Alumni Spotlight 2019: Ella Kollett
ELLA KOLLETT Teacher: Karali Hunter Special kudos to Ella Kollett, age 15, who won SIX first place prizes in the 2019 festival! • BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE OR BAROQUE PERIOD WORK• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A COMPOSITION IN ANY STYLE BY MARJORIE BURGESS• ARTIST PIANIST AWARD• CREATIVE STYLISTIC…
Alumni Spotlight 2019: James Algermissen
JAMES ALGERMISSEN Teacher: Kellie Johannik Special kudos to James Algermissen, age 13, who won EIGHT first prizes in the 2019 festival! • BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK WRITTEN, ARRANGED OR EDITED BY JOHN SALMON• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK WRITTEN, ARRANGED OR EDITED BY KEVIN OLSON• PIANO ENSEMBLE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK…
Alumni Spotlight 2018: Julianne McCollough
JULIANNE MCCOLLOUGH Teacher: Janet Ali Julianne McCollough won a total of SEVEN first place prizes in the 2018 festival! • BEST PERFORMANCE OF A COMPOSITION IN ANY STYLE BY MARJORIE BURGESS ($200)• MOST VERSATILE PIANIST ($100)• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF GENUINELY SPONTANEOUS IMPROV (SOLO PIANO) ($50) Julianne McCollough pictured with Arthur Houle, Evan Mazunik, Wynn-Anne Rossi,…
Alumni Spotlight 2018: Claire McCollough
CLAIRE MCCOLLOUGH Teacher: Janet Ali Claire McCollough won a total of FOUR first place prizes in the 2018 festival! • BEST PIANIST STUDYING WITH A CMTA MEMBER ($50)• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK WRITTEN OR EDITED BY KEVIN OLSON ($50)• BEST PERFORMANCE OF CLEMENTI OP. 36 (HOULE EDITION) ($50)• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A LYRICAL AND…
Alumni Spotlight 2017: James Algermissen
JAMES ALGERMISSEN Teacher: Kellie Johannik Special kudos to James Algermissen, age 11, who won a total of FOUR first place prizes in the 2017 festival! • BEST DEMONSTRATION OF GENUINELY SPONTANEOUS IMPROVISATION IN ANY STYLE (PIANO ENSEMBLE)• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK FOR 4 OR MORE HANDS• MOST VERSATILE PIANIST• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF SPONTANEITY AND/OR…
Alumni Spotlight 2017: Samantha Ng
SAMANTHA NG Teacher: Valerie Mishek Special kudos to Samantha Ng, age 13, who won a total of FOUR first place prizes in the 2017 festival! • ARTIST PIANIST AWARD• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE OR BAROQUE PERIOD WORK• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A CONTEMPORARY WORK• BEST PIANIST STUDYING WITH A DAMTA MEMBER Samantha Ng being congratulated…
Alumni Spotlight 2016: Maria Ali
MARIA ALI Teacher: Unlisted Standout contestant Maria Ali won a total of FOUR prizes in the 2016 festival! • BEST DEMONSTRATION OF EMBELLISHING AND/OR IMPROVISING OR ORIGINAL CADENZA• FINALIST: BEST ORIGINAL WRITTEN COMPOSITION• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF SPONTANEITY AND/OR IMPROVISATION JAZZ, POP, GOSPEL OR RAG• BEST PIANIST STUDYING WITH A CMTA MEMBER In 2019, she was one…
Alumni Spotlight 2016: Desi Silverman-Joseph
DESI SILVERMAN-JOSEPH Teachers: Joan Garver & Joyce Li (Joyce & Desi on YouTube) At the young age of 11, Desi Silverman-Joseph won a total of SEVEN prizes in the 2016 festival, thereby shattering all previous prize-garnering records since the festival began in 2001. • ARTIST PIANIST AWARD• BEST PERFORMANCE OF PRE-BAROQUE, BAROQUE WORK OR CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK• BEST COMPOSITION…
Alumni Spotlight 2015: Andrew Vargas
ANDREW VARGAS Teacher: Unlisted Andrew Vargas won a total of FOUR first place prize awards in the 2015 Festival for Creative Pianists—a record for that year’s festival! • ARTIST PIANIST AWARD • BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE, BAROQUE WORK OF CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A ROMANTIC PERIOD WORK• BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN IMPRESSIONISTIC OR…