Skip to content

Powell River musicians perform for scholarships

Academy of Music holds annual competition
Powell River Academy of Music
MUSICAL GIFTS: 22 young musicians performed for scholarships at the annual Powell River Academy of Music scholarship competition earlier this month. [From left] Talia Dyer, 11, Francios deVilliers,11, Joy Morgan, 14, Hope Alescio, 11, Shunsei Kita-Sternberg, seven, and Yoshun Kita-Sternberg, 11. Contributed photo

A group of 22 young musicians performed at Powell River Academy of Music’s annual scholarship competition on Saturday, May 4. The event is open to those studying at the academy aged 18 and under.

“It’s an adjudicated competition,” said Powell River Academy of Music artistic director Walter Martella. “This year Nancy Hollman adjudicated the piano and voice and Arthur Arnold was adjudicating the strings,” he said.  

Funds are donated by patrons and teachers to assist students in their future studies.

“The scholarships are given by families in town,” added Martella. “Scholarships are gifted for those specific categories.”

The calibre of the musicianship on display was impressive, he said, and it made the job of the judges that much harder.

“It seems that the students here are beyond their years in their ability, deportment, how well they prepare themselves and their performances,” said Martella. “Arthur [Arnold] had the students play a second time because he felt they all did something well and it was difficult to make a decision.”

Piano performers included Kalissa Smith, Sophie Ferguson, Eric Ruegg, Yoshun Kita-Sternberg, Monica Ruegg, Jaid Kirzakow, Jan Swanson, Aaron Schweitzer, Chloe Feng, Hannah Schweitzer and Annika Mulder.

Receiving the Daryl and Doreen Smith scholarship in junior piano was Eric Ruegg with Monica Ruegg runner-up. The Lillian Dickson Memorial Scholarship in senior piano went to Hannah Schweitzer, with the runner-up scholarship going to Jaid Kirzakow and honourable mention to Aaron Schweitzer.

Voice performers included Chelsea Riddle, Jan Swanson, Electra Atkinson and Hannah Schweitzer. The recipient of the Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hibberd scholarship in junior voice was Jan Swanson with runner-up Electra Atkinson. The Don James scholarship in senior voicewas awarded to Hannah Schweitzer and runner-up was Chelsea Riddle.

Instrumental performers included Shunsei Kita-Sternberg, Francois deVilliers, Hope Alescio, Talia Dyer, Yoshun Kita-Sternberg and Joy Morgan. The recipient for the Mr. and Mrs. Derry Simpson scholarship, awarded in junior instrumental, was Shunsei Kita-Sternberg. The Carriere Scholarship in senior instrumental aged 13 to 18 years was awarded to Joy Morgan.