Congratulations to the DCMS 2012-2013 Scholarship Winners

Isabella Markham is a 17 year old violist from Dallas, Texas. She began her musical studies at age 5 with Nicolette Solomon of The Suzuki Music Institute of Dallas. Isabella most recently received Grand Prize in The Collin County Young Artist Competition and performed with The Plano Symphony Orchestra on March 23, 2013 at The Eisemann Center. As a recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award she performed on the acclaimed radio program “From The Top” with host Christopher O’Riley. She is a student of the prestigious Perlman Music Program in Shelter Island, New York and winter residency in Sarasota Florida where she has studied since 2009. Isabella has been an active participant with the New Conservatory Orchestra of Dallas since age 9. She is passionate about sharing music and contributing positively to the lives of others. Future plans include studying Viola Performance and pursuing a career in music.

Annie Lehman started harp at the young age of 5 years old with great support and encouragement from her musical family, applying her piano and, later, composition background. She auditioned for the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra when she was in the 7th grade and became a member of the Philharmonic. Over the years, she often filled in as the harpist for the Wind Symphony and the Second Harpist of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. In 2012, Annie became the First Harpist in GDYO while continuing to fill in for the Philharmonic and the Dallas String Ensemble. Annie appeared as the harpist for the Allen Symphony Orchestra un the guest conducting of Jim Frank at their July 4th Spectacular. She earned a spot in the High School All Region Symphony Orchestra in Region 25 in 8th grade and held the position through her senior year. In 2012, Annie was accepted in the All-State Symphony Orchestra as Harp I. Throughout her high school years, Annie received Best Overall Musician in 2011, Outstanding Chamber Orchestra Member in 2012, the American Classic Outstanding Soloist in 2011 and 2013, as well as earning the Peak Music Festival Superior Musicianship Award in 2012. She has been given the Exemplary rating in Solo and Ensemble for six years. Annie was the guest performer in the American Youth Harp Ensemble Austria Tour in the winter of 2010. She also sang First Soprano in the choir that joined the harp ensemble on their tour. Her greatest inspiration to follow her passion in music has been the side-by-side Dallas Symphony Orchestra/GDYO performance where she was interviewed by the radio program “From the Top.” In her free time, Annie enjoys competing with her Jack Russell Terrier in dog agility, where she is a record holder for being the youngest competitor to achieve the Agility Dog Champion title. She is an active member of her church, the National Honor Society, an AP student, and enjoys oerforming for the community. Annie will be pursuing a double major in Harp Performance and Communications Disorders at the University of Houston this fall.

Congratulations to the DCM 2011-2012 Scholarship Winners

Amy Chyao: Cellist, speller, scientist, attorney, leader, teacher, learner…these words all describe Amy Chyao. She has been a part of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestras program since 2006 and is now co-principal cellist of the GDYO. A two-time All State Symphony Orchestra cellist and All Region Symphony Orchestra principal cellist, Amy is principal cellist of her school’s chamber orchestra. She has played the piano for seven years and enjoys jazz and music theory. Ranked first in her senior class a Plano East, Amy is an Intel Science Talent Search Finalist, Intel ISEF Gordon Moore Award winner, National Merit Finalist, Research Science Institute scholar, National Spelling Bee Finalist, and co-author of two research publications. Amy has served as a senior class officer, Plano Youth Leadership student advisor, and the president of LASER, Spanish Club, and Math Club. She plans to study biology at Harvard in the fall.

Jonathan Gentry: age 17, won the Grand Prize in both the 2012 Collin County Young Artist Competition sponsored by the Plano Symphony Guild and the state-wide 2012 Juanita Miller Concerto Competition sponsored by TASO (Texas Association for Symphony Orchestras). Jonathan began playing when he fell in love with the sound of the oboe in sixth grade and has been studying the last three years with Erin Hannigan, the principal oboe of the Dallas Symphony. He participated in Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute during the summer of 2011, and enjoys skiing, basketball, running, National Outdoor Leadership School, and Dallas Symphony Orchestra concerts. He is a member of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, National Honor Society, Frisco’s Heritage High School Wind Ensemble, and Mixed Choir. He plans to major in music performance and pursue a career in orchestral performance.

JiYoung Min: Born in Seoul, Korea, 18-year old JiYoung Min is a senior at Plano Senior High School. She began lessons at the age of 10 in Vancouver, Canada, and a year later her family moved to Plano, Texas, where she continued learning from Chloe Trevor, silver medalist of the 2008 Ima Hogg Competition. She has since continued her studies with Arkady Fomin, Dallas Symphony Orchestra violinist and artistic director of New Conservatory of Dallas. Currently, JiYoung is the concertmistress of NCD, and has attended the Conservatory Music in the Mountains Festival during the summer, where she has performed solos and participated in masterclasses with notable violinists including Philippe Quint, Grigory Kalinovsky, and Dmitri Berlinsky. In 2010, JiYoung made her debut with the SMU Meadows Symphony Orchestra as a result of taking Grand Prize at the Dallas Symphonic Festival.