Austin Receives Standing Ovation at Viterbo University!
Austin and Anna with Joe at the Rising Stars Competition in Janaury.
As the winner of the prestigious regional “Rising Stars Concerto Competition” of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra in January, Austin Frohmader performed last Saturday night to a near-full house of eleven hundred concert goers at the Theatre of Viterbo University, La Crosse Wisconsin. He received a wildly enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience. This marvelous opportunity to perform on a subscription concert of the La Crosse Symphony was part of his Anna Beth Culver Award, which also included a $2,000 monetary award. We look forward with great anticipation for a DVD of the performance from the La Crosse Symphony. Hopefully, we will be able to share it with everyone right here on our web-site. There is no rest for Austin as he left the next day for Bloomington, Indiana to interview for scholarship at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. It is one of the most prestigious music schools in the land, and the world’s largest. Next week, he is off to Houston where he will audition for Nancy Weems at the University of Houston (where Kenny Broberg and Joshua Tan are currently full-scholarship students), and at Rice University. Just as he returns the final weekend of the month, he will leap head-long into a taxing week of a dress rehearsal and six performances with our world-renowned Minnesota Orchestra (more on that shortly!).
As we reported earlier, Anna Waldron was awarded Third Prize in the “Rising Stars” as she rendered deeply warm and captivating performances in both the Prelims and Finals. The audience’s response to Anna’s playing was – in return – equally warm and deeply appreciative.
Noah Chojnacki had a wonderful month as he followed up his Honorable Mention in the “Rising Stars” with reaching the finals of the Young Peoples’ Symphony Concert Association (YPSCA) of the Minnesota Orchestra. Noah presented a gorgeous performance of MacDowell’s Second Concerto at Orchestra Hall. His performance was wonderfully organic, had great forward flow, and contained exquisite artistic detail. His tone was powerful, colorful, yet unfettered, as he filled the vastness of Orchestra Hall with sound.
Our huge month of January continued with a good showing in the Mozart Concerto Competition as Christina Waldron and Nita Qiu both received Honorable Mention.
Lucas Jones rounded out our events with a great performance at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Lucas represented our State of Minnesota in the National Regional Competition of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) – one of the largest and most prestigious competitions in the nation. Although Lucas did not come away with any of the top awards – this time!! – he represented our state with class and highest artistic values.
We turn now to the big spring events of the Thursday Musical and Schubert Club Competitions in March, and our much anticipated Spring Celebration Recitals at Sundin Music Hall in April. The brochures for our Young Artist World Piano Festival should be arriving this week and we will begin to make plans for the pinnacle event of our artistic year!
Yours in Music!!
Joe & Jo Anne
CHS Students Shine at Rising Stars Concerto Competition
We are proud to announce that three of our young artists took home awards from the Rising Stars Concerto Competition in January, held at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wi. Austin Frohmader performed an exciting Hungarian Fantasy by Franz Lizst, and won the $1000 Anna Beth Culver Award. Austin has also been invited to perform with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra this Saturday . Anna Waldron won the $500 Lynne and Robert Trine Piano Award and Noah Chojnacki received honorable mention for their notable performances. Congratulations young artists!
We understand that not everyone could make the drive out to La Crosse, Wi to listen to Austin play this weekend, so we decided to bring his performance to your home computer! Below, please enjoy Austin’s winning performance from the competition last month.
Intense Fall Yields Fruitful Results at CHS!
Jo Anne, myself, and our magnificent students have come off one of our busiest and most intense falls in years. We attribute this to the expressive power and preparation of our Roster across the board.
Austin with Christopher O'Riley Master Class, photo: Schmitt Music Edina
Austin Frohmader has continued his torrential flood of accomplishments. As most of you know, Austin is a very gifted composer as well as pianist. He is intensely pursuing his dream of entering music school in the fall as a Composition Major, with a heavy concentration in piano as his chosen instrument (of course!). Two startling events have occurred in support of his composition.
First of all, Austin was selected – through the submission of scores – to The Schubert Club Composer Mentorship Program. He is one of just four young composers in the upper mid-west selected for this prestigious program. He will be mentoring with Composer-in-Residence, Edie Hill. This program will include studies in Theory, Instrumentation, Orchestration, and Roundtables on the artist’s life as a composer in the modern world. In the spring, at the conclusion of the Mentorship Program, Austin’s work for Brass Quintet will be performed by the Copper Street Brass at Landmark Center. Secondly, Austin was the First Place winner of the State Division of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Composition Competition, He will represent the State of Minnesota at the West-Central Division Competition in January, University of Colorado, Boulder, in the Senior Division (15-18). Amazingly, Austin also received Honorable Mention in the same MTNA National Competition in Piano, State Division! The event was held at St. Olaf College on October 29th. In addition, he was selected for the Master Class of world-renowned pianist, Christopher O’Riley, October 21st, at the Burnsville Center for the Performing Arts, (see photo). To round out his amazing fall, he gave a powerfully expressive performance of Prokofiev’s Third Sonata, as guest artist, on Thursday Musical’s Morning Concert Series, November 3rd, Antonello Hall, MacPhail Center for the Arts.
In addition to Austin’s Honorable Mention at the MTNA Young Artist Competition, Lucas Jones was named Alternate to the state winner in the same competition. He will be called upon to represent the Senior Division in Piano (15-18), in Colorado, should the winner be unable to fulfill his award. In the Junior Division (11-14), Michael Tang and Noah Chojnacki each received Honorable Mention. It is very significant that our four young men – Austin, Lucas, Michael, and Noah – were half of the eight players to audition in the MTNA Young Artist Competition. The numbers are extremely limited because of the huge repertoire demands of this competition. All four of our boys presented the twenty-five to thirty minute solo programs and, in addition, had prepared a twelve to sixteen minute concerto movement(s) for the St. Paul Piano Teachers (SPPTA) Concerto Competition the following week. All four young men performed their entire thirty-five to forty-five minute programs on our Fall Festival Recitals, October 23rd. We are very proud of their impressive work ethic.
Lucas Jones, Michael Tang, Daniel Qu, and Noah Qiu were named finalists in the St. Paul Piano Teachers (SPPTA) Concerto Competition (November 5th). They were four of the seven finalists chosen, and our studio contributed nine of the twenty-one contestants in the event. Our other performers were Noah Chojnacki, Matthew Qu, Nita Qiu, Stephanie Ye, and Ellie Krienke. Jo Anne and I are very gratified to say – and without equivocation – that all nine of our young artists played their very best.
In other news . . . Mandy Chang, Stephanie Li, Niels Wu, Mulan Zhu, and Richard Chang have been elevated to the Young Artist Class. We expect wonderful contributions from them in the near future to our top class!
Our young artists have a very brief period, before the holidays, to get going on huge amounts of new literature. January will be another wild month of PCs and competitions – both in and out of town.
Yours in Music –
Joe & Jo Anne
