The Conservatory is pleased to announce that the four semifinalists for the Naftzger Awards are:
Xiangyu Zhao, piano, DMA student who studies with Robert Weirich
Brian Woods, piano, Artist's Certificate student who studies with Robert Weirich
Devin Burton, baritone, Artist's Certificate student who studies with Vinson Cole
Ariel Downs, soprano, MM student who studies with Maria Kanyova
The 77th Naftzger Young Artists Auditions & Music Awards will be held March 24 at Wiedemann Hall on the campus of Wichita State University. The competition, which is administered by the Wichita Symphony, will host 62 young musicians who will compete for $13,000 in prizes. Contestants will compete for a single $5,000 prize, the Naftzger Young Artist Award, plus three Naftzger Division Awards of $2,000 each and four division runner up awards of $500 each. The competition is held in four divisions: Voice; Piano; Winds/Brass/Percussion and Strings. The competition is open to music students enrolled in any college, university or conservatory in the United States.
The Naftzger Young Artists Auditions & Music Awards are made possible by the Naftzger Fund for Fine Arts, Inc., created in 1940 by Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Naftzger in memory of L.S. Naftzger, Ida L. Naftzger and Lee Southwell Naftzger II.
Two contestants from each division will be selected to perform in the finals on Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Wiedemann Hall on the Wichita State University campus. The Finals Recital is free and open to the public. Results and presentation of awards will immediately follow the final round of auditions.
Congrats!