2009 ICA High School Solo Competition (by Marguerite Levin)

(winners of the ICA High School Solo Competition)

2009 ICA High School Solo Competition

Marguerite Levin, Coordinator

The Preliminary round of the 2009 ICA High School Solo Competition was held in May of 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. Applications were submitted on compact disc and judges were unaware of contestants’ names or country of residence. Required repertoire was the Hommage a A. Khatschaturian for Solo Clarinet by Béla Kovάcs and the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano by Leonard Bernstein. Judges were Edward Palanker, Baltimore Symphony; Allison Yacoub, Morgan State University; and Kyle Coughlin, Howard Community College. Judges selected 7 finalists to advance to the final round.

The Final round was held on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 in the Coservatório de Mύsica do Porto. Judges were John Scott, University or North Texas; Elizabeth Crawford, Ball State University; and Marie Picard, Quebec Conservatory. The three winners, all from Portugal, were: First prize of $1000, Carlos Ferreira; Second Prize of $750, Sara Araύjo; and Third Prize of $500, Diogo Ferreira. The other four finalists were Samuel Marques of Portugal; Xu Li of China; Joseph Samucha of Hong Kong, and Gustavo Cesar Yescas Nuñez of Mexico.

All performers and teachers are to be commended for the high level of playing heard on the application CDs as well as live in Portugal. The performances were truly remarkable especially when considering that some of the competitors were as young as 14 years old!

This coordinator is thankful for the collegial atmosphere of the judges and of their willingness to serve our profession. Many thanks to all.

(Marguerite Levin, coordinator of the HS Competition)