NEWS RELEASE
ALGOMA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
The 2015 Sault Ste. Marie Music Festival (formerly Kiwanis) concluded on May 24th with the Shield Competition at St. Luke’s Cathedral.
The winner in each division is chosen by the guest adjudicators to participate in the Shield Competition where they compete for the festival’s top prize and a $500 scholarship.
Participants this year were: Hannah Nicoletta (piano); Gabrielle Turgeon (violin); Courtney Irwin (flute); Alex Izquierdo (guitar); and Adriane Mallinger (voice).
The Shield adjudicator was noted pianist David Jalbert from the University of Ottawa.
Following the performances he commented on each performance and then awarded the Shield to pianist Hannah Nicoletta.
Hannah is only 14 years of age and is studying repertoire at the associate level with Dr. Robert Ollikkala at the Algoma Conservatory of Music.
She performed the 1st movement of Schubert’s Piano Sonata in B flat major.
In addition to the Shield she won festival scholarships for both piano and violin and was recommended to compete in the Provincial finals at the Associate level.
She is currently in 8th grade at St. Mary’s French Immersion.
The Sault Ste. Marie Music Festival is in its 78th year.
This year there were several hundred student performances with guest adjudicators from across Ontario and Quebec.
The top three participants in both the junior and senior categories of each division were awarded scholarships.
In addition the top senior students were recommended to represent Sault Ste. Marie at the Provincial Finals.
For the past 11 years the festival has been coordinated by the Algoma Conservatory of Music.
Following is a full list of the 2015 Scholarships, Awards and Recommendations:
SAULT STE. MARIE MUSIC FESTIVAL
2015 SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Shield Winner - Hannah Nicoletta, piano - $500
GUITAR
Tracy Anne Smith, Adjudicator
JUNIOR GUITAR DIVISION
1. Emilie Vezina - $100
2. Graham Kirk - $75
3. Garrett Nott - $50
Additional Performance of Distinction Awards (in alphabetical order)
Gabriel Fournier, Kavi Giroux
SENIOR GUITAR DIVISION
1. Alejandro Izquierdo Martinez - $200
2. Joshua Leppanen - $150
3. Carmine Coccimiglio Jr. - $100
Provincial Recommendations:
Grade 7 - Joshua Leppanen
Grade 8 - Alejandro Izquierdo Martinez
Grade 9 - Carmine Coccimiglio Jr.
WINDS & PERCUSSION
Jack Gordon, Adjudicator
JUNIOR WINDS & PERCUSSION DIVISION
1. Kayla Bishop - $100
2. Hannah Boyonoski - $75
SENIOR WINDS & PERCUSSION DIVISION
1. Courtney Irwin - $200
2. Meghan Gauthier - $150
3. Kristina Sagrak - $100
Provincial Recommendations:
Grade 8 - Meghan Gauthier
Grade 9 - Courtney Irwin, Kristina Sagrak
PIANO
Michel Fournier, Adjudicator
JUNIOR PIANO DIVISION
1. Mario Kwon - $100
2. Stephen North - $75
3. Colton Oliverio - $50
Additional Performance of Distinction Awards (in alphabetical order)
Cadence Anderson
Allison Caldwell-Pratt
Emma Dingle
Paige DiVincenzo
Jeremy Edwards
Keira Lamming
Danielle Lavoie
Deanna St. Germain
Melody Shafiee
James Schuster
Jessica Sibenik
Olivia Spadafora
Gianna Spironello
Alyssa Stevens
Audrey Vair
SENIOR PIANO DIVISION
1. Hannah Nicoletta - $200
2. Casey Croswell - $150, Cathryn Franklin - $150 (tie)
3. Ada Crowder - $100
PROVINCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Grade 7 - Ada Crowder, Mario Kwon
Grade 9 - Casey Croswell, Cathryn Franklin
Associate - Hannah Nicoletta
STRINGS
Mary-Beth Brown, Adjudicator
JUNIOR STRINGS DIVISION
1. Áine Schryer-O’Gorman - $100
2. Chloe Fisher - $75
3. Bonnie Li - $50, Corrine Turgeon - $50 (tie)
Additional Performance of Distinction Awards (in alphabetical order)
Jeffrey Chen, James Houghton, Malia Kirk, Brian Li
SENIOR STRINGS DIVISION
1. Gabrielle Turgeon - $200
2. Emma Ledford - $150
3. Hannah Nicoletta - $100
Additional Performance of Distinction Awards
Sam Wier
PROVINCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Grade 7 - Chloe Fisher
Grade 8 - Áine Schryer-O’Gorman, Bonnie Li
Grade 10 - Emma Ledford, Gabrielle Turgeon
Chamber Music - String Trio - Alasdair Bennett, William Denninghoff & Gabrielle Turgeon
VOICE
Shannon Coates, Adjudicator
JUNIOR VOICE DIVISION
1. Alexandria McCauley - $100
2. Cassandra McCauley - $75
3. Rowan Gordon - $50
Musical Theater - Gabrielle Turgeon - $100
SENIOR VOICE DIVISION
1. Adriane Mallinger - $200
2. Gabrielle Turgeon - $150
3. Evan Williams - $100
Musical Theater - Evan Williams - $200
PROVINCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Grade 7 - Mariah Bennardo, Annie Damignani
Grade 8 - Gabrielle Turgeon, Evan Williams
Grade 9 - Victoria Stortini-Snider
Grade 10 - Adriane Mallinger
Musical Theater - Elementary - Cassandra McCauley
Musical Theater - Junior - Mariah Bennardo, Gabrielle Turgeon
Musical Theater - Intermediate - Evan Williams
Musical Theater - Senior - Victoria Stortini-Snider, Winston Sullivan, Adriane Mallinger (alternate)
Junior Choir - F. H. Clergue Grade 3 Choir, Ms. A. McCarthy, Director
Secondary School Choir - Korah Korahsters, Mrs. D. Williams, Director
Community Choir - Algoma Conservatory Advanced Choir, Ms. A. McCarthy, Director
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