The other six honorees are:
- Francis Ballester, 17, of Dayton. Francis is co-principal violist of the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Francis, who is home-schooled, has siblings who have won the same honor: sister Katherine in 2009, and brother Damian in 2011. Francis plays in the Ballester Quartet, which performs at charitable events throughout the region.
- Shannon Fillingim, 18, of Centerville. Shannon is principal violist of the Centerville High School Symphonic Orchestra and a violist in the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Shannon has been playing the viola since the fourth grade and has won a number of honors including a "Superior" in the OMEA Solo & Ensemble Competition four years in a row.
- Benjamin Gittens, 17, of Mason. Benjamin is a highest honors student at Mason High School, Benjamin began playing the piano when he was 4 and in 2012 received one of the top three scores at the CCM Auditions Festival. He also won the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition.
- Andy Kremer, 16, of Kettering. Andy is co-principal trumpet in the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Andy is a junior at Kettering-Fairmont High School, where he also plays in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and Pep Band.
- Derek Shu, 17, of Mason. Derek began playing the piano when he was 5, and performed his first solo recital when he was just 11. He has been honored in many piano competitions throughout the region.
- Maya Vansuch, 17, of Oakwood. Maya has been a voice student for five years, and a piano student for 11 years. Maya is only the second vocalist to be honored in the Young Talent Search. A home-schooled junior, Maya was awarded voice scholarships by the Dayton Music Club in 2012 and 2013, and was last year's District and State winner in the voice category in the OMTA Buckeye Auditions.
Winners of the Young Talent Search receive a prize package including a cash honorarium, a year’s access to Naxos’ Online Music Library, a Naxos CD/DVD collection, a gift certificate from McCutcheon Music, tickets and other prizes. All winners are also featured on the station’s “Arts Focus”.
Columbus Museum of Art one of 10 to receive national honor
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has announced that the Columbus Museum of Art is one of 10 recipients of this year’s National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community, the National Medal “celebrates institutions that make a difference for individuals, families and communities.”
The prestigious award will be presented at a celebration in Washington, D.C., on May 8. Nineteen-year-old Jeffrey Tucker, who discovered video production through the museum’s ArtLab program and now dreams of winning an Oscar, will travel to Washington and share the impact the museum has had on his life during the celebration.
The museum was recognized for many of the same special elements we mentioned in a recent Dayton Daily News story. It “strives to redefine the art museum for the 21st century” and “has earned a reputation as a model for innovative visitor engagement as well as being Central Ohio’s hub for social, creative and dynamic experiences.”
Every exhibit at the CMA includes connectors — participatory elements — that invite visitors to engage with art and with each other. More than 18,000 square feet of space is dedicated to imaginative experiences for visitors of all ages, and the museum has built strong program partnerships with 30 Ohio counties as well as Columbus City Schools.
This year’s honorees represent seven states and also include a science center, children’s museum, music museum, art museum, as well as public libraries and library systems. Medal winners were selected from nationwide nominations of institutions that demonstrate innovative approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach. After the ceremony, StoryCorps — the national nonprofit dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of Americans — will visit Columbus Museum of Art to document stories from the community.
For a complete list of 2013 recipients and to learn more about the National Medal winners, visit www.imls.gov/medals.
Duo to perform in Centerville
The Miami Valley Community Concert Association will present Steinway Artists Eugene and Elizabeth Pridonoff in concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, at the Centerville Performing Arts Center at Centerville High School.
Artists-in-Residence at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, the duo regularly performs throughout the world.
Tickets for the concert are $25 for adults and $5 for students in grades 9-12. People can buy tickets at the door, order on the website mvcconcert.org or call Carol Heine at (937) 938-1109.
Arts Alliance extends artists application deadline for festival
The Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance is extending the application deadline for booth artists for the upcoming FallFair Arts Festival slated for Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Cottell Park, 5847 Irwin-Simpson Road. The extension date is now May 20.
The FallFair Arts Festival, formerly the Mason Arts Festival, will showcase up to 100 local and regional fine arts and crafts artisans on the lawn on the property. This jury and judged event will award up to $3,000 in prize money.
Medium categories include ceramics, painting, drawing, wood, photography, jewelry, sculpture and mixed media.
The FallFair Arts Festival also will feature an art exhibit inside the Snyder House, children’s art activities, food vendors and performing arts. The event is free to the community.
Artist applications are available at www.masonarts.org. Food vendor applications are also available. For more information, call 513-309-8585 or email masonarts@gmail.com.
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