Performance Competition Time

The Spring Quarter Competition will hold its private auditions on Saturday, May 1. For more information, refer to your Music Arts Student Guide, page 11.

The Competition, by invitation of individual instructors, is grouped by age. Senior Division (grades 8 through 11) will be judged by Dr. Sande MacMorran, director of the Knoxville Youth Symphony, assistant conductor of the Knoxville Symphony and professor in the UT Music Department. The Junior Division is open to students up through 7th grade.

If you’re not working hard on something, start now!

The Recital Brigade Needs Help

Most of our students, at one time or another, have taken part in our recitals. They report that it’s a lot more fun than they thought it would be.

Part of the reason they enjoy recitals is the bountiful table of refreshments waiting for them after the performance. The collection of cookies and other nibbles, provided by the participating students, goes a long way to salve the wounds of having to perform in front of, gasp, People.

Helping to make our recitals flow smoothly are parents and friends of the performers. These people, our hosts, donate their time and efforts (and in return get enthusiastic thanks on the programs!). Since the music school director smashed two vertebrae in a rooftop fall, some extra duties have been added to the hosts’ efforts, mostly along the line of stage set-up.

Next time your student is scheduled for a recital, please call us and volunteer. You’ll be truly and deeply appreciated.

1999 Composition Contest Winners Announced

The Winter Quarter Composition Contest came to an exciting close as works by Music Arts students were judged by a panel of seven of our instructors.

First Prize, to Elliott Ray, was for “Opus 2,” a lively jazz piece. His work was well admired by the judges for its upbeat manner, good compositional form and the emerging talent it showed.

Winners in the Music Arts Composition contest stand with their proud instructor Rudolph Nemeth. From left are Tarik Umar, Daniel Bridges, Nathan Dykas and Elliott Ray.

Second Prize went to Daniel Bridges, who submitted his “Opus 1,” with Third Prize awarded to Tarik Umar.

Honorable Mention awards were earned by Elliott Ray for “Opus 1" and by Nathan Dykas for “Spooky Song.”

Tarik Umar’s composition, also called “Opus 1,” was given a very special honor, the Music Arts Library Prize. With the composer’s permission, the piece will be added to our music library and be available for all piano students to use.