FINALISTS ANNOUNCED IN STRING COMPETITION

New England String Ensemble Announces Finalists in 12th Annual String Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT

New England String Ensemble is pleased to announce the finalists in the 12th Annual NESE String Competition. The finals will be held at New England Conservatory with the top three finishers in the Open Division winning cash prizes and the winner of the 12-and-Under Division receiving a Savings Bond.

The Open Division first place winner will also perform as a soloist with Conductor Federico Cortese and the New England String Ensemble in “Winter Contrast” on Friday, February 8th, 7:30 pm at the Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover and Saturday, February 9th, 8:00 pm at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall. The program is a story of contrasts beginning with Mozart’s fresh and optimistic “Divertimento” contrasted by the Lutoslawski “Preludes and Fugue” filled with tension and mystery. Following the String Competition Winner’s piece, the performance concludes with Schubert’s evocatively powerful yet achingly beautiful “Death and the Maiden”.

FINALISTS IN THE 12-AND-UNDER DIVISION

Yuriko Amy Fukumura – Newton, MA
Jeffrey Tan – Reading, MA
Joseph Wu – Weston, MA

FINALISTS IN THE OPEN DIVISION

Yehna Chang – Lexington, MA
Alexia DelGiudice - South Easton, MA
Lydia Ding – Lexington, MA
Samuel Fisher - Newton, MA
Malinda McPherson - Belmont, MA
Kurt Munstedt - Needham, MA
Shreynas Ravi - Bedford, MA
Benjamin Ryu - Newton, MA
Sasha Scolnik-Brower - Andover, MA
Wilfred Vazquez - Andover, MA

New England String Ensemble was launched 13 years ago to support string music through performance and education. This passion for strings is the driving force behind the community programs presented by the orchestra. For the more advanced music student NESE hosts two separate competitions for string and flute players. According to Music Director, Federico Cortese these competitions are "an excellent way to provide young talents with the exciting opportunity of performing with a professional orchestra in a formal concert. At the same time an opportunity to show to the community the amazing level of accomplishment and artistry of our young students in the New England area".

In addition to these competitions, the orchestra supports music in the schools with “String Fever” at the elementary level, “Kids to Concerts” for middle-schoolers, the “New England Musical Heritage Initiative” at the high school level, and the newly created “Genius of Youth” program for middle students.

For more information regarding the New England String Ensemble’s educational programs, or concert series please call 781-224-1117 or visit http://www.newenglandstringensemble.org.

Website: http://www.newenglandstringensemble.org