2010 DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LYNN HARRELL CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNER ANNOUNCED
16-Year-Old Plano Resident Dong-Yeon Kim Wins First Prize
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra today announces the winners of the ninth annual 2010 Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition. Dong-Yeon Kim of Plano, TX won first place, performing Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1. The 16-year-old pianist performed the colorful piece to take home the top honor as well as a $3,500 scholarship and chance to perform with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in an upcoming season. The 2010 Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition was held at Caruth Auditorium at Southern Methodist University on April 24, 2010, and featured Lynn Harrell, DSO Assistant Conductor Rei Hotoda, Concertmaster Emmanuel Borok and Principal Second Violin Angela Fuller as jurors.
In second place was violinist Alexandra Switala of Grapevine, TX, who performed Tchaikovsky's Concerto in D Major. Switala also won second place in the 2009 Lynn Harrell Competition with a performance of Bruch's Scottish Fantasy. In third place was violinist Nancy Zhou of San Antonio, TX, who performed Sibelius' Violin Concerto No. 1. Switala was awarded $2,500, and Zhou was awarded $1,500, respectively.
The Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition is intended to identify and encourage the highest level of musical talent from students ages 8 to 18 on strings and piano in the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, offering scholarship awards totaling up to $8,750. Repertoire requirements for all applicants include a complete concerto (all movements) in the standard orchestral repertoire as well as a solo work of contrasting style, accompanied or unaccompanied. Eight finalists, out of a total of 19 applicants, were chosen to perform for the final round of the competition.
Lynn Harrell, a former Dallas resident, gave his first orchestral performance with the DSO as a result of winning a student competition. Appearing with the DSO on its 2000 European Tour, Harrell spoke to audiences of the influence that early performance had on his career.
Past winners have gone on to attend prestigious schools and all are pursuing solo careers. Noted past winners and finalists include violinist Shannon Lee, who at age 11 won the 2004 competition and is currently a freshman at Columbia College in New York; violist Rebecca Glass, a finalist in the 2008 competition, who went on to become the first blind student to take the State Music Theory Test for piano in Braille at the high school level and is currently a freshman at the Cleveland Institute of Music; cellist John-Henry Crawford, who won third place in 2008, was a finalist in the 2009 competition and at age 15 was admitted into the Curtis Institute of Music to pursue a degree in cello performance; and Kyle Orth, who won First Place in the 2009 Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition with a spectacular performance of Liszt's Totentanz. An avid competitor, Orth was recently the first place winner of the Music Teachers National Association Yamaha Senior Piano Competition, Lennox International Young Artist's Competition, Juanita Miller Concerto Competition and the Forth Worth Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition. He is currently a student at Texas Christian University where he received a full-tuition scholarship and is pursuing a degree in Piano Performance.
The Lynn Harrell Competition is generously supported by Rita Sue and Alan Gold, Roberta and Tom Corbett, Robin Green, Lynn Harrell and DSO Volunteer Groups.
ABOUT FIRST PLACE WINNER DONG-YEON KIM
Born in South Korea, 16-year-old Dong-Yeon Kim started taking piano lessons at age six and has enjoyed playing music for churches, in student recitals and with symphony orchestras. Kim moved to Texas three years ago from Korea, where he studied with Su-Kyung Kang. Kim has participated in numerous competitions including CCYAC, Vernell Gregg, TMTA and NPITYA Young Artist Competition. He was named the grand prize winner of the Vernell Gregg Competition and performed Liszt's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Lake Lewisville Symphony in February. Kim was the first place winner at the NPITYA Young Artist Competition, second place winner at Dallas Solo in two divisions and was a finalist at the TMTA State Level in 2009. Kim was also one of the winners at the TCYA Concerto Evening, and performed Beethoven's Emperor Piano Concerto with the Plano Symphony Orchestra. Kim enjoys playing the flute in Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and in February of this year, played principal flute in Bizet's L'Arlésienne under the baton of conductor James Frank. Kim is currently studying with Dr. Christina Long.
ABOUT THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Jaap van Zweden, presents the finest in classical and pop music, new music and family and holiday concerts at the internationally heralded Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. As the largest performing arts organization in the Southwest, the DSO is committed to the pursuit of uncompromising musical distinction through innovative and classical programming, seeking to enlighten and inspire the broadest possible audience. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the DSO's involvement with the City of Dallas extends to educational programs, community concerts, complimentary ticket distribution and children's programming. The DSO has grown from a 40-person ensemble to a world-class orchestra since its inception in 1900, and continues to be the cornerstone of the burgeoning Arts District in downtown Dallas; a district now noted as the largest in the nation.
