This was the third year of PMTA’s Keystone Chamber Music Competition, held March 4 at Penn State. There were 6 entrants in the Senior division, a flute trio, a flute quartet, a string quartet and three piano trios. The coaches were Christopher Guzman, Agatha Wang, Cong Fan, Amy Yang and Amanda Gunderson. The judges were Dr. Steven Smith and Dr. Eleanor Armstrong, both formerly of Penn State University. They were very impressed with the level and quality of the programs presented this year.
The first place winner was the Webb Trio coached by PMTA member Amy Yang. The members of the trio as shown in the photo below are Allister Barnes on piano, Isabella Egawa on violin and Alex Wu on cello playing selections by Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich. There were not enough entrants to hold the junior division this year, so the judges decided to award a second place which went to the Amati Piano Trio, coached by Amanda Gunderson, playing selections by Beethoven and Debussy. The members, from left to right in the photo are Rachel Boll on cello, Emilie Tupper on violin and Ellen Boll on piano. Honorable Mention was received by The Williamsport Quartet, William Knauth on violin, Michael Fisher on violin, Juliet Jacques on viola and Rachel Boll on cello. The quartet is coached by Andrew Rammon.
Next year’s competition will be held at Elizabethtown College in early March. Details will be posted on the PMTA website.
Gloriana Sewell, Chair
FIRST PLACE: Webb Trio
SECOND PLACE: Amati Piano Trio
