang won the division playing a piano duo. Charlotte has been playing piano for 6 years and Connor for 5 years. They attend Lausanne Collegiate School and study with Ms, Mary Ann Covert and Dr. Rose Marie Wang. They have performed with the Germantown Youth Symphony and the Toronto Youth Symphony and have given solo performances and recitals all over the country, including Carnegie Hall in New York. They have also won numerous competitions including UT Martin Piano Competition, Conway, Arkansas Piano Competition, Beethoven Club, Corpus Christi International, Cincinnati World and International Piano Competitions. The Piano Division is sponsored by Mrs. Dorine Deacon.

In addition to our five categories we also have a winner in the high school division. Miss Charlotte Jeong is the winner Neale Bartee Outstanding High School Musician Award. She will receive $100 in prize money. Miss Jeong was born in South Korea and currently lives in Jonesboro, AR where she attends Valley View High School. She studies flute with Joe Bonner and Myung Kim and performs in the Memphis Youth Symphony. She has performed solos at the MYSP Concerto Concert and the Beethoven Club in Memphis. She has previously won the MYSP Concerto Competition, Midsouth Flute Festival and was the woodwind division winner of the DSO Young Artist Concerto Competition last year.

Each division is represented on the judges panel. Vocalist Julia Lansford, Flutist Heather Coleman, Percussionist Craig Collison, Violist Dr. Ann Swaty, and Pianist Dr. Lauren Schack Clark were judges for this year’s competition. Our judges were graciously sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. John Freeman, Mrs. Angeline Rainwater and Mrs. Gloria Nixon.

The February 16, 2014 Young Artist Concerto Concert will feature Michael Barnes performing the Rosauro Marimba Concerto, Saudacao/Despedida and Nathan Cottrell performing Schelomo by Bloch.  In addition to the performances by the winners of the competition there will also be a 200-voice children’s chorus made up of students from area elementary schools.  Selections for the childrens chorus include: I Hear America Singing by Andre Thomas, Dry Your Tears, Afrika by John Williams (from the movie Amistad), Inscription of Hope by Randall Stroope, and the Star Spangled Banner.

Other selections will be announced.

This year the children’s chorus is made up of students from Jonesboro Visual and Performing Arts, directed by Elaine Bartee; Jonesboro Math and Science, directed by Jackie Boyd; Valley View Elementary, directed by Kathy Williford, Nettleton Intermediate Center and Fox Meadow Intermediate directed by Audra House; Nettleton Middle School directed by Beverly Pierce; Paragould Oak Grove Middle School, directed by Venus Hamilton; and Westside Middle School, Mike Bridges, director.

The Delta Symphony wishes to thank these co-sponsors for the Young Artist Concerto Competition and Concert: Mrs. Dawn Cantwell, Drs. Warren & Phyllis Skaug, Dr. John B. Kirkley, M.D.,  Dr. Dan Ross, Clopton Clinic, Mrs. Dorine Deacon, Mr. & Mrs. John Freeman, Mrs. Gloria Nixon, Mr. & Mrs, David Yates and Mrs. Angeline Rainwater. This program is supported, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tickets for the Young Artist Concerto Concert on February 16, 2014 are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens and $10 for students and may be purchased by calling 972-ASU1 or online athttp://www.astate.edu/tickets.