The 2018 PMTA Keystone Chamber Music Competition was held March 3rd at Elizabethtown College. Our usual site, Esber Hall at Penn State is under renovations this year, and Deb Ronning very graciously made arrangements for PMTA to hold the chamber competition in Zug Hall. She also asked Sara Male, professional cellist, chamber music recitalist and adjunct professor of cello at Elizabethtown, to be our judge. This worked out perfectly since we had a piano trio and a trio of three cellists compete in the junior category.
Our first place winner was the Gran Turina Trio performing Trio No. 2 in B Minor by Turina and Trio Elegiaque No. 1 in G Minor by Rachmaninoff. Their coach is Carole Lovelace, and the three trio members are: 15 year old pianist Rebecca Derham, student of Gloriana Sewell, 15 year old violinist Nicholas Hsieh, student of Carole Lovelace, and 14 year old cellist, Joshua Cuozzo, student of Richard Amoroso.
Honorable Mention was awarded to the Midas Trio performing Andante Sostenuto from Requiem Op. 66 for Three Cellos by David Popper and Finale from Divertimento in D Major for Three Cellos by Haydn. The three cellists are: 14 year old Anya Chan, 15 year old Sierra Wei, and 14 year old Sarah Yoon. Their coach and teacher is Jennifer Jie Jin.
The number of entrants was down this year, from 9 entrants in 2016 and 6 entrants in 2017. We prefer 3 entrants in a category, but these 2 student groups had worked so hard to prepare for this competition that we could not possibly turn them away. We thoroughly enjoyed both performances and were impressed with the level and quality of the playing. We welcome them back next year, and we hope the numbers will be up again. In the 20 years that I have been forming and encouraging my pianists to participate in chamber music ensembles, I am constantly thrilled with the results. And when the context is a competition, they work twice as hard and progress twice as far. It is always amazing! If you have entered this competition before or if it will be your first time, we invite you to join us next year.
Sincerely,
Gloriana Sewell, Competition Chair