The Grove City College Department of Music and the Symphony Orchestra hosted the 30th annual Concerto/Aria Competition in late October.
The winners were sophomore Wesley Morgan, piano, playing the Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25, movement 3; and senior Amber Willis, soprano, singing “Ah! Je veux vivre” from Gounod’s Romeo and Juliette. They will both perform their selections with the Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 9, 2024.
The annual event attracts the top music students representing a variety of degrees in a competition which is evaluated by three independent judges who are experts in the fields of music performance and education. Students are required to be a current sophomore, junior, or senior and enrolled in private lessons with a GCC Music Lesson Instructor.
“I am thrilled that this tradition continues after 30 years. I am indebted to my predecessor and friend, Dr. Richard Konzen, and our former strings teacher, Mr. Clifford Cox, for their leadership and Dr. Konzen’s willingness to begin this program. It is truly an honor to be a part of this legacy,” said Dr. Jeffrey Tedford, who serves as the host of the event and is the Director of Orchestral Activities at Grove City College.
This year’s competition included eleven students: one senior, four juniors, and six sophomores. The students either sang arias or performed concertos on oboe, piano, violin, cello, or trumpet. Students represented the following degrees: biology, English, mechanical engineering, music education, music performance and physics. Each student was allotted a maximum of 10 minutes to perform.
At the end of the competition, the judges compared their scoring sheets and chose two overall winners and two honorable mentions: cellists Eleah Leng, a junior, and Emma Danielson, a sophomore.
“I am so proud of each of the students and their accompanists who annually prepare for months for this event,” said Tedford, “It is so rewarding to see the musical growth of these students and the grace with which they handle this competition. They are true role models for the music industry.”
For more about Music at Grove City College, call 724-458-2084 or visit: gcc.edu/music.
Below, left to right, Wesley Morgan, Amber Willis, Eleah Leng, and Emma Danielson.