ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Eastman School of Music students triumphed at the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artists Competition, held last month in Toronto.
Violinist Anat Kardontchik, student of Distinguished Professor of Violin Zvi Zeitlin, won First Prize in the Strings Division. Israeli-born Anat is a senior in Professor Zeitlin’s class. Her family resides in San Francisco. Before coming to Eastman, Anat was a pupil of Catherine Van Hoesen, an Eastman alumna, also a student of Zvi Zeitlin.
Saxophonist Doug O’Connor, student of Assistant Professor of Saxophone Chien-Kwan Lin, won First Prize, including a $3,000 cash prize, in the Woodwind Division. Doug is a first-year Masters student in Saxophone Performance and Literature. He is from Potomac, Maryland.
Pianist Alexander Timofeev, student of Associate Professor of Piano Douglas Humpherys, won Third Prize in the Piano Division. Alexander, from Moldova, is a first year Master’s student, and performed the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra in October 2006, as a winner of one of the School’s piano concerto competitions. He has won several other notable piano competitions and is a composer and conductor.
Founded in 1876, the MTNA annual competition is for elementary-aged through college-aged students. The three-tiered competitions begin at the state level. First-place winners of each state competition advance to division competitions, the each division winner competes at the national conference. There are five categories: Junior High School Performance; High School Performance, Collegiate Artist Performance, Collegiate Chamber Music Performance; and Student Composition.
The purpose of the MTNA performance competitions is to provide educational experiences for students and teachers, and to recognize exceptionally talented young artists and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence.
The Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester educates talented musicians from around the world who become leaders and innovators in all fields of music. Established in 1921 by Eastman Kodak Company founder and visionary George Eastman, the School has achieved international prominence through its commitment to the highest standards of artistry, scholarship, and leadership.
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