El Paso, Texas–The El Paso Society for Musicians of the Future (EPSMF) announces the winners for the 2020 Competition for Young Musicians. Seven finalists competed with performances that streamed online on August 8, 2020 through Facebook and YouTube. In lieu of a face-to-face venue, this competition was recorded at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church under strict COVID-19 safety guidelines. Finalists were recorded on separate days. The recordings were compiled into a single online event.
This competition called to exceptionally talented students between the ages of 8 and 19 to compete for cash awards with classical music repertoire. The top award is $1800 and the opportunity to perform in EPSMF’s annual concert 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 on the EPSMF website. Competition for Young Musicians Awards will be a special segment of EPSMF’s OM/NI (Original Music/ New Ideas) concert slated for Fall 2020.
Competition WINNERS:
1st PLACE WINNER: Vincent Yang- piano
2nd PLACE: Kathryn Haluschak- piano
3rd PLACE: Kathleen Liang- piano
Recognition for Achievement: Erasto Cortés II- piano
Recognition for Achievement: John Esparza- piano
Recognition for Achievement: Ryan Esparza- piano
Recognition for Achievement: Taekyu Lee- piano
About the Competition Finalists:
1st PLACE WINNER: Vincent Yang- piano
VINCENT YANG has studied piano with Dr. Esequiel Meza since 2016. He attends the Radford School. He was a semi-finalist in the 2016 IKOF USA (International Keyboard Odyssiad® and Festival). In 2018, Vincent placed 3rd in TMTA performance. He performed Shostakovich Concerto No. 2 in 2018 EPYSO Concerto Competition and was later invited by Crawford Buick GMC to perform piano recitals where he was interviewed by ABC News. Vincent took 1st place in the 2018 EPSMF Competition for Young Musicians. He was invited to play piano in the 2016 and 2019 re-opening ceremonies of two Public Libraries. In academics, he is the President of the National Junior Classical League (NJCL) and secretary of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). He founded the chess club in 2016, Taekwondo program in 2018, and the music club in 2019. Vincent received a scholarship for science project from MAES in 2016. He received the Duke TIP state recognition in 2017 and the Top 300 National Broadcom Masters Award in both 2017 and 2018 with an interview by NBC News. He received 3rd place in the 2019 El Paso Public Library Youth Poetry Contest; an honorable mention in the 2019 ISEF; 2nd place NHI debate competition in mock trial attorney position; and was given the 2019 Top 130 Debaters Award at the International Great Debate competition.
2nd PLACE: Kathryn Haluschak, piano
KATHRYN HALUSCHAK is a freshman at Loretto Academy High School and studies piano with Ms. Anna Habicht. Kathryn began playing the piano at the age of four and her love for the piano has grown with each year. She enjoys participating in the El Paso Music Teachers Association recitals, festivals, ensembles, and competitions. Kathryn has competed in the semi-final round of the Texas Music Teachers Association piano competition in the past two years. Through her participation in the Ambassador Leadership Program, Kathryn shares her love of music with others by playing the piano each week at her church, Holy Family Catholic Church. She recognizes that outreach inspires other to participate. She also enjoys sports and was a member of the Loretto Angels cross country team and track team. The high point of her cross-country season was competing at the state cross country meet with her teammates. Kathryn attributes her work ethic to her study of music which requires discipline, dedication, and love.
3rd PLACE: Kathleen Liang, piano
KATHLEEN LIANG was born in El Paso TX and has been studying piano with Anna Habicht for 11 years. Kathleen placed third in the EPSYO competition in 2013 and was a TMTA semifinalist in 2017. She was also a finalist in the EPSMF 2018 competition and is a semifinalist for the 2020 TMTA performance competition taking place in Houston. Kathleen has also played the violin for seven years under the teachings of Brigid McCarthy. She is a three-time all-region qualifier, two-time area qualifier, three-time TSSEC state qualifier, and three-time Texas Music Scholar, and currently plays as concert mistress of the Coronado high school Varsity Orchestra. Kathleen is a junior and is a part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Coronado High School.
RECOGNITION FOR ACHIEVEMENT: Erasto Cortés, piano
ERASTO CORTES II was born in El Paso and is a senior attending Cathedral High School. He has been accepted into the University of Texas at El Paso and Texas Tech University. His piano career began at the age of three, learning the value of discipline and dedication from Elvira Spector. Mrs. Spector is also a professor at the University of Texas at El Paso in Music. In his off time, Erasto likes to play basketball, listen to music with his father, socialize with his mother, and spend time with his friends. He has also traveled internationally across the globe during summer. He has traveled to Costa Rica, Mexico City, Cancun, and Russia to watch the World Cup. Mr. Cortés plans to attend Texas Tech University to pursue a double major in Accounting and Sports Management in the Fall of 2020
RECOGNITION FOR ACHIEVEMENT: Ryan Esparza, piano
RYAN ESPARZA is a junior at Eastwood High School (EHS), where he ranks 3rd in the class of 2021. He currently studies piano under Dr. Esequiel Meza. He has played in the local EPMTA Solo Festivals and Sonata Festivals and was a finalist in the 2019 EPSMF Competition for Young Musicians. In addition to the piano, Ryan also plays violin and guitar. Throughout his freshman, sophomore, and junior years of high school, he has been a participant in the YISD Honor Orchestra, All-Region Orchestra, UIL State Solo and Ensemble, and is currently a member of the Eastwood High School Varsity Orchestra. Ryan is also part of the EHS chapter of Future Business Leaders of America, where he has competed at the regional and state levels. Ryan is a member of the EHS Speech and Debate team, receiving distinctions of merit and excellence from the National Speech and Debate Association. Ryan is also a member of the EHS High-Q team and the EHS National Honor Society. Ryan enjoys watching and playing basketball.
RECOGNITION FOR ACHIEVEMENT: John Esparza, piano
JOHN ESPARZA is seventeen years old and is a junior at Eastwood High School. He has been playing piano for ten years, currently under the instruction of Dr. Esequiel Mesa. John has participated in numerous EPMTA recitals along with Solo and Sonata Festivals. In 2019, he won third place in the EPSMF Competition for Young Musicians. Moreover, John also plays the violin in his school’s varsity orchestra. In all his years of high school, he has been selected to play in the El Paso All Region orchestra as well as the YISD Honors orchestra. Aside from music, John is an active member of Eastwood’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter, where he won first place in the state Parliamentary Procedure competition. He is also part of his school’s Speech and Debate team, where he has gained national recognitions of excellence and merit. Some of his hobbies include playing basketball, video games, and solving Rubix cubes. John believes that he will be able to touch the hearts of any audience through music. He admires the universality of music and aspires to share his gift with many people.
RECOGNITION FOR ACHIEVEMENT: Taekyu Lee, piano
TAEKYU LEE was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the United States at the age of six. He has lived in El Paso since and began playing the piano two years later with encouragement from his mother. Although starting with jazz piano and improvisation, Taekyu began focusing more on classical piano. He also started playing the cello at age ten. Yet, his passion for playing the piano developed by his late middle school years and now he finds enjoyment in learning new pieces on the piano. Throughout the years, he has played in local EPMTA competitions, such as the solo, sonata, and baroque festivals, EPSYO’s Youn Artist Piano Competition, and various recitals held by EPMTA. He is an IB student Coronado High School and plays the cello in the Coronado High School Orchestra, participating in All Region and UIL State Solo and Ensemble. He has recently started using his talent in music to reach out tohis community through performances in local nursing homes, as a soloist or through the Musical Ensemble Club which he founded. He currently hopes to further grow in his love for music.
The 2020 INSTRUMENTS FOR YOUNG LIVES AWARDS RECIPIENTS are also recognized. This EPSMF program awards new, step-up instruments to young musicians who demonstrate academic excellence, musical aptitude, and unmet financial need.
Javier Barraza -flute
Javier Barraza is sixteen years old and attends San Elizario High School. He is a member of the San Elizario Band, Game Day Crew, and Wind Ensemble. His "dreams and aspirations are to become a performer for a symphony orchestra."
Andrew Griñé- double bass
Andrew Griñé is fourteen years old and attends Coronado High School. He is a member of the Coronado Marching Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Music Ensemble Club. He plays with the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras and Chamber Group as well as the El Paso Jazz Ensemble. "In my free time, I love to write music."
Johanna Romero- flute
Johanna Romero is thirteen years old and attends Anthony Middle School. She is a member of the Varsity Band and plays with the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra. "I really enjoy and look forward to attending band class and going to music lessons/rehearsal for EPSYO. I love learning something new!" Applications for the 2020-2021 Competition for Young Musicians and Instruments for Young Live Program will be available in September 2020. Watch for announcements.
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The El Paso Society for Musicians of the Future (EPSMF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality classical music programs. The organization has a growing commitment to outreach to the youth of the Borderland.
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.