John Mburu / Facebook.com photoTen winners of the first George R. Johnson Concerto and Aria Competition will be featured performers when the Cleveland Orchestra of Tennessee presents "A Winning Combination" on Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. with a pre-concert talk featuring the competition winners at 6:45 p.m.
The concert will be held in George Johnson Community Heritage Center on the campus of Cleveland State Community College in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Conducted by Sarah Pearson, the orchestra will perform the "Hebrides Overture" by Mendelssohn and new commissioned works by Jamie Leigh Sampson and Andrew Martin Smith.
Cleveland Orchestra of Tennessee held its inaugural concerto and aria competition last December, endowed by the George R. Johnson Family Foundation. The competition consisted of two divisions: Concerto (instrumentalists and pianists) and Aria (singers), both with student and professional categories.
A panel of professional judges scored the contestants. Winners were selected by blind scoring, and each place level required a certain score to be attained, so not all prizes were awarded.
Concerto Division
» Student winners: Rebecca Hearn (cello), first, $500; Zachary Miller (violin), third, concert appearance.
» Artist Division winners: Ciaoyu Lin (piano), first, $1,000; Jariel Jorguenson (piano), second, $750; Dragana Loncar (viola), third, concert appearance.
Aria Division
» Young Artist winners: John Mburu (bass), first, $500; Gabrielle Flannery (soprano), second, $250; Taylor Cooper (soprano), third, concert appearance.
» Professional winners: Caitlin Overton (soprano), second, $750; Justin Colón (baritone), third, concert appearance
Tickets are $15. They can be purchased at the door.
For more information: clevelandtnorchestra.com.