Creative Writing winner: Olivia Short

Dance winner: Annika Hsi

Instrumental Music winner: Christina Nam

Theater winner: Anthony Frederickson

Visual Art winner: Ava Grannan with Jack Atherton

Vocal Music winner: Katherine Sharp

OVERTURE AWARDS 2017 WINNERS

Congratulations to the following students who won a $4,000 reward!


CREATIVE WRITING: Olivia Short – grade 12, Mother of Mercy High School      

HOMETOWN: Delhi, OH – Olivia Short is a poet and prospective English major. This is her second year as an Overture finalist. She works in school as a peer writing tutor, newspaper co-editor, and Creative Writing Club chair. Outside of school, she works with GLSEN (pronounced "glisten"), a local nonprofit, where she runs a lending library for LGBTQ youth. She sees writing as an extension of one's culture, identity, and chosen family.


DANCE: Annika Hsi – grade 10, Walnut Hills High School/Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet

HOMETOWN: Montgomery, OH – Annika began dancing at age five. Learning different genres, she found her passion in ballet. At age nine, she started training at Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet under Mr. Oliver Arana. She was a finalist at World Ballet Competition, Indianapolis International Ballet Competition, and was invited to compete at the Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York. Annika is excited to perform in the Overture finals for the second year.


INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Christina Nam – grade 9, Walnut Hills High School

HOMETOWN: West Chester, OH – Christina loves communicating through playing violin. She made her solo debut with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at age nine. She has enjoyed performing solos with many orchestras and won numerous prizes and awards nationally and internationally. She was a semi-finalist at the 8th Louis Spohr International Violin Competition held in Weimar, Germany. Christina is concertmaster of Starling Chamber Orchestra, WHHSCO, and a member of Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. She appeared twice on NPR’s From the Top and Showcase with Barbara Kellar on PBS/CET.


THEATER: Anthony Frederickson – grade 9, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/McCready Voice Studio

HOMETOWN: Mason, OH – Anthony, age 15, first found his passion for performing while participating in a theater camp at age 10. His family, and particularly his cousins, has inspired his journey. He has appeared in over 140 shows, including The Secret Garden (Colin) at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Center Stage in Baltimore, and Elf Jr. and The Wizard of Oz Jr. at the Taft Theatre. His dream is to be on Broadway.


VISUAL ART: Ava Grannan – grade 12, Wyoming High School

HOMETOWN: Wyoming, OH – Ava started exploring art at a young age with her family at art galleries. Ava is a fashion designer in the making and plans to attend college. She is inspired by John Fluevog. Her work has been recognized by six gold keys in Scholastics, Ohio Governor’s Art Awards, and Rhode Island School of Design Art Book Awards. Ava loves to create, volunteer, and play Ultimate Frisbee. She works at a restaurant to save for college.


VOCAL MUSIC: Katherine Sharp – grade 12, Indian Hill High School/The Music House (Anne Moss)

HOMETOWN: Indian Hill, OH – Katherine is honored to study music with Anne Moss (The Music House). She performs with the May Festival Youth Chorus and Indian Hill Church Choir, competed in the Schmidt Vocal Competition, and has sung the national anthem at Cincinnati Reds and Bengals games. Next year, Katherine plans to continue her passion for music by pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance.​


 

The remaining finalists won $1000 each:

CREATIVE WRITING          

  • Presley Hargis – grade 12, Conner High School
  • Hallie Menkhaus – grade 11, Taylor High School
  • Jessica Sommerville – grade 12, William Mason High School

DANCE

  • Joseph Harrington – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway
  • Anna Robertson – grade 12, Bellbrook High School/McGing Irish Dancers
  • Ava Sine – grade 9, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway    

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

  • Cory Bargemann – grade 12, Walnut Hills High School
  • Calvin Huang – grade 11, St. Xavier High School/Inna Terekhov
  • Jiin Woo – grade 11, Sycamore High School

THEATER

  • Elsa Benson – grade 12, Sycamore High School/Karl Resnik Studio
  • Chandler Hoffert – grade 12, Fairfield High School/McCready Voice Studio
  • Morgan Reece – grade 12, Kings High School/Lincoln Chapman Studio

VISUAL ART

  • Madyson Haynes – grade 12, Dixie Heights High School
  • Geneva Huffman – grade 10, School for Creative & Performing Arts
  • Sarah Kenkel – grade 12, Mother of Mercy High School

VOCAL MUSIC

  • Taylor Kay Baer – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts /Wyant-Zenni
  • Reed Gnepper – grade 10, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Mary Ann Powers-Buyukisik
  • Nathaniel Wilkens – grade 12, St. Xavier High School/Melody Wallace Voice Studio