There was no shortage of talent at the 2019 Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Concerto Competition earlier this month.
Six young musicians ranging in age from 7 to 18 were honored for performing well-prepared concerto movements before a panel of judges.
The SASO concerto competition was established to recognize and support outstanding young high school musicians, encouraging them to polish performance skills and build real-life experience. It is named in honor of longtime arts patron Dorothy Dyer Vanek, who is SASO’s season sponsor for the 12th consecutive year.
In the junior division for kids 14 and under, 7-year-old pianist Ayla Moreno took home the top prize, followed by violinist Jacqueline Rodenbeck, 11, in second place, and 12-year-old cellist Naomi Turner in third.
Second-grader Ayla, who performed the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in F major, began playing the piano and violin at 3 years old. She has been invited to perform violin and piano at venues in Tucson and Japan, including the Tucson annual Japanese Festival, Tucson Folk Festival, Tucson Museum of Art and several churches.
In the senior division for kids ages 15 to 18, first prize went to 17-year-old violinist Kai Skaggs, who won $1,000 and an invitation to perform with SASO in March. Pianist Minu Kim, 18, earned second place and $500. Violinist Andrew Nix, 18, was awarded third prize and $250.
Kai, a senior at Canyon del Oro High School, performed the finale of Dvorak’s Violin Concerto. He started playing violin at 4 years old with Dennis Bourret and the Tucson Junior Strings, where he played for 10 years. Skaggs is a member of the CDO school orchestra and the Tucson Repertory Orchestra. He is also concertmaster of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra.
You can catch Kai’s SASO performance at 7:30 p.m. March 2 at the DesertView Performing Arts Center in SaddleBrooke, or at 3 p.m. March 3 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 7575 N. Paseo del Norte.
The concert also will include a performance of SASO member and composer Richard White’s Concertino for English horn performed by the orchestra’s principal oboist Sherry Jameson. Brazilian rising talent Lucas Ferreira will perform Françaix’ Concerto for Clarinet and the concert will include the famous “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” by Dukas, performed with a special mimed accompaniment by actor Rick Wamer.
Tickets for the SaddleBrooke performance are available at tickets.saddlebrooketwo.com, and tickets for the St. Andrew’s performance are available at sasomusic.org or by calling 308-6226.
