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Young Artists Competition finalists selected

Nine young people advance to the "elimination round" of VSO's competition

By Scott Hewitt, Columbian staff writer
Published: December 28, 2016, 6:00am
9 Photos
Symphony Koss, Violinist, 10th grade, Vancouver
Symphony Koss, Violinist, 10th grade, Vancouver Photo Gallery

Finalists in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s 23rd annual Young Artists Competition are another reminder that picking winners can be unpredictable, and that pendulums do swing.

There are always three categories in this annual contest for exceptional young instrumental talent: strings, piano and the bigger grab-bag of brass, woodwinds and percussion. But the contest’s professional musician-judges, who listen to blind-audition tapes from all over the region, have total discretion when it comes to selecting the standout finalists.

For the last couple of years, those judges have shaken things up a bit by naming extra finalists in the piano and string categories while not choosing any brass, woodwind or percussion musicians — simply because none of them rose to the top.

This year, the pendulum seems to have swung. Three finalists have been selected for the brass, woodwinds and percussion category; the fact that all three are flutists should add even more excitement and suspense to an annual concert that always crackles with competitive edge.

If you go

  • What: Final round of Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s 23rd annual Young Artists Competition.
  • When: 1 p.m. Jan. 8.
  • Where:Trinity Lutheran Church, 309 W. 39th St., Vancouver.
  • Admission: Free.
  • More information: 360-735-7278 or vancouversymphony.org

Clark County flutists Ashley Teng of Camas, a 10th-grader, and Sara Suelbee Shin of Vancouver, an 11th-grader, will be joined by 11th-grader flutist Isabelle Zheng of Portland in competing for the grand prize in their category.

The three string finalists are violinist Symphony Koss of Vancouver, a 10th-grader; and 11th-grade cellist Paul Lee and fifth-grade violinist Hanami Froom, both of Portland. The three piano finalists are 11th-grader Trevor Natiuk of Battle Ground, 11th grader Christopher Yoon of Portland and ninth-grader Emily Jeeho Park of Sammamish.

All finalists will perform before a live audience on the afternoon of Jan. 8 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vancouver. The concert is free and open to all; tickets are not required and there’s no reserved seating. Returning as master of ceremonies will be Edmund Stone of All Classical Portland Radio, 89.9-FM.

This annual concert is an exciting and unpredictable occasion thanks to lots of young energy, families and friends who turn out to cheer — and awesome artistry, orchestra manager Igor Shakhman said.

The winner in each category will earn a truly grand prize: a weekend of performances with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Salvador Brotons. A pair of concerts featuring the Young Artists Competition winners is scheduled for April 22 and 23 at Skyview Concert Hall.

Also, the winners will divvy up more than $5,000 in scholarship money.

The Young Artists Competition is open every autumn to classical music students who are 18 or younger, actively taking private lessons and living within a 135-mile radius of Vancouver. That includes Seattle, Yakima and Eugene, Ore. This year, more than 60 audition tapes were submitted.

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