String Competition Information

The string divisions for the Festival will be held Friday, April 11 at Carpenter Recreation Center located at 111th and Colorado Blvd.  We are planning on starting at 6:15pm.  As students enter the recreation center, turn left just past the registration desk.  The competition rooms are on your right.  Below you will find your division’s start time and competition number.  Students will be introduced by their competition number.   The competition is a public performance and concert attire is required.  We suggest girls wear skirts below the kneecap.   Boys, no ragged jeans or sweatshirts.

Check-In

Please arrive 15-20 minutes before your division’s start time.  As you arrive, check-in with the volunteer located in the hallway outside the competition area.  Give your original music – with the measures numbered – to the volunteer.  There should be two warm-up rooms available.  Please warm up in the order of your performance.

Final Concert

Please reserve Saturday, April 12 for the Final Concert and Award Ceremony.  The judges will select top award-winners from all disciplines to perform at 6:30 pm at Rosa Auditorium at Skyview located at 8990 York St. in Thornton (just north of 88th Avenue).

All festival participants and their friends and families are invited to attend.  Suggested donation for this concert is $2.00 per person.

Carpenter Stage Rehearsals

Students, their teachers, and accompanists may rehearse Monday or Tuesday, April 7-8 from 4-9 pm.  This stage rehearsal is designed to give you an opportunity to walk on stage and to adjust dynamics to the competition room.  We allow students to go through their selections one time.   An in-depth practice session is not appropriate.  Sign up with the volunteer when you enter the competition room.  This practice session is on a first come, first served basis.

 

Questions:          Rosalie Keith      youngartistsalliance@comcast.net  303-457-2289

Heather Schenck   heatherschenck@ymail.com  720-934-3713

April 11, Friday     Carpenter Recreation Center

Intermediate A – Start Time:  6:15 pm

501      Jessa Scott

502      Camryn Olsten

504      Logan Walker

505      Ehna Choi

507      Jacob Lei

508      Justine Scott

509      Morning Huang

End Time:  7:20 pm                                       

 

Intermediate B – Start Time 7:35 pm                                             

551      Emily Scott

553      Corinne Olsten

555      Jongho Choi

556      Stephanie Rold

557      Sam Hempelmann

End Time:  8:10 pm

 

Senior – Start Time 8:25 pm                                                

601      Sabrynne Buchholz

602      Tara Srinivas

603      Brian Nguyen

604      Fernando Zamora

605      Michael Tang

End Time:  About 9:20 pm

String Judges 2014

Beth Wells

Beth Wells is currently the music director of the Northern Colorado Cello Choir, an ensemble whose members come from several different high schools and cello studios in Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley, Colorado.  The NCCC performed at the Colorado Music Educators’ Conference this past January 2014.  Ms. Wells is in her 24th season with the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra and Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra. She has been a member of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, the String Quartet Fantastique, and the String Quartet Con Brio. In 2012, Ms. Wells retired from a successful career teaching orchestra in the Fort Collins Poudre School District. The last seven years she was Director of Orchestras at Rocky Mountain High School. During her career, her junior high and high school orchestras received state and national recognition at the Colorado Music Educators’ Clinic/Conference and the American String Teacher National Orchestra Festival. Since retiring from public school teaching, Ms. Wells is a clinician and adjudicator for middle and high orchestra festivals, maintains an active cello studio, and does volunteer work on several committees for the Fort Collins Symphony. Beth studied cello performance and music education at Fort Hays State University and

University of Denver Lamont School of Music. Her principal teachers were James Bailey and Richard Slavich.  She is a strong supporter of orchestral and chamber music ensembles in Northern Colorado. Beth and her husband, bassoonist Tom Bittinger, often travel to other cities to hear performances of fine orchestras. Each summer they look forward to the Bravo Vail Festival, as well as hiking in the Colorado Rockies, and attending the Telluride Film Festival.

 

Emily Lewis.

Emily Rose Lewis started out as a Suzuki-trained violinist.  Early on, she became interested in chamber music, playing in the Turina String Quartet in high school and the Meo String Quartet after grad school. Emily Rose has performed with artists such as Anthony McGill, Chee-Yun, Edward Dusinberre, Mark O’Connor, Kanye West, Robert Plant, Amy Grant, and Clay Aiken. She has studied with Tyrone Grieve at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and with Jennifer John and Edward Dusinberre at the University of Colorado at Boulder.Now in Denver, Emily Rose is a founding member of Denver’s newest chamber group, the Sphere Ensemble.  She is also the fiddler and singer for Denver bluegrass/Americana band, Blow the Vault, as well as The Belle Jar, the Jesse Manley Band, and with singer-songwriter Matt Hoffm  an.  In addition to playing, Emily Rose also teaches violin and fiddle privately and at Swallow Hill Music. 

Stephanie Texera

Stephanie Texera is currently in her second year as the Director of Instrumental Music at Skyline High School where she directs the Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Percussion Ensemble.  Ms. Texera received her Bachelors of Music Education from Florida State University and her Masters in Music in Conducting from the University of Colorado – Boulder.

 

Ms. Texera has taught orchestra and band in Colorado and Florida for the past fourteen years.  Believing that travel is an extension of the classroom, her ensembles have performed in California, Tennessee, Hawaii, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.  In addition to teaching high school instrumental music, Ms. Texera is also the conductor of the Front Range Youth Symphony in Arvada.  She is highly sought after as a guest clinician and conductor throughout Colorado.  Ms. Texera’s true passion is helping students develop a lifelong enjoyment of music.