Finalists of the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras
Concerto Competition
January 10th, 2015 at 2 PM, PEQUOT LIBRARY
Group picture: Left to right: Julian Shively, Max Moon, Gilbert Tsui, Allison Shively, Sofia Vega, Jeff Pearson, Emil Friis.
Music for Youth and Pequot Library will present the final round of the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras Concerto Competition on Jan. 10th, 2015 at 2 PM. The event will be held at Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Avenue in Southport, and will feature seven finalists from the GBYO principal orchestra who will each play one movement of a concerto for a panel of judges. The Concerto Competition has been part of GBYO’s program for the past 30 years. It offers their most accomplished students a chance to perform as soloist with the Principal Orchestra at their spring concert. In the past, the winner was selected after one round of auditions. This year the finalists were selected by a preliminary audition that took place at Roger Ludlowe Middle School on November 12th. For the first time, the GBYO is partnering with Music for Youth and Pequot Library to add a final round that is part of the Music for Youth Free Young Persons’ Concert Series. This event is free and open to the public.
Emil Friis
Emil Friis from Southport is a senior at Fairfield College Preparatory School. He started playing the violin in 4th grade at age 9. Emil is in his seventh and final year with the GBYO and is the Concertmaster of the GBYO Principal Orchestra. He is currently studying with Asya Meshberg in Darien and has played in string quartets for four years in the Chamber Music Institute for Young Musicians – also run by Asya Meshberg. Emil has been the Concertmaster of the Fairfield Prep school orchestra since freshman year. He participates in Fairfield Prep’s liturgical music ensemble and plays in the pit at the annual school musical. He has also been part of Chamber Music Central in past years. Friis will be playing the first movement of the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn.
Emil Friis from Southport is a senior at Fairfield College Preparatory School. He started playing the violin in 4th grade at age 9. Emil is in his seventh and final year with the GBYO and is the Concertmaster of the GBYO Principal Orchestra. He is currently studying with Asya Meshberg in Darien and has played in string quartets for four years in the Chamber Music Institute for Young Musicians – also run by Asya Meshberg. Emil has been the Concertmaster of the Fairfield Prep school orchestra since freshman year. He participates in Fairfield Prep’s liturgical music ensemble and plays in the pit at the annual school musical. He has also been part of Chamber Music Central in past years. Friis will be playing the first movement of the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn.
Max Moon
Max Moon is a sophomore at Fairfield Warde High School in Fairfield, CT. He started playing bassoon in 6th grade and currently studies at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, CT. He joined the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras in 7th grade. He has enjoyed three consecutive years as Principal section lead at GBYO. He won a spot in CMEA Western Regionals in 6th grade and continues to participate in CMEA festivals placing first bassoon in Connecticut State Band his Freshman year. Max auditioned and was accepted to the International Double Reed Festival summer teen camp in NYC in 2013 where he joined 40 high school students from around the country for master classes and performances. Moon also plays flute in the FWHS band. He will be playing Carl Maria von Weber's Concerto for Bassoon in F Major, Op. 75.
Max Moon is a sophomore at Fairfield Warde High School in Fairfield, CT. He started playing bassoon in 6th grade and currently studies at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, CT. He joined the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras in 7th grade. He has enjoyed three consecutive years as Principal section lead at GBYO. He won a spot in CMEA Western Regionals in 6th grade and continues to participate in CMEA festivals placing first bassoon in Connecticut State Band his Freshman year. Max auditioned and was accepted to the International Double Reed Festival summer teen camp in NYC in 2013 where he joined 40 high school students from around the country for master classes and performances. Moon also plays flute in the FWHS band. He will be playing Carl Maria von Weber's Concerto for Bassoon in F Major, Op. 75.
Alison Shively
Alison started playing the violin at age 4 and is currently studying with Salley Koo in New Haven. Alison belongs to a choreographed violin group in Westport called Vivace as well as a string quartet with her brother and friends in New Haven. In the summer, Alison attends Kinhaven Music School, chamber music camp in Vermont. Her achievements include being selected as finalist at the Danbury Concerto Competition. She will be playing the first movement of the De Beriot Violin Concerto No. 9, Opus 104 in A minor.
Alison started playing the violin at age 4 and is currently studying with Salley Koo in New Haven. Alison belongs to a choreographed violin group in Westport called Vivace as well as a string quartet with her brother and friends in New Haven. In the summer, Alison attends Kinhaven Music School, chamber music camp in Vermont. Her achievements include being selected as finalist at the Danbury Concerto Competition. She will be playing the first movement of the De Beriot Violin Concerto No. 9, Opus 104 in A minor.
Julian Shively
Julian Shively of Trumbull started playing the cello at 5.5 years old and currently studies with Philip Boulanger in New Haven. He plays in a string quartet with his sister and friends. Chamber music is his passion. In the past summers, he has attended Kinhaven Music School as well as Point Counterpoint chamber music camps. He has won numerous accolades including an opportunity to solo with The Danbury Symphony in their outdoor pops concert in 2012. He is also a winner of their 2014 Concerto Competition. Other than the cello, he plays the piano and dabbles on the electric guitar. Shively attends the Fairchild Wheeler Magnet School and is enrolled in their Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering program. He will be playing the first movement of the Sir Edward Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor, Op 85.
Julian Shively of Trumbull started playing the cello at 5.5 years old and currently studies with Philip Boulanger in New Haven. He plays in a string quartet with his sister and friends. Chamber music is his passion. In the past summers, he has attended Kinhaven Music School as well as Point Counterpoint chamber music camps. He has won numerous accolades including an opportunity to solo with The Danbury Symphony in their outdoor pops concert in 2012. He is also a winner of their 2014 Concerto Competition. Other than the cello, he plays the piano and dabbles on the electric guitar. Shively attends the Fairchild Wheeler Magnet School and is enrolled in their Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering program. He will be playing the first movement of the Sir Edward Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor, Op 85.
Gilbert Tsui
Gilbert Tsui is a 10th grader at Weston High School. He has been a violinist with the GBYO since 2009. He has won a number of awards most recently receiving the 2nd prize in the 2014 French Impressionist Award and Honorable Mention in the Chopin Award at the Schubert Awards competitions. He was the 3rd place winner of the 2014 American Protégé Piano and Strings Competition, and 3rd place winner of the 2013 Golden Era of Romantic Music competition, in programs performed at the Carnegie Weill Recital Hall. He also won the 2013 Renee Fisher Competition's best performance of commission work. Tsui participated in the 2012 and 2013 Foulger International Music Festival where he performed solo and chamber music at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center. Tsui studies piano with Ms Yoshie Akimoto and violin with Jennifer Trahan. He will be playing the 3rd movement of the Mozart K.488 Piano Concerto #23 in A major.
Gilbert Tsui is a 10th grader at Weston High School. He has been a violinist with the GBYO since 2009. He has won a number of awards most recently receiving the 2nd prize in the 2014 French Impressionist Award and Honorable Mention in the Chopin Award at the Schubert Awards competitions. He was the 3rd place winner of the 2014 American Protégé Piano and Strings Competition, and 3rd place winner of the 2013 Golden Era of Romantic Music competition, in programs performed at the Carnegie Weill Recital Hall. He also won the 2013 Renee Fisher Competition's best performance of commission work. Tsui participated in the 2012 and 2013 Foulger International Music Festival where he performed solo and chamber music at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center. Tsui studies piano with Ms Yoshie Akimoto and violin with Jennifer Trahan. He will be playing the 3rd movement of the Mozart K.488 Piano Concerto #23 in A major.
Sofia Vega
Sofia Vega is a 16 year old from Westport, Connecticut who is currently a junior enrolled at Staples High School. She has played the violin since she was four years old and is currently being taught by Jennifer Trahan. Over her eleven years of violin experience she has participated in numerous orchestral, chamber and solo events including western regionals throughout all of her high school years. This will be her sixth year in GBYO and fourth year in the principle orchestra. She will play the Violin Concerto No 2 in D minor, Opus 22 by Wieniawski.
Sofia Vega is a 16 year old from Westport, Connecticut who is currently a junior enrolled at Staples High School. She has played the violin since she was four years old and is currently being taught by Jennifer Trahan. Over her eleven years of violin experience she has participated in numerous orchestral, chamber and solo events including western regionals throughout all of her high school years. This will be her sixth year in GBYO and fourth year in the principle orchestra. She will play the Violin Concerto No 2 in D minor, Opus 22 by Wieniawski.
Jeff Pearson
Jeff Pearson is a Junior at Fairfield Ludlowe High School where he plays in both the Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra ensembles. He began violin lessons at the age of four and currently studies with Asya Meshberg. He has also studied with Denise Chevidian, Teo Tetel, and Gary Capozziello. He has been a member of the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras since 2009, performing with their Principal Orchestra for the past three years. Jeff has participated in several local and regional festivals and was selected to the 2014 Connecticut All State orchestra.
Jeff is also a passionate chamber musician, performing major works by Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Shostakovich, Grieg, and Beethoven. He has participated in the Chamber Music Central Amici ensembles, as well as Asya Meshberg’s Chamber Music Institute. He recently was accepted to participate in the Chamber Music for Peace workshops in Hartford CT with Steve Larson.
In addition to his study of the violin, Jeff is also an accomplished Jazz Guitarist, studying with Joe Kiernan and serving as section leader for the Ludlowe HS Jazz Ensemble. He has been a member of the Ludlowe varsity tennis team since his Freshman year.
Jeff Pearson is a Junior at Fairfield Ludlowe High School where he plays in both the Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra ensembles. He began violin lessons at the age of four and currently studies with Asya Meshberg. He has also studied with Denise Chevidian, Teo Tetel, and Gary Capozziello. He has been a member of the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras since 2009, performing with their Principal Orchestra for the past three years. Jeff has participated in several local and regional festivals and was selected to the 2014 Connecticut All State orchestra.
Jeff is also a passionate chamber musician, performing major works by Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Shostakovich, Grieg, and Beethoven. He has participated in the Chamber Music Central Amici ensembles, as well as Asya Meshberg’s Chamber Music Institute. He recently was accepted to participate in the Chamber Music for Peace workshops in Hartford CT with Steve Larson.
In addition to his study of the violin, Jeff is also an accomplished Jazz Guitarist, studying with Joe Kiernan and serving as section leader for the Ludlowe HS Jazz Ensemble. He has been a member of the Ludlowe varsity tennis team since his Freshman year.