Tucson orchestra spotlights award-winning teen pianist at benefit concert

The Civic Orchestra of Tucson was the first in Tucson to host a youth concerto competition for kids younger than college age.

On Saturday, Feb. 17, the orchestra will shine the spotlight on one of the most recent winners of its Young Artists’ Competition in a benefit concert to raise money for this year’s 39th annual contest.

Pianist Hannah Kim, 13, will perform the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 with the 75-piece orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Keun Oh.

In addition to her Civic Orchestra win, Hannah, a Basis Tucson North eighth-grader, has won a number of piano competitions, including first place in the Roberta Savler Piano Competition in Chicago and top prizes in the Tucson Music Teachers Association Merit Scholarship Auditions, the Arizona State Music Teachers Association’s Honors Recital Auditions and the Charleston International Music Competition.

The COT Young Artists’ Competition has five solo categories — winds, percussion, piano, harp and strings — and each has a junior and senior division.

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Saturday’s “Scènes de Ballet” program also includes “Mars” from Holst’s “The Planets;” Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” and the Enchanted Lake and Waltz movements from “Swan Lake;” and Copland’s “Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes.”

Civic Orchestra of Tucson performs eight free concerts a year; this is the only one where they charge a fee ($20 for adults, $10 for students 18 and younger), with proceeds benefiting the Young Artists’ Competition.

Saturday’s concert begins at 3 p.m. at the Center for the Arts on the Pima Community College West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road. Tickets are available at the door or in advance at cotmusic.org.