For the hard-working, dedicated students of Interlochen Arts Camp who work toward auditioning for the annual Concerto Competition, winning can be the highlight of a young artist’s career. Among the high school and intermediate divisions, students compete for the chance to solo with an Interlochen ensemble for a public performance. This year the high school division winners are David Chou and Grant Jameson, and intermediate winner, Sasha Bult-Ito.
Participants in the competition are some of Interlochen Arts Camp’s most accomplished and driven students. To qualify for the competition, students must submit an audition video for review during the spring. From those videos, several finalists were selected to perform live for a panel of judges, who selected the overall winners in Corson Auditorium in early July.
For the concerto recital, Chou performed Piano Concerto in A minor, by Edvard Grieg with the Interlochen Philharmonic in Kresge Auditorium. Chou was very surprised to be announced a winner-- he said he sent in the audition tape “just to see what would happen.” Although, after the shock wore off Chou said, “It’s an amazing experience to take advantage of.”
Chou graduated from Dobson High School in Mesa, Ariz., and will attend Duke University in the fall. Although his talents warrant a successful career in music, he plans to study physics and neuroscience.
Jameson performed Fantasia for Euphonium by Gordon Jacob with the World Youth Wind Symphony (WYWS) in Corson Auditorium. After his performance, he commented that the performance was “an unbelievable experience,” and it was “an honor being a winner going up against such great musicians.”
Jameson is a senior at Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio. He is a member of several brass bands in the area, as well as a member of his school’s jazz band. He plans to attend Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England to pursue a career as a euphonium soloist.
Intermediate pianist, Bult-Ito of Fairbanks, Ala. was the sole winner of the Concerto Competition intermediate division. She performed Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op 22 by Camille Saint-Saëns on June 30 in Dendrinos Chapel.
