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Music in Schools Initiative

9th-12th grade winners, Young Artists Solo Competition

The final level of the fifth annual Yale/New Haven Young Artists Solo Competition took place on Wednesday, May 30 at 5 pm in Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Hall. The Music in Schools Initiative is pleased to announce the winners of the 9th–12th grade division.

Grand Prize
Miguel Johnson, tenor saxophone, Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School

Second Prize
Kristina Otfinoski, violin, Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School

Third Prize
Pendelton King, alto saxophone, Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School

Praising the students on their performances, Associate Dean Michael Yaffe added, "We hope we will see many of you around the School of Music for future Music in Schools Initiative programs. For those of you about to graduate, we wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors."

Fifteen students from three New Haven Public Schools participated. The high school level of the Solo Competition is open to voice students as well as those playing percussion, string, brass, and woodwind instruments. Students must be nominated by their school in order to compete, and schools are not limited in the number of students they may nominate.

The judges for the competition were Laura Adam, of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra; Netta Hadari, of Music Haven; and Vincent Oneppo, of the Yale School of Music.

The 4th–6th grade level of the Solo Competition took place on May 23, and the 7th–8th grade level on May 29.