Karson Nicpon, Port Angeles High School student and cellist, competes in the 33rd annual Nico Snel Young Artist Competition this Saturday. (Diane Urbani de la Paz/for Peninsula Daily News)

Karson Nicpon, Port Angeles High School student and cellist, competes in the 33rd annual Nico Snel Young Artist Competition this Saturday. (Diane Urbani de la Paz/for Peninsula Daily News)

Young Artist Competitions set for Saturday in Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES — The music of Vivaldi, Bach and Lalo, plus Severn’s “Polish Dance,” Tomaso Vitali’s “Chaconne” and Fritz Kreisler’s “La Gitana” will come alive in a public event: the Nico Snel Young Artist Competitions this Saturday.

This 33rd annual contest will take place at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 Lopez Ave., and as always, the public is welcome.

Admission is free to listen to any or all of the 11 competitors from Clallam and Jefferson counties.

The young musicians in the junior contest are all from Port Angeles: middle school violinists Yau Fu and Courtney Smith along with seventh-grader Flora Sullivan, who will compete both as a violinist and a pianist.

The senior competitors include Port Townsend violinist Aliyah Yearian and Port Angeles cellists Karson Nicpon and Evan Cobb, violinists Meiqi Liang, Adam Weller and Vanessa Flanagan, violist Luke Gavin and pianist Emma Weller.

Each participant performs a short piece of his or her choosing. The piece must be of concert quality and under 10 minutes, and pianist Kristin Quigley Brye accompanies many of the string players.

The junior contest begins at 9:30 a.m.; after it finishes, there’s a break before the senior competition begins. After a few performances comes a lunch break, and the competition resumes at about 12:30 p.m. to wrap up by 3 p.m. Winners are notified Saturday evening.

The Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra has hosted the competitions since their inception. The late conductor Nico Snel started them to encourage local young people to seek excellence as classical musicians, and the event was renamed for him last year.

The Young Artist Competition is open to students up to age 22, and the Junior Young Artist Competition for participants up to age 14.

Cash prizes go to the winners: in the senior division, $500 for first prize, $250 for second and $200 for third place; in the junior section $250 for first, $125 second and $75 third. Donors from the community and proceeds from the sale of the Port Angeles Symphony Guild’s new cookbook, “A Little Kitchen Music,” provide for these awards.

This year’s competition judges include Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra violist Tyrone Beatty, Port Townsend pianist Carol Rich and Port Angeles Symphony conductor Jonathan Pasternack, a professional trombonist who has also studied piano, violin and cello. These adjudicators volunteer their time to give the young performers wide-ranging feedback.

For information about Saturday’s competitions and about Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra concerts this month through May, see PortAngeles Symphony.org, email to PASymphony@olypen.com or call 360-457-5579.

More in Life

A GROWING CONCERN: Be the brightest bulb in the box with holiday lighting

NOW THAT IT is the beginning of November and darkness has truly… Continue reading

A bellwether is traditionally the leading sheep of a flock, which has a bell to lead the others.
BACK WHEN: Is Olympic Peninsula the bellwether?

HERE WE ARE. Just days away from another Presidential election. There is… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: The invitation to feast belongs to everyone

WHILE YOU MIGHT be reading this today, I needed to write it… Continue reading

Prayer gathering scheduled Tuesday

There will be a Election Day prayer gathering at… Continue reading

Prayer vigil set for Sequim election eve

An Election Eve prayer vigil is set for 5 p.m.… Continue reading

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith.
Unity in Port Townsend planning for Sunday services

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will present “Grace and Gratitude”… Continue reading

From left, Mercedes Sunshine Shimko and Hudson Soelter.
Club grows local scholarships

The Port Angeles Garden Club awarded five area students… Continue reading

A line of colorful witches hats is strung between autumn trees in the 300 block of west 10th street in west Port Angeles.  dlogan
Autumn magic in Port Angeles

A line of colorful witch hats is strung between autumn trees in… Continue reading

Photo by Emily Bishop

Cutline: Suzanna Bishop’s horse Dru happily walks away after head butting the scary “Giant Chicken Monster” at a fun-filled obstacle course hosted by JeffCo’s 4-H Horse Club.
HORSEPLAY: Scaring is caring. Halloween is for horses, too.

HIGH WINDS BLOWING debris wildly through the air on an overcast day… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: Grow vendor relationships for greater gardening

AS NOVEMBER DESCENDS upon us and the days are now far shorter,… Continue reading

Preschool celebration slated at Holy Trinity Lutheran on Sunday

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will bid a Fun Farewell… Continue reading

 Christina Baldwin
Unity in Port Townsend planning for Sunday services

Christina Baldwin will present “Spiritual Practices for These Times”… Continue reading