News > Music in Schools Initiative
Back to News Browse
Music in Schools Initiative

Young Artists Solo Competition, 4th-6th grades

The Yale School of Music is pleased to announce the winners of the 4th–6th grade level of the Yale/New Haven Young Artists Solo Competition. This round of the Competition took place on Wednesday, May 23, at 5 pm in Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Hall.

The competition , which is part of the Music in Schools Initiative, was open to three nominees from each K-8 New Haven Public School. Sixteen students from seven schools participated.

The winners were:
Grand Prize
William Suzuki, alto saxophone, Worthington Hooker School

Second Prize
Sinead Donnelly, flute, Edgewood School

Third Prize
Faith Harris, bassoon, Augusta Lewis Troup School

The judges for the competition were William Boughton, music director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra; Nicholas Lewis, freelance musician and educator; and William Purvis, a member of the School of Music faculty.

Addressing the students, Purvis said, "I'm a French horn player, and when I play, sometimes I make mistakes. I know you are all thinking about the mistakes you may have made tonight, but you should focus on what you did well – because you all played with musicianship and poise."

The final two levels of the Solo Competition will take place next week: 7th–8th grade on Tuesday, May 29, and 9th–12th grade on Wednesday, May 30. All competitions begin at 5 pm in Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Hall (470 College Street, corner of Wall Street), and are free and open to the public.