The Paducah Symphony will hold its nineteenth annual Young Artists Competition on January 22, 2011. Two winners will receive cash awards of $1,000 each and will perform with the Paducah Symphony on Triumphant! Concert on April 16, 2011, at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center. The concert will feature, not only the competition winners, but also a performance of Mozart’s Requiem with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
The competition was begun in 1993 to showcase the best high school musicians from Kentucky and surrounding states and to give them an incentive to hone their special talents as a soloist with a symphony orchestra. The competition is divided into two divisions-one for pianists, which is co-sponsored by the Murray State University Music Department and WKMS, and one for students who play any other orchestral instrument. Only students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to enter.
The application postmark deadline for instrumentalists is December 17, 2010 and January 3, 2011 for all pianists. Prospective entrants and music teachers can request more information as well as application forms by contacting Darlene A. Dreyer, Executive Director, at the Symphony at 270-444-0065 or via e-mail at ddreyer@paducahsymphony.org . Piano forms are also available from Dr. Richard Scott, MSU Music Department, at 270.809.6443, or via e-mail at richard.scott@murraystate.edu . Complete applications are available online at www.paducahsymphony.org . The entry fee for applications is $40.00 per application.
The Audition Showcase will take place on Saturday, January 22, 2011, at the Fine Arts building at Murray State University in Murray, KY. Entrants must prepare a movement from a concerto in the standard orchestra repertoire or a work of similar stature for which an orchestral accompaniment is available. The selection must be memorized. Performers in both divisions must furnish their own accompanist. The winners will be announced after auditions are completed.
This program is sponsored in part by WKMS, Murray State University, the Kentucky Arts Council, the City of Paducah, and donations from the community. The Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet, provides operational support for the Paducah Symphony Orchestra with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
For additional information about Paducah Symphony programs or to order tickets for upcoming Symphony performances on November 6 and December 11, please call the Symphony Office at 270-444-0065, e-mail info@paducahsymphony.org , or visit the office in person at 201 Broadway in Paducah.
The mission of the Paducah Symphony Orchestra (PSO), which celebrates its 32nd Anniversary this year, is to bring the rewards of great music to a growing and diverse regional audience. To this end, the organization shall administer and sponsor a symphony orchestra and chorus of the highest quality. Its objectives shall be to offer a full range of concerts and performances of music of quality always with full cognizance of fiscal responsibility. It shall cooperate with other organizations connected with the arts and shall do those things which, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, will enrich its service and enhance the cultural reputation of the region.
This regional professional symphony orchestra, currently under the direction of Raffaele Ponti, is a cultural resource for the entire Western Kentucky region. The PSO, presently the Orchestra-in-Residence at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center, encompasses a wide range of ensembles, including the PSO Professional Orchestra, the Paducah POPS Orchestra, an auditioned adult Symphony Chorus, a multi-county Children’s Chorus, and a Music Education Program. For over 30 years, the PSO has served as the premier musical organization in western Kentucky and the surrounding region, enhancing the area’s cultural reputation by expanding its appearances and collaborations with community partners. Tickets for the 2010-2011 programs are on sale now.
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