January 15, 2002

Conductor Niel DePonte Announces Winners of the 8th Annual
“Young Artists at the Schnitz”
Concerto Competition

Niel DePonte, artistic director and conductor of the “Young Artists at the Schnitz” concerto competition announced this year’s winners of the annual competition. The nine soloists, chosen from over 60 entrants on Saturday, January 12th at the competition’s final round held at Lewis and Clark College, will perform with DePonte and an orchestra drawn from the ranks of the Oregon Symphony and Oregon Ballet Theatre orchestras on Friday April 26, 2002, 7:30 PM at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets for the concert are available through FASTIXX ticket centers and by phone at 503-224-TIXX. The concert is sponsored by the Tri-County Lodging Association, Portland Oregon Visitors Association, and the Arnold Marks Family Charitable Trust and is produced by MetroArts Inc, DePonte’s non-profit arts-education organization.

The winning young artists for 2002 are: Sydnie Yao Reed, a 16 year-old violinist attending South Eugene H.S. who studies with Carol Sindell; Claire Craig-Sheets, a 17 year-old soprano from Newberg who attends Portland State University and studies with Ruth Dobson; Sojourn Breneiser, an 18 year-old bass-baritone and senior at Rex Putnam High School in Milwaukie who studies with David Jimerson; Albert Cheng, an 15 year-old pianist from Lakeridge H.S. in Lake Oswego who studies with Elizabeth Stern and is a repeat winner; also a repeat winner is Erik Nielsen, a 15 year-old violinist from Portland and Sunset H.S. who studies with Carol Sindell; Rosa Li, a 10 year-old pianist from Beaverton and Sexton Mountain Elementary School who studies with Dorothy Fahlman; Kelly Swaim, a 17 year-old flutist attending Prairie H.S. in Brush Prairie, WA, who studies with Rachel Anderson; Leslie Richmond, a 15 year-old flutist from Beaverton H.S. who studies with Rosemary Wood; and Andy Liang, an 11 year-old violinist attending the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics in Washington, who studies with Kathryn Gray. Each will perform at least one movement of a major concerto written for their instrument on the gala concert, and will have coaching sessions with DePonte where they will discuss not only the interpretation of their concertos, but also how to solo with an orchestra, ways to approach repertoire, and about what it takes to be a professional musician.

After the competition, DePonte, who is also music director and conductor for Oregon Ballet Theatre and performs as a marimba soloist with orchestras himself, said, “Every year, for the seven years I’ve conducted this concert, I leave the auditions thinking, ‘Wow’. There is so much incredible young talent in our community! Every child with any interest in the arts should come to this concert and see what can be achieved through hard work and passion for a discipline like music – and they should bring their parents! The dedication shown by these young artists, their parents and their teachers is inspiring and says a great deal about what’s right with our kids.”

Tickets available at all Safeway FASTIXX Ticket Centers, charge by phone: Portland 503-224-TIXX, Seattle, 206-632-TIXX, all other areas 1-800-992-TIXX or on the web at www.fastixx.com. Tickets are subject to convenience charge."

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