The Department of Music at Boise State University has a reason to celebrate.
Yonsoo Park, violinist and string graduate assistant, and the Aestus Quartet, graduate scholarship quartet in residence featuring violinists Anne Wolfe and DaNece Lyman, violist Emily Jones, and cellist Kyle True, won their respective “young artist” and “collegiate chamber music” categories at the Music Teachers National Association regional competition held recently in Portland, Oregon.
The winners will represent Boise State, Idaho, and the Northwest Region (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming) in the finals of the MTNA national competition, March 17-21 at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. They will compete against finalists from six other regions across the U.S.
“As musical competitions go, this is akin to our football team going to a national championship,” said Professor Craig Purdy. “It’s a huge deal.”
The musicians are strategizing about fundraising to pay for their travel and expenses for the competition.
MTNA, founded in 1876, is a nonprofit organization comprised of 20,000 independent and collegiate music teachers committed to advancing the value of music study and music making to society and to supporting the professionalism of music teachers. The group is the oldest professional music association in the U.S.
BY: ANNA WEBB PUBLISHED 11:36 AM / JANUARY 24, 2018