PRESS RELEASE: January 19, 2001
Contact person: Niel DePonte, conductor

Conductor Niel DePonte Announces Winners of the 7th Annual "Young Artists at the Schnitz" Concerto Competition

Niel DePonte, artistic director and conductor of the Young Artists Concerto Competition, affectionately known as the "Young Artists at the Schnitz" competition, has announced this year's winners of the annual competition. The nine soloists, chosen from 30 contestants on Saturday, January 13th at the competition's final round held at Lewis and Clark College, will perform with DePonte and an orchestra drawn from the ranks of the Oregon Symphony and Oregon Ballet Theatre orchestras on Friday April 13, 2001, 7:30 PM at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets for the concert are available through the Oregon Symphony's box office by phoning 503-228-1353 (1-800-228-7343). The concert is sponsored by the Tri-County Lodging Association and the Portland Oregon Visitors Association, and is produced by MetroArts Inc, DePonte's non-profit arts-education organization.

The winning young artists for 2001 are:

• Judy Park, 12, a pianist from Tualatin, performing Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 11, K. 413, F Major, movement 1 teacher: Dorothy Fahlman
• Tianhui Michael Li, 15, a pianist from Portland, performing Prokofiev, Piano Concerto #1, mvt 1 teacher: Lois Thayer
• David Lau, 16, a violist from Forest Grove, performing Walton, Concerto for Viola, movement 1 teacher: Leo Whitlow
• Andr� Dubelsten, 15, a trumpeter from Tualatin, performing The Carnival of Venice teacher: Gerard Webster
• Elspeth Yao Reed, 17, a pianist from Eugene, performing Saint Saens, Piano Concerto #2, op. 22, G minor, movement 1 teacher: Claire Wachter
• Katie Marie Harman, 20, a soprano from Gresham, performing Puccini, O Mio Babbino Caro, from Gianni Schicchi teacher: Janine Kirstein
• Bethany Patterson, 19, a soprano from Salem, performing Delibes, Les Filles Des Cadix, teacher: Ruth Dobson
• Ms. Harman, Ms. Patterson Delibes, Duet from Lakme
• Ellen Cockerham, 15, a violinist from Tualatin, performing Sarasate, Zigeunerweisen teacher: Clarisse Atcherson
• Benjamin Kim, 17, a pianist from Lake Oswego, performing Grieg, Concerto for Piano, op.16, A minor, movements 2 and 3 teacher: Dorothy Fahlman

DePonte said about the concert and the OMEA...
"I want to encourage every OMEA member to get all their private and public school students to this concert! This is an event that inspires parents, teachers, and young musicians of all ages to reach their highest potential. The kids who get to perform are shining examples of what hard work and dedication can accomplish. Every parent, music teacher and music student: instrumentalists; pianists and vocalists, will be blown away by the talent of these kids, but more importantly they are a music teacher's best way to instruct their own students on what they can achieve if they apply themselves in music, or in life!"

After the competition, DePonte, who is also music director and conductor for Oregon Ballet Theatre and performs as a marimba soloist with orchestras himself, said, "Every year, for the seven years I've conducted this concert, I leave the auditions thinking, 'Wow'. There is so much incredible young talent in our community! Every child with any interest in the arts should come to this concert and see what can be achieved through hard work and passion for a discipline like music - and they should bring their parents! The dedication shown by these young artists, their parents and their teachers is inspiring and says a great deal about what's right with our kids."

For ticket information about the Young Artists at the Schnitz gala concert, April 13, 2001, 7:30 PM at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, call the Oregon Symphony box office at 503-228-1353 (1-800-228-7343).

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