25th Khuner Young Artist Concerto Competition Results:
From a group of talented young Bay Area musicians who came out for the competitive auditions in November, two very gifted artists have been selected as winners of Competition. Each will perform a concerto with the Prometheus Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Music Director, Eric Hansen. Each receives a monetary award and a professional recording of their performance.
Ila Shon is a cellist from San Francisco. She will play Antonín Dvorak’s Cello Concerto Op.104 at the PSO concert on January 26, 2014, at 3 p.m. at St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oakland.
Kelvin Guo is a clarinetist from Orinda. He will play Weber’s Concertino in Eb at the PSO concert on March 23, 2014, at 3 p.m. at St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oakland.
The Competition is open to Bay Area string, wind or percussion players, 18 years of age or younger. Remarkable young musicians audition each year for the rare opportunity to perform a concerto with a symphony orchestra. Many have gone on to successful careers as professional musicians. Information about the competition for the 2014-15 season will be posted here as soon as it becomes available (sometime in mid 2014). Auditions will not be held until the late fall (date and location yet to be determined). Requests for email notification of the audition and application information may be sent to ConcertoCompetition@PrometheusSymphony.org
The Khuner Young Artist Concerto Competition was initiated in 1989 and administered for 23 years by the late Dorinda Chase, Prometheus Symphony’s long-time principal clarinetist and extraordinary music educator. The Competition is named to honor Felix Khuner, who played with the Prometheus Symphony after retiring from a career as a violinist with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera Orchestra and California String Quartet. His son, Jonathan Khuner, conducted the Prometheus Symphony for 13 years, before moving on to be music director of the Berkeley Opera, conductor for the San Francisco Opera, prompter for the Metropolitan Opera, and guest conductor of major opera companies
WINNERS of previous Prometheus Symphony Orchestra Felix Kuhner Concerto Competitions:
(Students 18 years of age and younger – what they played and when)
- Oliver Herbert – Ernest Bloch, Schelomo – Hebrew Rhapsody for Violoncello and Orchestra (2013)
- Travis Chen – Edward Elgar, Cello Concerto in E minor Op. 85 – (2011)
- Stephen Waarts, violin – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D Maj., K.211 (2010)
- Ravenna Lipchik, violin – Ernest Chausson, Poème for violin and orchestra Op. 25 (2010)
- Joyce Park, cello – David Popper, Hungarian Rhapsody for Cello an Orchestra, opus 68 (2009)
- Michael Severance, bassoon – Carl Maria von Weber, Concerto for Bassoon in F Major (2009)
- Eunice Kim, violin – Sergei Prokofiev, Violin Concerto No.2 in G Minor, opus 63 – (2008)
- Stephen Kim, violin – Max Bruch Violin Concerto in G Minor (2007)
- Lydia Kirchhofer, Marimba – Hovhaness Fantasy on Japanese Wood Prints (2007)
- Paul Hyun, cello: Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme (2006)
- James Jaffe, cello: Bloch, Schelomo (2005)
- Tessa Seymour, cello: Boccherini, Concerto in B flat major (2005)
- Zenas Hsu, violin: Ravel, Tzigane (2004)
- Jonah Levy, trumpet: Hummel, Concerto in E flat Major (2003)
- Alexander Reicher, trombone: Grondahl, Concerto (2002)
- Karla Donehew, violin: Mozart, Concerto #3 (2002)
- Clare Twohy, violin: Beethoven, Romanze in F Major (2001)
- Andrea Segar, violin: Sarasate, Zigeunerweisen (2001)
- Rebecca Corrucini, violin: Stravinsky, Concerto in D (2000)
- Evie Koh, cello: Dvorak, Concerto in B min Op. 104 (1999)
- Jia Yao, violin: Vieuxtemps, Concerto No# 5 in A major (1998)
- Jae Chung, violin: Lalo, Symphonie Espagnole (1997)
- Meeka Quan, cello: Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme (1997)
- Sharon Bogas, cello: Elgar, Concerto in E Minor (1996)
- Nerina Mancini. cello: Bloch, Schelomo (1995)
- Nicole Joseph-Goteiner, violin: Mendelssohn, Concerto (1994 )
- Ruth-Angela Fears, bassoon: Mozart, Concerto for Bassoon K. 191 (1993)
- Lilah Valfer, violin: Ravel, Tzigane (1993)
- Sonia Kessigner, violin: Wieniawski, Concerto No. 2 (1992 1st place winner)
- Jack Bailey, oboe: Teleman, Concerto for Oboe D’Amore (1992 2nd place winner)
- Julia Tom, cello: Dvorak, Concerto in B min Op. 104 (1991)
- Ilana Blumberg, violin: Saint-Saens, Concerto No. 3 (1990)
