In what judges described as an “astounding performance,” Arabesque Winds, a woodwind quintet composed of Eastman School of Music musicians, won the Grand Prize in the 2008 International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition.
The quintet consists of 2008 graduates Sophie Goluses, horn, and Deidre Huckabay, flute; rising seniors Isabel Kim, clarinet, and Liz Spector, oboe; and rising junior Eryn Bauer, bassoon. The grand prize jury panel was particularly impressed with the ensemble’s performance of Sechs Bagatelle by György Ligeti in the final round.
Auditions for the International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition were held in Boston in April and May. More than 70 chamber ensembles competed in five age groups and nine chamber music categories, including piano duos, piano trios, piano quartets, sonata duos, jazz and folk ensembles, ensembles with winds and string, and vocal ensembles. As first prize winners in Group 3 (ages 18 to 22), Arabesque Winds performed and competed against nine other ensembles in the awards concert, which was the final round of the competition, on May 26 in Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in New York City.
The International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition is presented by the Chamber Music Foundation of New England.
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