Young artists to perform in concert | Arts & Culture

The Delta Symphony Orchestra will perform the Young Artists Concerto Concert, conducted by Dr. Neale Bartee, at 2 p.m. Sunday, February 12, at the Arkansas State University Fowler Center. 

Grand prize winners from the Young Artist Concerto Competition, held on January 14, will perform as soloists with the symphony.  The winners were 19-year-old violinist William Overcash of Brinkley, and 24-year-old soprano, Renee Smith of Houston, Texas.   William is a freshman at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio and studies violin with David Bowlin.  Renee is a graduate student at Arkansas State University and studies voice with Marika Kyriakos. 

Other finalists in the Young Artists Concerto Competition include: 20-year-old Zachary McCoy, of Memphis, who placed first in the brass and percussion division on Vibraphone; 23-year-old Luci Disano, of Greeley, Colorado, who placed first in the woodwind division on clarinet; and 8-year-old Connor and 11-year-old Elizabeth Dang, of Memphis, who placed first in the piano division.  

The finalists in each category receive a cash prize of $250. The two grand prize winners receive an additional $250 and will perform on stage with the symphony at the February 12 concert in Riceland Hall.

This year’s Neale Bartee award, which goes to an outstanding high school student in grades 9-12, was awarded to Aaron Hong of Jonesboro. Hong is in the 9th grade at Annie Camp Junior High and is the son of Dr. Michael and Connie Hong. He will receive a cash prize of $100.

Sunday's performance will include selections from Wagner, Strauss, Prokofiev and Rimsky-Korsakov.

This concert will also feature a 200 voice children’s choir from 4th, 5th and 6th grade schools in the northeast Arkansas region.  Students from Jonesboro Visual and Performing Arts, Paragould Baldwin and Oak Grove Elementary schools, Nettleton Fox Meadow Elementary School, Marion Intermediate, Jonesboro Math and Science, and Valley View Intermediate will be participating.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior adults and $10 for students. Tickets can be purchased through the ASU ticket office at (870)972-2781 or at tickets.astate.edu.

For more information about the Delta Symphony Orchestra call (870) 761-2747 or visit www.deltasymphony.org.

This program is supported, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment of Arts.  Sponsors for this year’s competition and concert are Bill and Dawn Cantwell and the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotions Commission.

Information and photo provided by Christy McKeel, Executive Director, Delta Symphony Orchestra.