Three outstanding musicians who represent musical excellence at West Virginia University will take the stage with the WVU Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mitchell Arnold, as the Orchestra presents its annual Young Artists Concert, on Wednesday, March 14.

The program begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre at the Creative Arts Center.

The Young Artists Competition is open to all full-time junior, senior and graduate student music majors, and the winners are selected after a rigorous competitive audition process.

“It is always a great pleasure to work with our talented students, both in ensembles, privately in conducting lessons and in such collaborative situations as the Young Artist Competition Concert,” said Dr. Arnold, director of orchestral activities at WVU. “It helps them develop their mastery and also their ability to express their art on a large musical canvas.”

The program includes selections from “Concertino for Flute and Orchestra” by Otar Gordeli (1928-1994), “Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major” by Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943).

The Young Artists Competition winners performing are: Onpavee Nitisingkarin on piano, Amy Schatzer on flute, and Yana Tyulkova on piano.

Onpavee Nitisingkarin is a native of Thailand, where she received her undergraduate degree at Mahidol University, the largest school of music in Thailand. After studying piano there with WVU graduate Dr. Tretip Kamolsiri, she attended WVU for her master’s degree in music and is currently studying for a doctorate in piano performance. She has also received numerous diplomas in piano from the Trinity College of Music in London. In addition to her classes at WVU, Nitisingkarin is in the Dalcroze Eurhythmics Certification program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She was awarded scholarships from the Valerie Canady Charitable Trust Foundation in 2011. She has performed in numerous other concerts including the “Young Talented Pianists Concert” by Assumption University’s department of music in 2003, “Rotarian Concert” in 2005 and the “DEMUS Concert” in 2010.

Amy Schatzer is originally from Jefferson City, Mo., and has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in various orchestral and recital settings, including performances with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Knoxville Wind Symphony. Schatzer earned her bachelor’s degree in flute performance from the University of Tennessee and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in music at WVU. Her achievements include being a prizewinner in the Rochester Flute Association, Music Teachers National Association, Hampton Roads Flute Faire, Celebration of Excellence and Music Study Club. Her primary teachers include Nina Assimakopoulos at WVU, Dr. Nicole Riner and Dr. Shelley Binder.

Yana Tyulkova was born in Dzerjinsk, Russia, and started playing the piano when she was 5 years old. She finished the Scriabin Music School with honors in 1992 and completed her bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Balakirev Music College in 1996. She completed her master’s degree in 2001 from the Glinka Conservatory in Nizhny Novgorod with highest honors. That same year she attended the Berklee College of Music Five-Week Performance Program as a jazz vocalist. Tyulkova was awarded a performance grant to attend the Berklee College of Music Twelve-Week Performance Program during the summer of 2002. She is also a member of the International Association of Schools of Jazz in Holland. She is currently in the doctoral program at WVU, where she also accompanies for the Opera Studio and the Same Difference Jazz Vocal Group.

For tickets and information, contact the WVU Box Office at (304) 293-SHOW.

For more information, visit the WVU Symphony Orchestra’s Facebook Page or http://wvuso.weebly.com.

-WVU-

lb 3/5/12

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

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