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Photo courtesy of Symphony Volunteer Council
Strings winners (Left to right: Christopher Lowry – ASO, Principal Viola, Cuewon Kim, Clay McCollum ASO Director of Artistic Development, Lauren Kang)
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Photo courtesy of Symphony Volunteer Council.
Piano winners (Left to right: Daniel Bae, Dr. Beth McGinnis – Samford University, Assistant Professor of Musicology. Clay McCollum ASO Director of Artistic Development, Luke Blackstone)
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Photo courtesy of Symphony Volunteer Council.
Piano winners (Left to right: Daniel Bae, Dr. Beth McGinnis – Samford University, Assistant Professor of Musicology. Clay McCollum ASO Director of Artistic Development, Luke Blackstone)
In the Lois Pickard Concerto Competition, six young musicians proved their top talents in the areas of piano, strings and brass-woodwinds.
The top winners receive $1,500 in scholarships monies with second place receiving $750.
The public will be serenaded by their musical talents at a luncheon Feb. 29 at the Vestavia Country Club where the winners will perform short pieces and musical interpretations of classical works.
The Symphony Volunteer Council (SVC), in conjunction with the Alabama Symphonic Association (ASO), sponsors the Lois Pickard Scholarship competition and luncheon. Since 1998 this event has raised over $210,000 in awards for the competition winners and for scholarships to high school students studying at summer music programs. Tickets are available through the SVC.
The competition took place Jan. 20 at Birmingham-Southern College where 19 students participated in the competition.
The winners included:
Brass/Woodwinds
- First Place – Catherine Cheng – Flute, Age 16, Memphis, TN, White Station High School
- Second Place – Wesley Lim – Flute, Age 17, Germantown, TN, Houston High School
- Honorable Mention – Jasmine Young – Clarinet, Age 17, Homewood, AL, Alabama School of Fine Arts
Strings
- First Place – Cuewon Kim – Viola, Age 16, Vestavia Hills, AL, Vestavia Hills High School
- Second Place – Lauren Kang – Violin, Age 13, Vestavia Hills, AL – Prince of Peace Catholic School
Piano
- First Place – Daniel Bae, Age 14 – Pike Road, AL – Montgomery Academy
- Second Place – Luke Blackstone, Age 16, Homewood, AL, Evangel High School
The program began in 1951 when a group of ladies, led by Pickard, resurrected what was then called the Birmingham Civic Orchestra. Leading the Women’s Committee of the Orchestra, Pickard, helped create what then-Music Director, Arthur Bennet Lipkin called “a Festival of Contemporary Music.”
The Symphony Volunteer Council is proud to recognize the vision and efforts of Mrs. Pickard with scholarships to talented young artists, including the Lois Pickard Summer Music Camp Scholarship. This support is a fitting anniversary tribute to the one person whose name some 73 years ago, was synonymous with the symphony in Birmingham.
Submitted by Symphony Volunteer Council
