68th Annual Young Artist Competition
The Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Artist Competition provides music students in the Tri-State area the opportunity to compete for cash awards in front of a panel of judges on the stage of the historic Victory Theatre.
Congratulations to our winners:
Grand Prize $2,000 cash award:
Braden Riley - Violin - F.J. Reitz High School - Junior - Class of 2025
Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 61: III. Molto moderato e maestoso
Private Teacher Michael Chu, Collaborative Pianist: Tom Drury
I am currently a junior at Reitz High School and have participated in the EVSC High School Honors Orchestra for the last 5 years, serving as concertmaster since 2022, and performing as a soloist in 2022 and 2023. I am a 3 year participant of the Indiana All State Orchestra, serving as concertmaster in 2024. In 2023, I was a member of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO2). This will be my 4th year participating in the Evansville Philharmonic YAC.
Grand Prize $2,000 cash award:
Braden Riley - Violin - F.J. Reitz High School - Junior - Class of 2025
Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 61: III. Molto moderato e maestoso
Private Teacher Michael Chu, Collaborative Pianist: Tom Drury
I am currently a junior at Reitz High School and have participated in the EVSC High School Honors Orchestra for the last 5 years, serving as concertmaster since 2022, and performing as a soloist in 2022 and 2023. I am a 3 year participant of the Indiana All State Orchestra, serving as concertmaster in 2024. In 2023, I was a member of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO2). This will be my 4th year participating in the Evansville Philharmonic YAC.
Orchestra Award $1,000 cash award
Faith Murphy - Flute - Homeschool - Sophomore - Class of 2026
Mozart Flute Concerto in D Major, K. 314, Mt. 1 - Allegro Aperto
Private Teacher: Rebecca Arrensen, Collaborative Pianist: Haruko Murphy
Faith Murphy is a 10th grade homeschooler from Bloomington, Indiana. She is the fourth of six children in a musical family and started playing the piano at 4 and the flute at age 6. Faith was the 1st Prize recipient of the Flute Society of Kentucky Competition, Finalist in the 2022 National MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Senior Division Competition, has participated in the Indiana University Jacobs Summer Music Clinic and Blue Lake Summer Music Camp, and is a member of the Indianapolis Youth Orchestra. Faith loves animals and is an avid horseback rider and enjoys playing chamber music with her siblings and parents.
Musician's Award $750 cash award
David Drury - Clarinet - F.J. Reitz High School - Junior - Class of 2025
1st Movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K622
Private Teacher: Emily Cook, Collaborative Pianist: Thomas Drury
David Drury is a junior at F.J. Reitz High School in Evansville, IN. He began playing the clarinet in 4th grade. He has been Principal clarinet of the Evansville Philharmonic Youth Symphony for five years. In December, he was a winner of the Carmel Symphony Young Artist Competition and will perform the Mozart Concerto with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra as the soloist in May. In 2023 he won 2nd Place in the Evansville Philharmonic Concerto Competition as well as honorable mention in 2022. He was selected for the Indiana All-State Honor Band in 2022 and 2023. He was Principal chair for the 2024 Indiana All-State Orchestra, and in 2023, he was 2nd chair clarinet of this ensemble. He has attended the Indiana University Summer music clinic for the past two summers. This past summer he attended the MPulse Clarinet Intensive at the University of Michigan. He enjoys traveling, taking long walks, playing video games and learning languages. He currently studies with Emily Cook and his past teachers include Kirsten Ahnell and Dr. Thomas Josenhans.
Honorable Mentions in alphabetical order by last name:
Michael Heiger - Marimba - Castle High School - Senior - Class of 2024
Net Rosario - Marimba Concerto - 4th Movement: Despedida (Farewell)
Private Teacher N. Miller, Collaborative Pianist: Jenny Kinney
Emma Neely- Violin - Homeschool - Sophomore - Class of 2026
Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216: I. Allegro. Mozart
Private Teacher Maria Mastropaolo, Collaborative Pianist Kristin Jones
Hyewon Park- Bassoon - Madisonville North Hopkins Highschool - Freshman - Class of 2027
Carl Maria von Weber, Bassoon Concerto Op. 75 (J. 127), 3rd MVT.
Private Teacher Mackenzie Brauns, Collaborative Pianist: Sorae Kim
Samuel Ungar - Cello - Benjamin Bosse High School - Sophomore - Class of 2026
Hungarian Rhapsody Op. 68, David Popper,
Private Teacher Jennifer Farny, Collaborative Pianist Dr. Garnet Ungar