2021 Festival Audition Results
First place:
Ryan Ismael Bakkali
Charlotte Lorah Cook
Olivia Gifford
Christy Lai
Jayden Kim
Lincoln Martell
Aryan Ramnaress
April Steixner
Meredith Sullivan
Danielle Tom
Asha Venkat
Sarah Whitney
Evelyn Young
Hannah Young
Teachers of first place winners:
Seray Goktekin
Kumiko Imamura
Edith Sullivan
Galina Zisk Rothschild
Congratulations to all participants!
Announcing the 2021-2022 Season
We are pleased to announce our events for the upcoming season. Unless otherwise stated venues (online or in-person) are TBD dependent on the Covid situation.
We are glad that Covid numbers have improved since last season, and hope that they will continue in that direction. However, because we cannot know what the future will bring, we must reserve the right to change our safety protocols if circumstances should require it. Please check our website before any event, to double-check on updates for masking/vaccination or other requirements, and thank you for your understanding.
November Recital: Easton Library*
Recital Date: Saturday, Nov 20th (Multiple groups if necessary beginning at 1:15 pm)
Registration deadline: Saturday, November 10th
Repertoire: Classical repertoire and music by pedagogical composers. Pieces must be memorized.
Chair: Olga Stelman
**Limited to 8 participants per group. Proof of vaccination is required for this event for all adult visitors. For more info click 'Recitals'
Fall Concert: Celebrating Diversity
Concert Date: Sunday, Nov 21st (early afternoon)
Registration deadline: Sunday, November 7th
For our Fall concert this year we are pleased to host our second annual concert celebrating composers of African, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous backgrounds. Memory is not required. For those looking for ideas a list of recommended composers and repertoire collections an email will be sent out soon.
Chair: Benjamin Steinhardt
Festival Audition
The goal of this festival is to provide recognition to talented and motivated students who can prepare for an evaluated audition, and who are confident enough to perform in public. It is open to students of voice, piano and all other instruments.
Students who intend to participate in CSMTA's Deborah Kahan Competition are NOT eligible to perform in this event.
Festival Date: Saturday 12/11 or Sunday 12/12 (TBD)
Registration deadline: Friday, November 29th
Chair: Andrew Gordon
36th Annual Deborah Kahan Competition
This competition is open Piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar; soloists, duos, or any combination of piano and strings. Students must be between the age of 6 and 18. Students prepare two contrasting pieces in period and style from the standard Classical repertoire.
Competition Date: Sunday, January 30th
Winner's recital: Sunday, February 6th
Submission Deadline: Saturday, January 8th
Co-chairs: Hiroko Dutton and Kumiko Imamura
Pops Concert!
Concert Date: Sunday, February 13th (early afternoon)
Repertoire: Any music outside the classical canon. Pop Songs, Movie/TV/Video Game Themes, Jazz, and Broadway are all welcome. Using sheet music is allowed. Selections should be under 5 minutes.
Registration Deadline: Sunday, January 30th
Chair: Benjamin Steinhardt
Spring Showcase Recital
Recital Date: Sunday, May 15th (early afternoon)
Submission deadline: Friday, April 29th
Repertoire: Classical repertoire and music by pedagogical composers. Pieces must be memorized.
Chair: Hiroko Dutton
M.A.P. (Music Achievement Program)
Saturday, June 5th
The MAP (Musicianship Achievement Program) is directed at students of CSMTA teachers and offers both a Performance and Theory section. Held annually, students can choose to participate in the Full MAP (both performance and theory) or just the Theory exam. With a total of 10 levels, students have the opportunity to perform memorized pieces, display keyboard skills and demonstrate written/aural awareness in accordance with the prescribed MAP syllabus.
Chair: Seray Goktekin
We look forward to seeing you and your students soon!
Masterclass with Dr. Paul Wirth
On Sunday, April 19th @ 11 am a masterclass was held on Zoom led by Dr. Paul Wirth (Northwestern University - Minnesota).
The participants were:
Lina Elwood
Beethoven: Sonata in f, Op. 2-1, IV. Prestissimo
Leon Wang
Liszt : Notturno No.3, “Liebestraum"
Shalev Weber
Mozart: Sonata in C, K.279, I. Allegro
Thank you to our performers and their teachers for their exceptional preparation. Dr. Wirth was an exemplar of great piano teaching: encouraging and kind to each student, illuminating each score with his knowledge and expertise.
You can read more about Dr. Paul Wirth here.
36th Deborah Kahan Competition Winners Circle
0:10 Yuanmei Zhao
4:27 Avigail Kohl
6:31 Mirah Chang
9:20 Giora Nadav
13:53 Eric Jansa
16:54. Lina Elwood
19:30 Abigail Chang
22:46 Mindy Zhao
32:36 Avery Cotton
35:26 Shalev Weber
39:13 Melody Cui
45:52 Nicole Razhanskiy
53:55 Stephanie Chang
59:39 Willa Brasch
This year’s distinguished adjudicators were :
Piano Section: Mr. Randall Hodgkinson and Dr. Lois Shapiro
String Section: Mr. Jaroslaw Lis and Ms. Naoko Tanaka.
Piano Winners
Avigail Kohl...Chopin : Valse Op. 64-2
Mirah Chang...Debussy : Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum
Giora Nadav...Beethoven : Sonata Op. 10-1, I mov.
Eric Jansa...Ginastera : Rondo Special Award
Lina Elwood...Poulenc : Toccata
Abigail Chang...J.S.Bach : Well-Tempered Clavier, C minor BWV847
Avery Cotton...Chopin : Etude Op.10-12
Shalev Weber..Rachmaninoff : Prelude in E flat major, Op. 23-6
Melody Cui...Ravel : Alborada del gracioso
Stephanie Chang...Beethoven : Sonata Op. 7 I mov. Special Award
Honorable Mention
Tina Zhang
Aiden Scwaller
Ahan Ghosh-Rao
Keshav Kaushik Gopal
Anna Fiorito
Jeffrey Liang
Strings Winners
Yuanmei Zhao...Vivaldi : Concerto Op. 3 RV356 I.
Mindy Zhao...Saint-Saens : Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Op. 28
Nicole Razhansky...Wieniawski : Concerto #2 Op. 22 I mov.
Willa Brasch...J. S. Bach : Sonata in g, BWV1001, II Fuga
Honorable Mention
Isabella Mariani
Zach Bishop
Teachers of Winners
Yoshie Akimoto, Svitlana Fiorito, Kumiko Imamura, Dan Nadav, Benjamin Steinhardt (piano)
Teri Einfeldt, Marina Kitaychik (strings)
Congratulations to all the winners and participating teachers!
