Elizabeth Loker Concerto Competition Finalists to Perform at Avalon Theatre
Elizabeth Loker Concerto Competition Finalists to Perform at Avalon Theatre
Seven Finalists Include Pianists, Violinist, Violist, and Flutist
MSO Board President Jeffrey Parker recently announced that the Elizabeth Loker Concerto Competition, which was established during the MSO’s 2019-2020 season to give young classical musicians the opportunity to compete and potentially perform with a professional symphony orchestra. The competition naming honors Elizabeth Loker for her years of dedication and generous support of the MSO until her death in 2015. The competition will be held on Thursday, January 12, 7:00 PM at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD.
The winner of this year’s competition will receive a $2,000 cash prize and will perform at the MSO’s regular season concerts in March. The young artist who places second will receive a $500 cash prize and will perform at one of MSO’s Ensemble Series concerts next season.
The Competition was not held for the past two years because of COVID restrictions, however is now back in full force. This year the competition drew 41 entries from musicians aged 12 to 25 from across the United States. Two judges from the MSO Orchestra reviewed the electronic submissions of the competitors and reached a consensus on the seven finalists. Both judges were delighted on the high quality of the musicianship from this year’s applicants. The final live round of the competition will be judged by new Music Director and Grammy nominee, Michael Repper and MSO’s Concertmaster, Kim McCollum.
The finalists this year range in age from 13 to 25. They come from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York City, Brooklyn, and Kansas City, Missouri. There are four pianists, a violinist, a violist, and a flutist who will be playing works by Jacques Ibert, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev, Florence Price, Paul Hindemith, and Henri Vieuxtemps.
…CONCERT DETAILS AND INFORMATION ON THE FINALISTS FOLLOW…
LOKER CONCERTO COMPETITION FINALISTS
Ethan Nylander – Townsend, DE – Flute
Philina Zhang – New York, NY – Piano
Elizabeth Song – Haworth, NJ – Violin
James Kang – Newark, DE – Viola
Valerie Wellington – Kansas City, MO – Piano
Haozhou Wang – Philadelphia, PA – Piano
Emma Taggart – Brooklyn, NY — Piano
WHEN and WHERE
This concert will be performed only once on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Thursday, January 12 at 7:00 PM.
Avalon Theatre, 40 East Dover Street, Easton, Maryland.
TICKETS
Individual tickets for the competition are $15 per person. Tickets may be ordered online at MidAtlanticSymphony.org, and they will be available by cash or credit card at the door on the evening of the event.
PODCASTS
Podcasts for the season preview, for each concert, and for special MSO events are available on the MSO Website at midatlanticsymphony.org. Podcasts are posted on the site approximately 7 to 10 days before a concert or event.
MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about the 2022-2023 season, or to order tickets, please visit www.midatlanticsymphony.org. Tickets may be ordered by telephone at 888-846-8600.
ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.
A complete schedule of the 2022-2023 season’s Masterworks and Ensemble programs, venues, times, and other information is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.