Report by Jennifer Zimmerer with assistance from Caroline Hartig, coordinator
At 1 p.m. on Friday, August 5, six finalists competed for prizes in the 2016 Young Artist Competition. The competition was designed to attract clarinetists from advanced high school students to college players and young professionals. Entrants were born after January 1, 1990 and not under major artist management. This year’s contest repertoire included Leonard Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Arthur Benjamin’s Le Tombeau de Ravel and Antonio Fraioli’s Quattro Pezzi A Giovanni Punzi per clarinetto solo. Preliminary judging was based on submitted recordings of the full list of required music, and on Thursday morning twelve semi-finalists competed to perform in Friday’s final round.
Friday’s selections included the second movement of Bernstein’s Clarinet Sonata, the fourth movement to the end of Benjamin’s Tombeau de Ravel, and concluded with movement IV of Fraioli’s Quattro Pezzi. Finalists played for judges Diane Barger, Corrado Giuffredi, Richard Hawkins and David Odom.
RESULTS
First Prize: Joao Andre Paiva
Second Prize: Diana Sampaio
Third Prize: Yu-Rou Li
First place was a $4,000 cash prize and a professional clarinet donated by Buffet Crampon. Second and third place were awarded $2,000 and $1,000 respectively. The Young Artist Competition was generously sponsored in part by Buffet Crampon, D’Addario Woodwinds, Henri Selmer Paris, and Yamaha.
Third prize winner Yu-Rou Li
Second prize winner Diana Sampaio
First Prize Winner and recipient of a new professional Buffet Crampon Clarinet: Joao Andre Paiva
Jennifer Zimmerer holds a master’s degree from The Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree from Towson University. She is an active teacher, performer, and clinician in the greater Nashville area.
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