Overture Awards Finals 2011

Overture Awards Finals 2011

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CALENDAR INFORMATION
WHAT:           2011 Overture Awards – Finals Competition / Awards Ceremony
WHERE:         Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater 
WHEN:           Saturday, February 26, 2011 – 1:00 PM
TICKETS:      $15
INFO:              The 2011 Overture Awards Scholarship Competition – the largest locally run arts scholarship competition in the country – provides a $2,500 scholarship to six area high school students for education and training expenses with 18 finalists each winning a $500 scholarship. Students compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art or Vocal Music. The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale now!
•    www.CincinnatiArts.ORG 
•    (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
•    Aronoff Center Ticket Office
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The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is proud to present the 2011 Overture Awards Scholarship Competition – the largest locally run arts scholarship competition in the country. The Overture Awards annually provides a $2,500 scholarship to six area high school students for education and training expenses, with 18 finalists each winning a $500 scholarship.

The Overture Awards Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater at 1:00 PM. Winners will be announced immediately following the competition. 

The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. This year, 501 students were nominated by their schools to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art or Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regionals, Semi-Finals and Finals.
 
The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held in January at Northern Kentucky University, The University of Cincinnati’s Raymond Walters College, Saint Ursula Academy, Lakeside Christian Church, and Xavier University. The top 20 percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, held at the Aronoff Center the weekend following the Regional Competitions. Twenty-four finalists (four in each discipline) will then compete in the Finals Competition at the Aronoff Center.

Now in its 15th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce program). The program is administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate and manage the competitions, and nurture the program.
 
Overture Awards Program Sponsors: The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; Duke Energy.  Scholarship Sponsors: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Crosset Family Fund; Ohio National Life; William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation; Summerfair Cincinnati; Western & Southern Financial Fund.  Competition Sponsors: Buddy Roger’s Music; Lakeside Christian Church; Miller-Valentine Group; Northern Kentucky University; St. Ursula Academy; SiteRightNow.com; The University of Cincinnati – Raymond Walters College; Xavier University. 
 
THE 2011 OVERTURE AWARDS FINALISTS
 
CREATIVE WRITING
•    Justine Cefalu – Seven Hills School, grade 12, poetry
•    Teddy Murphy – Mariemont High School, grade 12, creative non-fiction
•    Kaitlyn Olson – Turpin High School, grade 12, fiction
•    Martha Jane Paterson – School for Creative and Performing Arts, grade 12, poetry

DANCE
•    Hannah Brenneman – All That Dance, grade 9, contemporary
•    Jeff Heimbrock – Anderson High School, grade 12, tap
•    Lauren Pauley – Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet, grade 10, ballet
•    Christina Vergara – Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet,  grade 10, modern

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
•    Kevin Bao – Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, grade 9, piano
•    Jacqueline Tso – Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, grade 9, violin
•    Madeline Wessel – Turpin High School, grade 12, alto saxophone
•    Stephanie Zyzak – Zyzak Homeschool, grade 12, violin

THEATER
•    Ali Breneman – Cincinnati Actor’s Studio, grade 12, musical theater
•    Jeff Heimbrock – Anderson High School, grade 12, musical theater
•    Lauren Kean – Kings High School, grade 12, drama
•    Margot Plum – Gina Cerimele-Mechley Acting Studio, grade 12, musical theater

VISUAL ART
•    Julia Carleton – Wyoming High School, grade 12
•    Evan Grothjan – St. Xavier High School, grade 12
•    Grant Leung – Kings High School, grade 12
•    Austin Litfin – Milford High School, grade 11

VOCAL MUSIC
•    Kori Hoge – Highlands High School, grade 12
•    Brian Moore – Anderson High School, grade 12
•    Holly Reckers – Musical Arts Center, grade 11
•    Hugh Smith – Walnut Hills High School, grade 12
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Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached three-quarters of a million students.

CAA is proud to be a member of Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, and Performing Arts Center Consortium.