The fall of 2015 not only fulfilled, but exceeded our greatest hopes and expectations for the most impressive beginning yet of a new season. Our students garnered a huge swath of honors, awards, and achievements.
The season opened in October with a number of prestigious guest performances by Collin Jinks, Noah and Nita Qiu, and Christina Waldron. As a winner of last season’s Minnesota Public Radio’s (MPR) Minnesota Varsity’s Showcase Artist, Collin was the invited guest artist for MPR’s Donors Concert. (Please peruse Collin’s beautifully written essay on MPR’s Minnesota Varsity’s Showcase website regarding his experience with this program). Noah and Nita continued their outreach concerts with a shared guest artist recital for the Global Missions Festival. Christina performed as guest artist for the Thursday Musical Morning Concert Series, having won First Place in that venerable organization’s Young Artist Scholarship Competition High School Division last spring.
In November’s Music Association of Minnetonka Young Artist Concerto Competition, our students were honored with a complete sweep of all the awards. Collin was the First Place Winner, with Michael Tang taking Second Place, while Gloriana Wolf was awarded Third Place. As a result of Collin’s First Place Award, he will have the honor of two performances with the Minnetonka Symphony Orchestra in February of the third movement of Beethoven’s Concerto No. I in C Major.
Also in November, Michael Tang was the Winner, First Place, of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Young Artist Competition, Senior Category, State Division. Collin Jinks was awarded Alternate and Noah Qiu received Honorable Mention. In the Junior Category, Nita Qiu was awarded Alternate. Last week, Michael went on to represent the State of Minnesota in the West-Central Division in Wichita, Kansas, and was awarded Honorable Mention.
In December, Nita Qiu brought the fall season to a dramatic close with her First Place win of the St. Paul Piano Teachers (SPPTA) Concerto Competition. At thirteen, Nita is our youngest winner of this prestigious competition. It is our studio’s fifth win in a row. Nita will be performing the first movement of Saints-Saëns’ beloved Concerto No. 2 in G minor with the Mississippi Valley Orchestra, also in February. In the same competition, Gloriana continued her impressive showings in her fourth Third Place win, in four separate concerto competitions within the past year.
We will have a special emailing in a few weeks with complete information on Collin and Nita’s concerto appearances in February.
Yours in Music!!
Joe & Jo Anne