Yamaha Young Performing Artist Program Celebrates 25 Years
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The 25th Anniversary of the Yamaha Young Performing Artists (YYPA) Program was held June 22-24, 2013 at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The 2013 YYPA Winners gathered for a weekend filled with career-forming and inspiring experiences. The Winners were instilled with wisdom from many professional musicians and former YYPA Winners throughout the course of the weekend.
Linda Mark, world-class pianist for the event, and Mark Buselli, Director of Jazz Studies at Ball State University, offered valuable information to the Winners about how to collaborate with other musicians to create a wonderful experience between performers as well as with the audience.
John Wittmann, Director, Artist Relations, Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis, offered the Winners a unique and challenging workshop regarding their lives as professionals and individuals. Setting attainable goals, building relationships and humility were just a few of the topics highlighted by Mr. Wittmann.
"The information given in the seminars was very practical and inspiring, not only from a musicians' perspective, but also as a young professional," said Xue Su, 2013 Flute Winner.
Yamaha Performing Artist and 1996 YYPA Winner Nathan Childers served as the Guest Artist for the weekend. Mr. Childers discussed his post-YYPA career development and how he has gained traction in the industry. Four former YYPA Winners gathered with Mr. Childers for a roundtable discussion regarding their careers in the music industry with the 2013 YYPA Winners on Monday, June 24. Stephen Bottom (1994), Otis Murphy (1996), Chad Winkler (1995), Childers (1996), and Jake Harpster (2010) shared their insight on a variety of topics from how to obtain an audition with a major symphony orchestra to how to balance family life amidst the busy career of a musician.
The culmination of the weekend was the 25th Anniversary Yamaha Young Performing Artists Concert, held on Monday, June 24 in Emens Auditorium on the campus of Ball State University. Award-winning composer David P. Sartor generously offered to compose a trumpet fanfare to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the YYPA Program. Mr. Bottom and Mr. Winkler performed the fanfare, titled Prologue, with 2013 YYPA Trumpet Winner Josh Gilbert to open the concert. With over 1,000 audience members, each Winner walked away with an unforgettable performance experience.
"Playing in the concert was exhilarating, and collaborating with pianist Linda Mark was an absolute pleasure," said Ron Cohen Mann, 2013 Oboe Winner.
"I will remember the YYPA Weekend extremely fondly and consider it a turning point in my development as an artist," said Markus Osterlund, 2013 Horn Winner. "The YYPA Weekend was phenomenal and life changing," said Johnathan Hulett, 2013 Drum Set Winner. 2013 Violin Winner Kanako Shimasaki reflected on her experience by saying, "I cannot thank Yamaha enough for their dedication to young musicians, and for an unforgettable and inspiring weekend!"
The 2013 YYPA Winners join the ranks of over 200 previous YYPA Winners, who have gone on to successful careers in the music community. They were chosen from a competitive pool of jazz, classical and contemporary young musicians ages 16-21 by a panel of national celebrity musicians and Yamaha Performing Artists.
The 2013 Winners include:
Xue Su - Flute - Beijing, China
Ron Cohen Mann - Oboe - North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Danny Mui - Clarinet - Macomb, MI
Dennis Kwok - Saxophone - Hong Kong
Alekos Syropoulos - Jazz Saxophone - Philadelphia, PA
Joshua Gilbert - Jazz Trumpet - Lexington, MA
Markus Osterlund - Horn - Honolulu, HI
Joe LeFevre - Tuba - Kalamazoo, MI
Johnathan Hulett - Drum Set - Houston, TX
Addison Frei - Jazz Piano - Lawrence, KS
Kanako Shimasaki - Violin - Springfield, OH
For more information about the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Program, write Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis, 39 West Jackson Place, Suite 150, Indianapolis, IN 46225; call (317) 524-6251; e-mail jgascho@yamaha.com; or visit http://4wrd.it/usayamaha.