El Paso, Texas–The El Paso Society for Musicians of the Future (EPSMF) announces the finalists for the 2018 Competition for Young Musicians. Seven finalists will compete in a recital on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at Star City Studio. This competition calls to exceptionally talented students between the ages of 8 and 19 to compete for cash awards with classical music repertoire. The competition has grown to cross borders with local, national, and international applications.
The top award is $1800 and the opportunity to perform in EPSMF’s annual summer concerts followed by second and third place awards of $700 and $500. All of the seven finalists in this competition will be publicly recognized for their achievements.
Finalists are:
Kathleen Liang - piano
Kathleen is a freshman at Coronado High School. She has been studying piano for eight years and has played in a Dallas piano competition. She currently plays with the Coronado High School Orchestra,
Erasto Cortés II - piano
Erasto is a sophomore at Radford School. He has been studying piano for 12 years. He was the first prize winner in the 2016 APSYO piano competition in El Paso and the second place winner in the 2017 EPSMF Competition for Young Musicians.
Jonathan López - clarinet
Jonathan, a former student of Mountain View High School, is currently a freshman at the University of British Columbia. He has been studying clarinet for seven years. He was featured on NPR’s From The Top in 2017 in Miami, Florida and was the recipient of the Jack Kent Cook Award. He currently plays with the University of British Columbia Orchestra.
Andrés Rico - piano
Andrés is a junior at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher education in Ciudad Juárez. He has been studying piano for eight years. He place third in the 2016 UTEP Piano Competition and is a finalist in the 2018 Festival de la Canción in Monterrey, Mexico.
Juan Alexis Sanchez Gonzalez - violin
Juan is a senior at Colegio de Bachilleres in Ciudad Juárez. He has been studying violin for ten years. He currently plays with Orchestra Esperanza Azteca and the Orchestra Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez.
Brandon Torres – alto saxophone
Brandon is a junior at Horizon High School. He has been studying saxophone for six years. He currently plays with the Horizon High School Band and was a featured soloist in the State UIL Marching Competition.
Vincent Yang - piano
Vincent is in the 8th grade at Radford School. He has been studying piano for eight years. He was featured as a young organist in the New York based journal of the American Guild of Organists and was the third place winner in the 2017 EPSMF Competition for Young Musicians.
The 2018 INSTRUMENTS FOR YOUNG LIVES AWARDS RECIPIENTS will be introduced at this competition. Recipients will be awarded at the 2018 Honoree and Awards dinner on May 4, 2018.
This year’s instrument recipients are:
Carlos Simental – Bb clarinet
Carlos is a freshman at Horizon High School. He has been studying the clarinet for four years and is currently in the Horizon High School Mighty Scorpion Band. He states that "music is a way to heal; allowing you to keep pushing yourself and accomplishing your goals".
Isaiah Herrera – double bass
Isaiah is a freshman at Eastwood High School. He has been studying the double bass for five years and currently plays with the Eastwood High School Orchestra and the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra. He has participated in the Mariachi Craze Program. Isaiah wants to "journey into the world of the arts, and take the steps to make it a reality".
Applications for the 2018-2019 Competition for Young Musicians and Instruments for Young Live Program will be available in September 2018. Watch for announcements.
Competition for Young Musicians- FINALIST RECITAL
Saturday, May 19, 2018 – 6:00PM
Star City Studio – 120 W. Castellano, El Paso, TX 79912
Open and free to the public. Donations are welcome.
Watch for announcements on EPSMF SUMMER Concert!
EPSMF events are made possible with the support of the El Paso Museum and Cultural Affairs Department as well as the El Paso Community Foundation and donations from the community at large.