COMPETITION WINNERS ARE IDENTIFIED

All are Hickman and Rock Bridge high school students

Columbia, MO – On January 8, the 6^th MMAMTA/Odyssey Pre-Collegiate Aria/Concerto Competition was held at the First Baptist Church of Columbia.

The judges were Dr. Mia Kim, piano professor at the Central Missouri University in Warrensburg, and cellist Dr. Henry Myers, a private instructor with a doctoral degree from Eastman School of Music, who resides in Columbia.

The chosen winners are all high school students from Columbia: violinist Sofia Heredia, student of Eva Szekely; pianist Ema Iwasaki, student of Ayako Tsuruta; and violin/viola duo Hazel Keithahn and Kristen Yu, students of Siri Geenen and Leslie Perna, coached by Scott Yoo. Alternate was awarded to Anya Akhmadullina, student of Natalia Bolshakova, and Honorable Mentions were given to clarinetist Yoell Tewolde, student of Judith Shaw; pianist Ted Krause, student of Jan Houser in Jefferson City; and Eric Chen, student of Pavel Ilyashov in St. Louis.

Sponsored by the Paul D. Higday Mozart Trust, the purpose of the MMAMTA/ Odyssey Pre-Collegiate Competition is to identify outstanding pre-collegiate students to provide them with an opportunity to perform in a formal event with an orchestra, presented by the Odyssey Chamber Music Series. Competition founder Ayako Tsuruta wanted share her love of concertos with the music students and audiences, by recreating a joyful experience she had in 6^th grade, performing a Mozart Concerto with the Connecticut Chamber Orchestra with conductor Sayard Stone at the Woolsey Hall in New Haven.

Hazel and Kristen, Ema, and Sofia will all perform as soloists with the Odyssey Chamber Ensemble led by conductor Kirk Trevor, at the “Baroque Concerto” concert on February 17, Friday at 7pm, First Baptist Church, 1112 E Broadway in downtown Columbia.

Admission is $20/$5 for students with I.D. The “Baroque Concerto” concert is livestreamed at no charge on YouTube at “OdysseyPlowman.”

Donations are gratefully accepted.

More information is available at Odyssey website, www.OdysseyMissouri.org