Program Book - Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition Finals

2024 Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition Finals WOODWINDS, BRASS, PERCUSSION, AND HARP

Presented by the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and the Negaunee Music Institute at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

PROGRAM Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 2:00

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Kyle Dickson CONDUCTOR FINALISTS

Chloe Nam FLUTE Jaden Teague-Núñez STEELPAN Elyse Schlesinger HORN W E LCOME

William Ward Former President of the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and Co-Chair of the Young Artists Competition Committee P E R FOR M A N C E

REINECKE

Flute Concerto in D Major, Op. 283 Allegro molto moderato CHLOE NAM

TEAGUE

A Visit to Hell (orch. Whitmarsh) The Gates of Hell Fanfare for the Devil The Escape from Hell

JADEN TE AGUE-NÚÑE Z

R. STRAUSS

Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major Allegro

ELYSE SCHLESINGER I NT E RV I EW W I TH FI N A LISTS

Robbie Ellis WFMT Producer and Presenter P R ES E N TATION OF AWA R D S

Elizabeth Stein League Member 2

FINALISTS Chloe Nam FLUTE Chloe Nam is a sophomore at Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago.

Under the expert guidance of Hideko Amano, Chloe developed a deep passion for flute performance. Since eighth grade, she has been a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO), where she currently plays flute and piccolo. Before then, she was a member of the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory of Merit School of Music for three years.

Chloe has been recognized in various music competitions such as the Chicago Flute Club Student Competition, DePaul National Concerto Festival, Society of American Musicians’ Competition, CYSO Concert Orchestra Concerto Competition, and Walgreens Concerto Competition. Chloe also participated in the Illinois Music Education Conference All-State Band in 2023. Chloe has had the privilege of performing in master classes or had lessons with Jennifer Gunn, Nancy Stagnitta, and Jonathan Keeble.

Jaden Teague-Núñez PERCUS SION Jaden Teague-Núñez is sixteen years old and was born in Panama City, Panama.

He moved to the United States in 2011 and began studying steelpan and piano (classical and jazz) at the ages of eight and ten, respectively. He attends DeKalb High School, where he serves as drummer for the Jazz Ensemble and Steelband and is a member of the Marching Band.

Among his growing accomplishments, Jaden has been a guest steelpan soloist with the Humboldt State University Steelband in Arcata, California, and performed with the Northern Illinois University Steelband.

He has performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, and, on several occasions, has appeared at the Illinois Music Education Association Conference. Jaden was a guest performer at the 2023 Tuba Bach Festival in Big Rapids, Michigan, where he was honored to collaborate with guitar virtuoso Fareed Haque and tuba master Ed Mallett. He was also a guest artist at the 2023 Inside Out Steelband Festival in Austin, Texas.

In addition to his passion for music, Jaden practices mixed martial arts and enjoys playing on his PlayStation.

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F I NA L ISTS

Elyse Schlesinger HORN Elyse Schlesinger started french horn in fifth grade and developed a lasting passion for music and the collaborative creativity of ensembles. She is a member of Fremd High School’s top band, chorus, and orchestra. Elyse has also performed a variety of pieces for solo horn and choir. She served as principal horn of the Barrington Youth Symphony and performed various solo works for competitions, recitals, and master classes. She was also selected as a finalist for the Ocala Symphony’s Thirty-Third Annual Young Artist’s

c rain-maling foundation cso young artists competition co mmit tee Sharon Mitchell President of the League of the CSOA William Ward Competition Co-Chair Christine Uhlig Competition Co-Chair Nancy Friedman Camp Scholarship Chair Sue Bridge League Vice President of Education Kathy Solaro League Member

Concerto Competition and was one of the winners of the William Fremd High School Concerto Aria Competition.

The most impactful experience so far for Elyse has been her tenure as co-principal horn of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra with conductor Allen Tinkham since 2022. Additionally, she works with Donald DeRoche as a member of the woodwind quintet Windy City Winds and is in the Ambassadors Program performing around the Chicagoland community.

Elyse began her horn lessons with Melody Velleuer and has worked with Katey Halbert, Brent Shires, and Momo Hasselbring Seko. She currently studies with CSO horn David Griffin and Kate Warren.

negaunee music institute at the chicago symphony orchestra Jonathan McCormick Director, Education & the Negaunee Music Institute Katy Clusen Associate Director, CSO for Kids Rachael Cohen Program Manager Antonio Padilla Denis Manager, Civic Orchestra of Chicago Katie Eaton Coordinator, School Partnerships Mona Wu Operations Coordinator, Civic Orchestra of Chicago Jackson Brown Program Assistant

league o f the chicago symphony orchestra association The mission of the League is to promote appreciation of symphonic music, to encourage a commitment to music education, and to raise funds for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

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PROFILES Kyle Dickson CONDUCTOR American conductor Kyle Dickson has built a reputation as an inspiring and compelling presence on the podium. In 2023 Dickson was named assistant conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Memphis Youth Symphony Program. The recipient of the 2021 Grant Park Music Festival Advocate for the Arts Award, the Concert Artists Guild’s Richard S. Weinert Award, and the Joel Revzen Conducting Fellowship, Dickson recently completed the Salonen Conducting Fellowship with the San Francisco Symphony and the Colburn School under the guidance of Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen.

From 2021 Dickson was assistant conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, previously serving as music director of the South Loop Symphony. He has appeared as guest conductor with the symphony orchestras of Detroit, San Francisco, Pasadena, Wichita, and Oakland, and the Chicago Philharmonic. In 2023–24, he makes debuts with the Louisville Orchestra, Portland Symphony, and Marin Symphony, as well as returns to the Minnesota Orchestra and Chicago

Youth Orchestra. As cover conductor, Dickson has been engaged by the New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, and the San Diego Symphony, and has served as assistant conductor for concerts with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Orchestra de Paris, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Robbie Ellis WFMT Producer and Presenter Robbie Ellis is a broadcaster, composer, music director, and comedy song maker. He works at WFMT as host on Sunday afternoons and as producer and presenter of Introductions, a weekly show that profiles local precollege musicians. He started in classical radio at RNZ Concert in Wellington, New Zealand. In addition, Ellis has worked as an event host for the International Music Foundation, Cedille Records, and the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, and has been a teaching artist with Chicago Opera Theater, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Second City, with which he has also toured on land and sea as a music director. robbieellis.net

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P ROF ILES

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Since 1919, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago has been one of the nation’s premier orchestral training programs for emerging professionals. Benefiting from a unique alliance with the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Civic members refine their skills under the guidance of musicians of the CSO and Principal Conductor

Ken-David Masur, as well as numerous guest artists who visit Symphony Center each season.

The Civic Orchestra is a signature program of the Negaunee Music Institute at the CSO. The Negaunee Music Institute shares the extraordinary musical resources of the CSO, creating connections to music for individuals and communities in Chicago and across the world.

Civic Orchestra of Chicago

Ken-David Masur Principal Conductor

The Robert Kohl and Clark Pellett Principal Conductor Chair

VIOLINS

Ran (Ryan) Huo Janani Sivakumar Heewoo Seo Mona Munire Mierxiati Freya Liu Kimberly Bill Marian Antonette Mayuga Kristian Brusubardis Hobart Shi Hojung Christina Lee Isabelle Chin Nelson Mendoza Subin Shin Polina Borisova Julianne Oh Matthew Musachio J. Andrés Robuschi Alec Tonno Matthew Weinberg Sean Hsi Elise Maas VIOLAS

Amanda Kellman Michael Ayala Junghyun Ahn Jason Butler Siyang Calvin Dai Carlos Lozano Sanford Whatley Elena Galentas

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CELLOS

David Caplan Miles Link Francisco Lopez Malespin Buianto Lkhasaranov J Holzen Lidanys Graterol BASSES

Victor Stahoviak Daniel W. Meyer Hannah Novak Victor Stahoviak Ben Foerster FLUTES

Katarina Ignatovich Jungah Yoon Aalia Hanif PICCOLO

Aalia Hanif OBOES

James Kim Andrew Port CLARINETS

Amy Hur Elizabeth Kapitaniuk BASS CLARINET

Tyler Baillie

BASSOONS

Seo Young (Michelle) Min Nina Laube HORNS

Loren Ho Asunción Martínez Ryan Williamson Mark Morris TRUMPETS

Sean-David Whitworth Kai-Chun Chang TROMBONES

Evelyn Proffit Hugo Saavedra TUBA

Nick Collins T I M PA N I

Tomas Leivestad PERCUSSION

Charley Gillette Sehee Park Dominik McDonald Cameron Marquez LIBRARIAN

Benjimen Neal

HONORABLE MENTIONS Kevin Harte TUBA

Michael Manching MARIMBA

JUDGES P R E L I M I N A RY RO U N D: SATUR DAY, JA NUA RY 13, 2024

Elisabeth Shafer Visiting Assistant Professor of Trombone, The Ohio State University Nancy Ambrose King Professor of Oboe, University of Michigan Keith Aleo Director of Percussion & Associate Director of Music for Classical Performance, Interlochen Center for the Arts F I N A L ROU N D: SATU R DAY, FEBRUA RY 24, 2024

Fernando Meza Director of Percussion Studies, University of Minnesota School of Music Daniel Gilbert Professor of Music and Chair of Winds and Percussion Instruments Department, University of Michigan Margaret Tung Associate Professor of Horn, College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati

FORMER WINNERS OF THE YOUNG ARTISTS COMPETITION 2001 Gregory B. Walker-Oliver MARIMBA

2002 Lydia S. Hong VIOLIN 2003 Rachel Kuodo PIANO 2004 Yi Wei MARIMBA 2005 Susie Kim VIOLIN 2006 Christine Yoon PIANO

2012 Kyle Jannak-Huang PIANO 2013 Torin Bakke CL ARINE T 2014 Gallia Kastner VIOLIN 2015 Kimberly Han PIANO 2016 Gregory Phifer MARIMBA 2017 Maya Anjali Buchanan VIOLIN

2007 Matthew Wright FLUTE

2018 Yerin Yang PIANO

2008 Gabriel Cabezas CELLO

2019 Rosie Wang FLUTE

2009 Adam Kim PIANO

2020 Isabella Brown VIOLIN

2010 Marcelina Suchocka

2022 Noah Kim PIANO

MARIMBA

2011 Johannes Gray CELLO

2023 Esme Arias-Kim VIOLIN

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SPECIAL THANKS

We are grateful to the Crain-Maling Foundation as our title sponsor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition. Special thanks goes to Dr. Michael S. Maling, Chair & CEO, for his enduring support and continued generosity. Founded in 2007, the Crain-Maling Foundation supports innovation in education and

spiritual development, sponsorship of cultural events and advances in medical research.

Dr. Michael Maling Chair and CEO Mrs. Marissa Iancu Co-President and Secretary Mrs. Elise Williams Co-President and Treasurer Special thanks:

HISTORY OF THE CRAIN-MALING FOUNDATION CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA YOUNG ARTISTS COMPETITION Beginning in 1920, young performers were selected by Frederick Stock, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s second music director and founder of the Civic Orchestra, to appear as soloists with the Orchestra. Violinist Anita Malkin was the first youth soloist.

In 1967, the Louis Sudler Foundation established annual awards to be given at a competition sponsored by The Women’s Association of the CSOA. The young performers competed for prizes and the opportunity to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

In 1975, the competition was divided into two categories: a senior division and a junior division (for ages fifteen years and younger). The name was changed in 1985 to the Illinois Young Performers Competition. These competitions were televised and sponsored

by WTTW public television and Illinois Bell. The first televised competition was held May 8, 1985. After the 1993–94 season, the competition was discontinued.

Competitions were re-established during the 1998–99 season and renamed the Youth Auditions, and have been supported by Beatrice G. Crain and Dr. Michael S. Maling since that time.

They were presented by The Women’s Association of the CSOA, which has since been reorganized as the League of the CSOA. The first auditions were held for string players between the ages of twelve and fourteen. The next year, the auditions were offered for woodwinds, brass, and percussion, which opened the competition to young musicians representing every instrument in the orchestra.

During the 2016–17 season, the CSO Youth Auditions were re-named the Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition. The Competition continues to be offered annually on a three-year instrumentation cycle, featuring strings, woodwinds/brass/ percussion, and piano.