MTNA Divisional Winners

The state motto of Minnesota is “Star of the North”.   Minnesota has not just one star, but many “stars”:   MMTA is proud of the 15 performing “stars” who represented Minnesota and MMTA at the 2012 MTNA Divisional  Performance Competition at the University of Boulder,  Boulder Colorado! These Divisional participants competed against performers from other West Central Division states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. 

We thank and congratulate all those who traveled to Boulder to participate in the MTNA West Central Divisional Competition:

  • Jr. Piano - Derek Hartman (Honorable Mention)—student of Paul Wirth
  • Jr. String – Jason Shu (Winner)—student of Sally O’Reilly

 

  • Sr. Piano – Lucas Jones – student of Joseph Zins

 

  • Sr. String- Melissa Deal (Honorable Mention) student of Sally O’Reilly
  • Sr. Voice- Cydney Chamberlain student of Siri Caltveldt
  • Sr. Woodwind—Hannah Sorenson, flute, (Alternate) student of Deborah Harris

 

  • YA Piano – Jeremy Krahn—student of Kent McWIlliams
  • YA Woodwind—Jeffrey Hutchins –student of Eugene Rousseau

 

  • Chamber Music - Saxophone Quartet (Honorable Mention) -- Greg Wrenn, Lucas Hopkins, Ted Schaller, Tyler Cessor; -students of Eugene Rousseau

 

  • Chamber Music - Flute /Cello/Piano Trio – Ellen Raaen, flute;  Zhou Long, cello;  Alice Chang, piano;  -students  of  Debora Harris

As further appreciation of their achievement, each student will be awarded a travel grant. Funding for travel grants and student awards is made possible by a generous grant from the MMTA Foundation.   The MMTA Foundation’s  purpose is to support the educational and charitable objectives of MMTA.

Minnesota will be represented at the National  Level  by Jason Shu, winner of the West Central Junior String Division.  Jason is a student of Sally O’Reilly. The MTNA National Performance Competitions will be held at the MTNA National Conference in New York City March 24-28, 2012. 

Also representing MMTA at the National level are two Composition students: Daniel Chang, Elementary West Central Composition Division Winner.  Daniel is a Student of Dorothy Sandquist. His composition for piano is called “Capriccio”.   Representing MMTA as the Junior West Central Division Composition Winner is Derek Hartman.  Derek is the composition student of Sarah Miller.  His piece: “Piano Trio for Oboe, French Horn and Piano”.

MTNA sponsors annual Performance and Composition Competitions for students of MTNA members.  The purpose of these competitions is to provide educational experiences for students and teachers and to recognize exceptionally talented performers and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence. Those who represented Minnesota in Boulder, first competed in the MTNA State Competition, October 29, 2011 at St. Olaf College, Northfield.

You can look forward to hearing many of these talented musicians at the MMTA Honors Recital.  The Honors Recital will be held at the MMTA Annual Convention, Sunday,  June 3, 2012 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, Plymouth. Watch your MMTA  Newsletter for full MMTA Convention details.

For more information about State, Divisional and National MTNA Performance and / or MTNA Composition Competitions, go to the MTNA website:   www.mtna.org.  The next MMTA State MTNA Competition will take place    October 27, 2012 at St. Olaf College, Northfield.  Special thanks to Patsy Bode, MTNA State Competition Coordinator and Kent McWilliams,  MTNA State Competition Site Coordinator.