SOLO STRING FESTIVAL
May 5-7, 2023
Benaroya Hall
Congrats! 2023 Solo String Festival Winners!
Jessie Montgomery Competitive Division Winners:
Eden Pawlos, 1st place winner
Avi Spillers, 2nd place winner
Madison Cole, 3rd place winner
Debut Competitive Division Winners:
Lynn Terao, 1st place winner
Natalie Anderson, 2nd place winner
Alena Kang, 3rd place winner
Concerto Competition Winners:
Eden Pawlos
Avi Spillers
Madison Cole
Community Competitive Division Winner:
Olivia Brown
Special Award Winners:
Justice Johnson
Isabella Media
Malak Ali
Elijah Stallworth
Chris Ramirez
Darryl Angkico
Eliza Stallworth
Atalya Macharia
Lenya Le
Emeraude Tshidibi
Mason Nguyen
Derek Nguyen
Devin Nguyen
Ashley Contrera-Avila
Anthony Roberts
Alena Kang
Lynn Terao
Olivia Brown
Madison Cole
Eden Pawlos
Avi Spillers
ABOUT
Key to Change presents its annual Solo String Festival for middle and high school violin and viola students who live and attend school in South King County.
Students who participate in their respective school orchestra programs, local youth symphony orchestras, and/or take private lessons with a studio teacher in South King County are all eligible. Students may enter the Solo String Festival who do not have a private lesson teacher. Students living in South King County who do not participate in any of the aforementioned are also eligible. All students who are currently enrolled in Key to Change studio are also eligible to participate in the Solo String Festival.
South King County is defined as: Auburn, Black Diamond, Burien, Covington, Des Moines, Federal Way, Enumclaw, Kent, Maple Valley, Muckleshoot Reserve, Normandy Park, Rainier Beach, Renton, SeaTac, Skyway, Tukwila, and White Center.
Students will perform and compete for prizes and participate in masterclasses and group classes with guest artist instructors. Students will also receive lunch and have an opportunity to watch other student participants perform and attend the awards ceremony at the conclusion of the festival.
Applicants must complete and submit the registration form no later than Monday, April 10, 2023 (11:59pm). Applicants must also complete the $25 application fee.
- Participants must live, attend school, and study their instrument in South King County. All students studying at Key to Change are eligible to participate. Students who do not study with a private instructor, but meet the aforementioned requirements are eligible. Students studying with instructors who live or teach outside of South King County are not eligible to participate.
- Participants must provide piano music, if using a Key to Change piano accompanist.
- Participants may compete on one instrument only.
- Participants may compete in one division only, except for Young Artist Academy students, who may participate in both the concerto competition and Jessie Montgomery Division.
- Participants must provide four copies of their music for the adjudicators. Music must be placed in a three-ring binder (copied double sided) and hole punched.
- Participants must introduce their performance to the adjudicator and audience. Students should introduce themselves and their accompanist, name of school, title, and composer of the ensemble (and, if appropriate, the movements being performed).
- Participants will be cut off if the allotted time is exceeded.
- Participants will receive written feedback from the adjudicator.
- Participants must check in one hour prior to their performance.
- The adjudicator’s decision is final and may not be appealed.
- Winners are required to participate in the radio broadcast and select events scheduled by Key to Change. Failure to participate in such events will result in disqualification and loss of scholarship.
Am I eligible to participate in the Solo String Festival?
Participants must live, attend school, and study their instrument in South King County. All students regardless of home address studying at Key to Change are also eligible to participate. Students studying with lesson instructors outside of South King County are not eligible to participate.
What cities are included in South King County?
Auburn, Black Diamond, Burien, Covington, Des Moines, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Kent, Maple Valley, Muckleshoot Reserve, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, Skyway, Tukwila, and White Center
What if I have been exposed to COVID, or I am unable to travel to the venue? Can I still participate?
For families with COVID-19 concerns or if they are unable to travel to the designated venue, Key to Change will allow their performance to be uploaded onto YouTube. Please contact Key to Change for the deadline for YouTube submissions.
Where will I go to perform?
Students will report to Benaroya Hall. Address: 200 University St, Seattle, WA 98101
Do I need to be present for the entire weekend to be able to participate?
No. Students will be notified one week prior to the festival what date and time they will be performing. Students must arrive 1 hour prior to their performance and will be escorted to a room to tune and warm up prior to their performance. Various masterclasses will be offered as part of the festival which students can participate in throughout the two days.
How does the judging work?
Students will perform for three judges and receive live feedback immediately after their performance. Winners will be announced Sunday, April 16th at the awards ceremony.
Can my family come?
Yes. Families as well as friends are welcome to attend.
Does my music have to be memorized?
One piece must be memorized if competing in the competitive divisions (see divisions for more information). Music does not need to be memorized if entering the non-competitive division.
What kinds of music qualify?
Competitors must present two contrasting pieces (example: one fast piece and one slow piece) in the competitive round. No scales are allowed. Any piece (orchestral, chamber music, etc.) or scales is allowed for the non-competitive division.
Who can participate in the non-competitive division?
Any middle or high school student may participate for up to 5 minutes. Scales, etudes, short pieces, or orchestra music is permitted. Students may perform with music.
What COVID safety measures are in place?
In alignment with King County's most recent COVID-19 guidance, this event will be mask optional. While masks are no longer required, people who are immunocompromised, unvaccinated, or feel sick should wear masks to protect themselves and others when in indoor public spaces.
Please respect people’s choices to continue to wear a mask or not.
MASTERCLASSES
This year, student participants will have the opportunity to attend and perform in various masterclasses throughout the festival with our guest artists. Guest artists will work with student participants on repertoire, technique and other performance related topics. Student participants from all musical levels and backgrounds are expected to participate.
The guest artist masterclass instructors include:
Jason Amos, violist, Boston Public Quartet
Dr. LaTannia Ellerbe, instructor of violin at Jackson State University
Dr. Tami Lee Hughes, instructor of violin at Spelman College
Robert Simonds, former principal second violinist, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
SCHEDULE
A master schedule of student performances will be sent out one week before the festival begins.
Applicants must complete and submit the registration form no later than Monday, April 10, 2023 (11:59pm). Applicants must also complete the $25 application fee. For more information including event logistics and COVID-19 protocols please visit our FAQs tab below.
Jessie Montgomery String Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Students currently enrolled in Key to Change who are in Young Artist Academy, COMBO or private lesson program.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 20 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform at least three different musical works. Concertos, concertinos, sonatas, short pieces, or etudes are permitted. No scales or orchestra music is permitted. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application.
Please note: If a competitor elects to perform a concerto in its entirety (all movements), and it is memorized, only one additional piece is required – not two, as stated above.
Prizes
1st place – $1,000 college scholarship, a solo debut with the Federal Way Symphony Orchestra, a set of high-quality strings, a yearlong tuition-free (beginning fall 2023) music scholarship for music lessons, opportunity to perform in a guest masterclass with a member of the Seattle Symphony, an opportunity to perform live on the radio on Classical KING FM’s Northwest Focus Live program and Unmute The Voices. They will also receive press in the local news and social media.
2nd place – a set of high-quality strings, an opportunity to perform in a guest masterclass with a member of the Seattle Symphony, and invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change. They will also receive press in the local news and social media.
3rd place -a set of high-quality strings and invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change. They will also receive press in the local news and social media.
At the judges’ discretion, they may recommend a second place winner(s) to also appear on Northwest Focus Live or Unmute The Voices.
Please note: Key to Change reserves the right to veto the judges’ decision and select other winners to make the radio appearances, in the event that the student winner(s) are not musically prepared or performance ready. The winner(s) will also forfeit their scholarship awards, radio and other performance appearances.
Young Artist Concerto Competition
Grades: 6-12
Who:
Key to Change students enrolled in the Young Artist Academy program.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 15 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform at least one movement of a standard student concerto.
Prizes
The winner will receive a professional debut to perform their solo concerto with the Seattle Symphony during one of the education, family or community concerts during the 2023-2024 season.
Competitors will perform their concerto during the first round of competition at the Solo String Festival and receive feedback from the judges. The final round of the competition will be held on Monday, April 17th at Benaroya Hall.
An artistic panel from the Seattle Symphony will listen to all the competitors at the final round and select the winner for a solo performance on education, family or community concert programs. Final decisions regarding the soloist will be selected for performance rests with Seattle Symphony musicians as well as artistic and education staff.
Debut Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Students currently enrolled in Key to Change, who are enrolled in group lessons or the COMBO program.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 10 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform a two or three octave major and minor scale and at least two pieces. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application. Etudes are also permitted.
Prizes
1st place – $500 college scholarship, a yearlong tuition-free (beginning fall 2023) music scholarship for music lessons, an opportunity to perform in a guest masterclass with a member of the Seattle Symphony, a set of high-quality strings, and perform live on the radio on Classical KING FM’s Northwest Focus Live program and Unmute The Voices and receive press in the local news.
2nd place – $50 gift card to a string shop, a set of high-quality strings and be invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change.
3rd place – a set of high-quality strings, and invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change.
At the judges’ discretion, they may recommend a second place winner(s) to also appear on Northwest Focus Live and/or Unmute The Voices.
Please note: Key to Change reserves the right to veto the judges’ decision and select other winners to make the radio appearances, in the event that the student winner(s) are not musically prepared or performance ready. The winner(s) will also forfeit their scholarship awards, radio and other performance appearances.
Community Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Students not enrolled in Key to Change studio, but live, attend school, and study their instrument in South King County.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 15 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must present at least two different musical works from contrasting time periods. Concertos, concertinos, sonatas, short pieces, or etudes are permitted. No scales or orchestra music is permitted. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application.
Students may perform music without piano accompaniment or bring their own piano accompanist. In the case a student does not have a piano accompanist, Key to Change can provide one for $40.00, which includes one 30 minute rehearsal and the performance.
Prizes
1st place – $250 cash prize and a $250 cash prize awarded to the winner’s school orchestra or youth symphony program (if the winner is not a member of either, they may donate the funds to a nonprofit organization in South King County that is recommended by Key to Change). Additionally, they will receive a set of new strings.
2nd place – $50 gift card to a violin shop
3rd place – $25 gift card to a violin shop
Non-Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Any students who live, attend school and study their instrument in South King County. Students enrolled in Key to Change are also eligible to participate. Students may play a solo or bring up to three friends to play a duet, trio or quartet together. All participants in their “ensemble” must play the violin or viola. No other instruments are allowed. All participants must pay the enrollment fee.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 5 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Repertoire requirement: Scales, etudes, short pieces, solos, chamber music or orchestra music is permitted. Students may perform with music. Students who are not enrolled in Key to Change may perform music without piano accompaniment or bring their own piano accompanist. In the case a student does not have a piano accompanist, Key to Change can provide one for $15.00, which includes one 15 minute rehearsal and the performance.
All students will receive a Certificate of Recognition and a Solo String Festival t-shirt.
All students will receive a Certificate of Recognition and a Solo String Festival t-shirt.
Jessie Montgomery
“I am so moved by this special honor to serve as a role model for the young aspiring musicians of Key to Change. I hope to continue to walk with these amazing musicians and students as we work toward a more beautiful and equitable world through the arts”. – Jessie Montgomery
Jessie Montgomery, a renowned, award-winning composer and violinist has agreed to lend her name to a competitive division for the annual Key to Change Solo String Festival.
Jessie is an acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator. She is the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation, and her works are performed frequently around the world by leading musicians and ensembles. Her music interweaves classical music with elements of vernacular music, improvisation, language, and social justice, placing her squarely as one of the most relevant interpreters of 21st-century American sound and experience. Her profoundly felt works have been described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post).
Jessie was born and raised in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 1980s during a time when the neighborhood was at a major turning point in its history. Artists gravitated to the hotbed of artistic experimentation and community development. Her parents – her father a musician, her mother a theater artist and storyteller – were engaged in the activities of the neighborhood and regularly brought Jessie to rallies, performances, and parties where neighbors, activists, and artists gathered to celebrate and support the movements of the time. It is from this unique experience that Jessie has created a life that merges composing, performance, education, and advocacy.
Since 1999, Jessie has been affiliated with The Sphinx Organization, which supports young African-American and Latinx string players. She currently serves as composer-in-residence for the Sphinx Virtuosi, the Organization’s flagship professional touring ensemble. She was a two-time laureate of the annual Sphinx Competition and was awarded a generous MPower grant to assist in the development of her debut album, Strum: Music for Strings (Azica Records). She has received additional grants and awards from the ASCAP Foundation, Chamber Music America, American Composers Orchestra, the Joyce Foundation, and the Sorel Organization.
Her growing body of work includes solo, chamber, vocal, and orchestral works. Some recent highlights include Five Slave Songs (2018) commissioned for soprano Julia Bullock by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Records from a Vanishing City (2016) for the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Caught by the Wind (2016) for the Albany Symphony and the American Music Festival, and Banner (2014) – written to mark the 200th anniversary of The Star-Spangled Banner – for The Sphinx Organization and the Joyce Foundation.
In the 2019-20 season, new commissioned works will be premiered by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the National Choral Society, and ASCAP Foundation. Jessie is also teaming up with composer-violinist Jannina Norpoth to reimagine Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha; it is being produced by Volcano Theatre and co-commissioned by Washington Performing Arts, Stanford University, Southbank Centre (London), National Arts Centre (Ottawa), and the Banff Centre for the Arts. Additionally, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and San Francisco Symphony will all perform Montgomery’s works this season.
The New York Philharmonic has selected Jessie as one of the featured composers for their Project 19, which marks the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting equal voting rights in the United States to women. Other forthcoming works include a nonet inspired by the Great Migration, told from the perspective of Montgomery’s great-grandfather William McCauley and to be performed by Imani Winds and the Catalyst Quartet; a cello concerto for Thomas Mesa jointly commissioned by Carnegie Hall, New World Symphony, and The Sphinx Organization; and a new orchestral work for the National Symphony.
Jason Amos
Violist
Jason began his viola studies at age eleven through the public schools in his hometown of Southfield, MI. Jason serves on faculty at Project STEP, an intensive training program for minority string players in Boston, as well as the New England Conservatory’s Summer Orchestra Institute. He was the violist in the Boston Public Quartet and resident musician at musiConnects, a non-profit which provides free instruments & comprehensive music education to underserved children in Boston, for nine years. Learn more about Jason Amos.
Paula Nava Madrigal
Conductor
Paula Nava Madrigal was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, where she studied and worked until coming to Seattle in 2014. She is passionate about classical music. As a cellist, “Outstanding Student” at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, teaching artist, professional musician, and orchestra conductor, she has created and participated in numerous projects, providing classical music experiences, mostly free of charge, to promote inclusion and intercultural understanding. After arriving in Seattle, she received a Youth Arts grant from the Office of Arts & Culture to launch the World Youth Orchestra program for underserved immigrant and refugee youth. In 2015, Ms. Madrigal co-founded the Ballard Civic Orchestra whose programs celebrate Latino cultural heritage, receiving over $100,000 in grants. Pursuing her career goals as a conductor, she has received awards from Seattle’s Univision and Latino Community Fund. Most recently, she co-founded the annual Cascade Conducting Master Class featuring Artistic Director Sarah Ioannides of Symphony Tacoma. Paula is currently the music director and conductor of Orquesta Northwest. Learn more about Paula Nava Madrigal.
Anthony Spain
Conductor
Anthony Spain has been Music Director of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra (NWSO) since 1987. Dr. Spain’s innovative programming of northwest American composers first came to national attention in 1996 with a mention in a front page Wall Street Journal article regarding up and coming arts groups. Since then both he, and the NWSO, have garnered Eight National ASCAP awards for “Programming of Contemporary Music,” and been featured several times on National Public Radio.
Dr. Spain has guest conducted orchestras and choirs throughout America and in Europe. He has conducted the Orfeo International Orchestra with the choir of L’UNESCO (the cultural branch of the United Nations) in Paris, France as well as the Bath Philharmonic in Bath, England. The Bath Chronicle exclaimed of Dr. Spain “He has a type of charisma, which extends to the far orchestral corners.” He has been a guest conductor with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and a cover conductor with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and most recently guest conducted in Hong Kong, as well as with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Honduras.
Dedicated to education Dr. Spain is an active clinician and adjudicator, and he works regularly with students throughout the Seattle and Highline area, as part of the NWSO’s “Symphony for Students” program. He has been a guest speaker at conferences such as the American Symphony Orchestra League’s National Convention, and Conductor’s Guild National Conference. Spain graduated in 1990 with a Doctorate Degree in Music from the University of Washington, and has received numerous awards and honors including a Grammy nomination in vocal jazz performance. He is also a board member of Ars Nova Music. Learn more about Anthony Spain.
Robert Simonds
Violinist
Rob Simonds works at the intersection of organizational strategy, public policy, and arts and culture. He believes that the arts are a powerful tool for economic development, education, social cohesion, and placemaking.
For more than twenty years, Rob was an orchestral violinist, soloist, studio player, and chamber musician. He earned tenured positions in several major American orchestras, commissioned dozens of new compositions, toured the country, and collaborated with an eclectic array of musicians including, Rhiannon Giddens, Lizzie No, Joe Pug, Ben Sollee, The Low Anthem, My Morning Jacket, and Alabama Shakes.
In 2021, Rob stepped down as Principal Second Violinist of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra to pursue a Master in Public Administration degree at the Harvard Kennedy School. His primary focus is advising large arts institutions on economic growth and workforce development planning. Learn more about Robert Simonds.
This year, student participants will have the opportunity to attend and perform in various masterclasses throughout the festival with our guest artists. Guest artists will work with student participants on repertoire, technique, and other performance related topics. Student participants from all musical levels and backgrounds are expected to participate.
The guest artist masterclass instructors include:
Dr. Tami Lee Hughes, instructor of violin at Spelman College
The passion and expressive qualities of Tami Lee Hughes are marked by her success as a premier artist. As soloist, she has appeared with a number of symphony orchestras across the United States, including the National, Monroe, Mississippi, and Pontiac-Oakland Symphony Orchestras among others. She has extensively appeared as recitalist in universities and concert venues in the United States, Europe, Costa Rica and Bermuda, and has performed as solo or chamber artist in the Ann Arbor Chamber Fest, Natchez Festival of Music, Ritz Chamber Players Concert Series, and a tribute concert to composer Judith Zaimont, broadcast on National Public Radio. Other notable appointments include appearances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra Augusta, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Shippensburg Music Festival Orchestra, Pro Corde Chamber Consort, and the Sphinx Virtuosi Chamber Ensemble in Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
In 2011, Albany Records released Hughes’ debut solo album Legacy: Violin Music of African-American Composers. Heralded as one of the best albums of the year by All Music Guide, the critically acclaimed recording features music for violin and piano by Francis Johnson, George Morrison, David Baker, Ozie Cargile, and Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes. Since recording Legacy, Hughes has developed a special interest in performing and recording music of African American composers. She is currently artistic director of The Legacy Show, a multimedia concert that celebrates the artistic contributions of African-American composers. Additional classical recording credits include Ballade for Violin and Piano, featured on Vocalise, a compact disc of music by composer Brian Nelson, and, Music for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, a Profil recording featuring performances by Ksenia Nosikova of works by Liszt, Mendelssohn, and Clementi.
An artist of versatility, Hughes has numerous performance credits in popular music, film and television. She performs as violinist for the film music of The Only Good Indian, a 2009 Sundance Film Festival motion picture. She also performed in orchestras for national productions of Annie and Les Misérables, and she has recorded as studio violinist for Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes and Grammy award-winning artists Aretha Franklin, Fred Hammond and Donnie McClurkin. She has performed on the BET network program Sunday Best with Grammy-award winning artist Kirk Franklin and has appeared live in concert with Smokey Robinson.
In addition to performing, Hughes is an active teacher and advocate for music outreach. She has taught at the University of Kansas, Marygrove College, Interlochen, and the Ann Arbor School for Performing Arts. She enjoys interacting with students of all ages, rendering concerts and serving as guest clinician at institutions across the country. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Hughes received a bachelor of music degree from the University of Minnesota, and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Michigan. Teachers include Nancy Langham, Jana Burton, Sally O’Reilly, Camilla Wicks and Paul Kantor.
Dr. LaTannia Ellerbe, instructor of violin at Jackson State University
A native of Charlotte, LaTannia Ellerbe endeavors to share the love of Christ through music. She has performed in the United States, Singapore, Bermuda, and Cuba.
LaTannia has participated in numerous festivals including Brevard Music Festival, Oskaloosa Music Festival, Medomak Conductors Retreat, Meadowmount School of Music, and the Colour of Music Festival. As an avid performer of alternative styles, she has been a member of the Bermuda School of Music Faculty Jazz Quintet and Charanga Tropical. She can be heard on albums by Tonia Hughes-Kendrick, Charanga Tropical, and Sounds of Blackness.
Dr. Ellerbe is currently on faculty at Jackson State University, where she serves as the strings professor and conducts the string ensemble. In addition, she frequently performs with various ensembles in the southeast, including the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and the Meridian Symphony Orchestra. She was formerly the Suzuki Strings director at the Bermuda School of music.
LaTannia earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Sally O’Reilly. She received her Master of Music from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and her Bachelor of Music from Vanderbilt University as a Chancellor’s Scholar.
Jason Amos, Violinist, Boston Public Quartet
Jason began his viola studies at age eleven through the public schools in his hometown of Southfield, MI. Jason serves on faculty at Project STEP, an intensive training program for minority string players in Boston, as well as the New England Conservatory’s Summer Orchestra Institute. He was the violist in the Boston Public Quartet and resident musician at musiConnects, a non-profit which provides free instruments & comprehensive music education to underserved children in Boston, for nine years. Learn more about Jason Amos.
Robert Simonds, Former principal second violinist, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Rob Simonds works at the intersection of organizational strategy, public policy, and arts and culture. He believes that the arts are a powerful tool for economic development, education, social cohesion, and placemaking.
For more than twenty years, Rob was an orchestral violinist, soloist, studio player, and chamber musician. He earned tenured positions in several major American orchestras, commissioned dozens of new compositions, toured the country, and collaborated with an eclectic array of musicians including, Rhiannon Giddens, Lizzie No, Joe Pug, Ben Sollee, The Low Anthem, My Morning Jacket, and Alabama Shakes.
In 2021, Rob stepped down as Principal Second Violinist of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra to pursue a Master in Public Administration degree at the Harvard Kennedy School. His primary focus is advising large arts institutions on economic growth and workforce development planning. Learn more about Robert Simonds.
Jessie Montgomery String Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Students currently enrolled in Key to Change who are in Young Artist Academy, COMBO or private lesson program.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 20 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform at least three different musical works. Concertos, concertinos, sonatas, short pieces, or etudes are permitted. No scales or orchestra music is permitted. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application.
Please note: If a competitor elects to perform a concerto in its entirety (all movements), and it is memorized, only one additional piece is required – not two, as stated above.
Prizes
1st place – $1,000 college scholarship, a solo debut with the Federal Way Symphony Orchestra, a set of high-quality strings, a yearlong tuition-free (beginning fall 2023) music scholarship for music lessons, opportunity to perform in a guest masterclass with a member of the Seattle Symphony, an opportunity to perform live on the radio on Classical KING FM’s Northwest Focus Live program and Unmute The Voices. They will also receive press in the local news and social media.
2nd place – a set of high-quality strings, an opportunity to perform in a guest masterclass with a member of the Seattle Symphony, and invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change. They will also receive press in the local news and social media.
3rd place -a set of high-quality strings and invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change. They will also receive press in the local news and social media.
At the judges’ discretion, they may recommend a second place winner(s) to also appear on Northwest Focus Live or Unmute The Voices.
Please note: Key to Change reserves the right to veto the judges’ decision and select other winners to make the radio appearances, in the event that the student winner(s) are not musically prepared or performance ready. The winner(s) will also forfeit their scholarship awards, radio and other performance appearances.
Young Artist Concerto Competition
Grades: 6-12
Who:
Key to Change students enrolled in the Young Artist Academy program.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 15 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform at least one movement of a standard student concerto.
Prizes
The winner will receive a professional debut to perform their solo concerto with the Seattle Symphony during one of the education, family or community concerts during the 2023-2024 season.
Competitors will perform their concerto during the first round of competition at the Solo String Festival and receive feedback from the judges. The final round of the competition will be held on Monday, April 17th at Benaroya Hall.
An artistic panel from the Seattle Symphony will listen to all the competitors at the final round and select the winner for a solo performance on education, family or community concert programs. Final decisions regarding the soloist will be selected for performance rests with Seattle Symphony musicians as well as artistic and education staff.
Debut Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Students currently enrolled in Key to Change, who are enrolled in group lessons or the COMBO program.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 10 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform a two or three octave major and minor scale and at least two pieces. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application. Etudes are also permitted.
Prizes
1st place – $500 college scholarship, a yearlong tuition-free (beginning fall 2023) music scholarship for music lessons, an opportunity to perform in a guest masterclass with a member of the Seattle Symphony, a set of high-quality strings, and perform live on the radio on Classical KING FM’s Northwest Focus Live program and Unmute The Voices and receive press in the local news.
2nd place – $50 gift card to a string shop, a set of high-quality strings and be invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change.
3rd place – a set of high-quality strings, and invited to perform at select events sponsored by Key to Change.
At the judges’ discretion, they may recommend a second place winner(s) to also appear on Northwest Focus Live and/or Unmute The Voices.
Please note: Key to Change reserves the right to veto the judges’ decision and select other winners to make the radio appearances, in the event that the student winner(s) are not musically prepared or performance ready. The winner(s) will also forfeit their scholarship awards, radio and other performance appearances.
Community Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Students not enrolled in Key to Change studio, but live, attend school, and study their instrument in South King County.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 15 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Competitors must present at least two different musical works from contrasting time periods. Concertos, concertinos, sonatas, short pieces, or etudes are permitted. No scales or orchestra music is permitted. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application.
Students may perform music without piano accompaniment or bring their own piano accompanist. In the case a student does not have a piano accompanist, Key to Change can provide one for $40.00, which includes one 30 minute rehearsal and the performance.
Prizes
1st place – $250 cash prize and a $250 cash prize awarded to the winner’s school orchestra or youth symphony program (if the winner is not a member of either, they may donate the funds to a nonprofit organization in South King County that is recommended by Key to Change). Additionally, they will receive a set of new strings.
2nd place – $50 gift card to a violin shop
3rd place – $25 gift card to a violin shop
Non-Competitive Division
Grades: 6-12
Who: Any students who live, attend school and study their instrument in South King County. Students enrolled in Key to Change are also eligible to participate. Students may play a solo or bring up to three friends to play a duet, trio or quartet together. All participants in their “ensemble” must play the violin or viola. No other instruments are allowed. All participants must pay the enrollment fee.
Time limit to perform: A total of up to 5 minutes
Repertoire requirement: Repertoire requirement: Scales, etudes, short pieces, solos, chamber music or orchestra music is permitted. Students may perform with music. Students who are not enrolled in Key to Change may perform music without piano accompaniment or bring their own piano accompanist. In the case a student does not have a piano accompanist, Key to Change can provide one for $15.00, which includes one 15 minute rehearsal and the performance.
All students will receive a Certificate of Recognition and a Solo String Festival t-shirt.
All students will receive a Certificate of Recognition and a Solo String Festival t-shirt.
Jessie Montgomery
“I am so moved by this special honor to serve as a role model for the young aspiring musicians of Key to Change. I hope to continue to walk with these amazing musicians and students as we work toward a more beautiful and equitable world through the arts”. – Jessie Montgomery
Jessie Montgomery, a renowned, award-winning composer and violinist has agreed to lend her name to a competitive division for the annual Key to Change Solo String Festival.
Jessie is an acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator. She is the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation, and her works are performed frequently around the world by leading musicians and ensembles. Her music interweaves classical music with elements of vernacular music, improvisation, language, and social justice, placing her squarely as one of the most relevant interpreters of 21st-century American sound and experience. Her profoundly felt works have been described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post).
Jessie was born and raised in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 1980s during a time when the neighborhood was at a major turning point in its history. Artists gravitated to the hotbed of artistic experimentation and community development. Her parents – her father a musician, her mother a theater artist and storyteller – were engaged in the activities of the neighborhood and regularly brought Jessie to rallies, performances, and parties where neighbors, activists, and artists gathered to celebrate and support the movements of the time. It is from this unique experience that Jessie has created a life that merges composing, performance, education, and advocacy.
Since 1999, Jessie has been affiliated with The Sphinx Organization, which supports young African-American and Latinx string players. She currently serves as composer-in-residence for the Sphinx Virtuosi, the Organization’s flagship professional touring ensemble. She was a two-time laureate of the annual Sphinx Competition and was awarded a generous MPower grant to assist in the development of her debut album, Strum: Music for Strings (Azica Records). She has received additional grants and awards from the ASCAP Foundation, Chamber Music America, American Composers Orchestra, the Joyce Foundation, and the Sorel Organization.
Her growing body of work includes solo, chamber, vocal, and orchestral works. Some recent highlights include Five Slave Songs (2018) commissioned for soprano Julia Bullock by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Records from a Vanishing City (2016) for the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Caught by the Wind (2016) for the Albany Symphony and the American Music Festival, and Banner (2014) – written to mark the 200th anniversary of The Star-Spangled Banner – for The Sphinx Organization and the Joyce Foundation.
In the 2019-20 season, new commissioned works will be premiered by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the National Choral Society, and ASCAP Foundation. Jessie is also teaming up with composer-violinist Jannina Norpoth to reimagine Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha; it is being produced by Volcano Theatre and co-commissioned by Washington Performing Arts, Stanford University, Southbank Centre (London), National Arts Centre (Ottawa), and the Banff Centre for the Arts. Additionally, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and San Francisco Symphony will all perform Montgomery’s works this season.
The New York Philharmonic has selected Jessie as one of the featured composers for their Project 19, which marks the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting equal voting rights in the United States to women. Other forthcoming works include a nonet inspired by the Great Migration, told from the perspective of Montgomery’s great-grandfather William McCauley and to be performed by Imani Winds and the Catalyst Quartet; a cello concerto for Thomas Mesa jointly commissioned by Carnegie Hall, New World Symphony, and The Sphinx Organization; and a new orchestral work for the National Symphony.
Jason Amos
Violist
Jason began his viola studies at age eleven through the public schools in his hometown of Southfield, MI. Jason serves on faculty at Project STEP, an intensive training program for minority string players in Boston, as well as the New England Conservatory’s Summer Orchestra Institute. He was the violist in the Boston Public Quartet and resident musician at musiConnects, a non-profit which provides free instruments & comprehensive music education to underserved children in Boston, for nine years. Learn more about Jason Amos.
Paula Nava Madrigal
Conductor
Paula Nava Madrigal was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, where she studied and worked until coming to Seattle in 2014. She is passionate about classical music. As a cellist, “Outstanding Student” at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, teaching artist, professional musician, and orchestra conductor, she has created and participated in numerous projects, providing classical music experiences, mostly free of charge, to promote inclusion and intercultural understanding. After arriving in Seattle, she received a Youth Arts grant from the Office of Arts & Culture to launch the World Youth Orchestra program for underserved immigrant and refugee youth. In 2015, Ms. Madrigal co-founded the Ballard Civic Orchestra whose programs celebrate Latino cultural heritage, receiving over $100,000 in grants. Pursuing her career goals as a conductor, she has received awards from Seattle’s Univision and Latino Community Fund. Most recently, she co-founded the annual Cascade Conducting Master Class featuring Artistic Director Sarah Ioannides of Symphony Tacoma. Paula is currently the music director and conductor of Orquesta Northwest. Learn more about Paula Nava Madrigal.
Anthony Spain
Conductor
Anthony Spain has been Music Director of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra (NWSO) since 1987. Dr. Spain’s innovative programming of northwest American composers first came to national attention in 1996 with a mention in a front page Wall Street Journal article regarding up and coming arts groups. Since then both he, and the NWSO, have garnered Eight National ASCAP awards for “Programming of Contemporary Music,” and been featured several times on National Public Radio.
Dr. Spain has guest conducted orchestras and choirs throughout America and in Europe. He has conducted the Orfeo International Orchestra with the choir of L’UNESCO (the cultural branch of the United Nations) in Paris, France as well as the Bath Philharmonic in Bath, England. The Bath Chronicle exclaimed of Dr. Spain “He has a type of charisma, which extends to the far orchestral corners.” He has been a guest conductor with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and a cover conductor with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and most recently guest conducted in Hong Kong, as well as with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Honduras.
Dedicated to education Dr. Spain is an active clinician and adjudicator, and he works regularly with students throughout the Seattle and Highline area, as part of the NWSO’s “Symphony for Students” program. He has been a guest speaker at conferences such as the American Symphony Orchestra League’s National Convention, and Conductor’s Guild National Conference. Spain graduated in 1990 with a Doctorate Degree in Music from the University of Washington, and has received numerous awards and honors including a Grammy nomination in vocal jazz performance. He is also a board member of Ars Nova Music. Learn more about Anthony Spain.
Robert Simonds
Violinist
Rob Simonds works at the intersection of organizational strategy, public policy, and arts and culture. He believes that the arts are a powerful tool for economic development, education, social cohesion, and placemaking.
For more than twenty years, Rob was an orchestral violinist, soloist, studio player, and chamber musician. He earned tenured positions in several major American orchestras, commissioned dozens of new compositions, toured the country, and collaborated with an eclectic array of musicians including, Rhiannon Giddens, Lizzie No, Joe Pug, Ben Sollee, The Low Anthem, My Morning Jacket, and Alabama Shakes.
In 2021, Rob stepped down as Principal Second Violinist of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra to pursue a Master in Public Administration degree at the Harvard Kennedy School. His primary focus is advising large arts institutions on economic growth and workforce development planning. Learn more about Robert Simonds.
This year, student participants will have the opportunity to attend and perform in various masterclasses throughout the festival with our guest artists. Guest artists will work with student participants on repertoire, technique, and other performance related topics. Student participants from all musical levels and backgrounds are expected to participate.
The guest artist masterclass instructors include:
Dr. Tami Lee Hughes, instructor of violin at Spelman College
The passion and expressive qualities of Tami Lee Hughes are marked by her success as a premier artist. As soloist, she has appeared with a number of symphony orchestras across the United States, including the National, Monroe, Mississippi, and Pontiac-Oakland Symphony Orchestras among others. She has extensively appeared as recitalist in universities and concert venues in the United States, Europe, Costa Rica and Bermuda, and has performed as solo or chamber artist in the Ann Arbor Chamber Fest, Natchez Festival of Music, Ritz Chamber Players Concert Series, and a tribute concert to composer Judith Zaimont, broadcast on National Public Radio. Other notable appointments include appearances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra Augusta, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Shippensburg Music Festival Orchestra, Pro Corde Chamber Consort, and the Sphinx Virtuosi Chamber Ensemble in Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
In 2011, Albany Records released Hughes’ debut solo album Legacy: Violin Music of African-American Composers. Heralded as one of the best albums of the year by All Music Guide, the critically acclaimed recording features music for violin and piano by Francis Johnson, George Morrison, David Baker, Ozie Cargile, and Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes. Since recording Legacy, Hughes has developed a special interest in performing and recording music of African American composers. She is currently artistic director of The Legacy Show, a multimedia concert that celebrates the artistic contributions of African-American composers. Additional classical recording credits include Ballade for Violin and Piano, featured on Vocalise, a compact disc of music by composer Brian Nelson, and, Music for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, a Profil recording featuring performances by Ksenia Nosikova of works by Liszt, Mendelssohn, and Clementi.
An artist of versatility, Hughes has numerous performance credits in popular music, film and television. She performs as violinist for the film music of The Only Good Indian, a 2009 Sundance Film Festival motion picture. She also performed in orchestras for national productions of Annie and Les Misérables, and she has recorded as studio violinist for Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes and Grammy award-winning artists Aretha Franklin, Fred Hammond and Donnie McClurkin. She has performed on the BET network program Sunday Best with Grammy-award winning artist Kirk Franklin and has appeared live in concert with Smokey Robinson.
In addition to performing, Hughes is an active teacher and advocate for music outreach. She has taught at the University of Kansas, Marygrove College, Interlochen, and the Ann Arbor School for Performing Arts. She enjoys interacting with students of all ages, rendering concerts and serving as guest clinician at institutions across the country. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Hughes received a bachelor of music degree from the University of Minnesota, and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Michigan. Teachers include Nancy Langham, Jana Burton, Sally O’Reilly, Camilla Wicks and Paul Kantor.
Dr. LaTannia Ellerbe, instructor of violin at Jackson State University
A native of Charlotte, LaTannia Ellerbe endeavors to share the love of Christ through music. She has performed in the United States, Singapore, Bermuda, and Cuba.
LaTannia has participated in numerous festivals including Brevard Music Festival, Oskaloosa Music Festival, Medomak Conductors Retreat, Meadowmount School of Music, and the Colour of Music Festival. As an avid performer of alternative styles, she has been a member of the Bermuda School of Music Faculty Jazz Quintet and Charanga Tropical. She can be heard on albums by Tonia Hughes-Kendrick, Charanga Tropical, and Sounds of Blackness.
Dr. Ellerbe is currently on faculty at Jackson State University, where she serves as the strings professor and conducts the string ensemble. In addition, she frequently performs with various ensembles in the southeast, including the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and the Meridian Symphony Orchestra. She was formerly the Suzuki Strings director at the Bermuda School of music.
LaTannia earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Sally O’Reilly. She received her Master of Music from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and her Bachelor of Music from Vanderbilt University as a Chancellor’s Scholar.
Jason Amos, Violinist, Boston Public Quartet
Jason began his viola studies at age eleven through the public schools in his hometown of Southfield, MI. Jason serves on faculty at Project STEP, an intensive training program for minority string players in Boston, as well as the New England Conservatory’s Summer Orchestra Institute. He was the violist in the Boston Public Quartet and resident musician at musiConnects, a non-profit which provides free instruments & comprehensive music education to underserved children in Boston, for nine years. Learn more about Jason Amos.
Robert Simonds, Former principal second violinist, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Rob Simonds works at the intersection of organizational strategy, public policy, and arts and culture. He believes that the arts are a powerful tool for economic development, education, social cohesion, and placemaking.
For more than twenty years, Rob was an orchestral violinist, soloist, studio player, and chamber musician. He earned tenured positions in several major American orchestras, commissioned dozens of new compositions, toured the country, and collaborated with an eclectic array of musicians including, Rhiannon Giddens, Lizzie No, Joe Pug, Ben Sollee, The Low Anthem, My Morning Jacket, and Alabama Shakes.
In 2021, Rob stepped down as Principal Second Violinist of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra to pursue a Master in Public Administration degree at the Harvard Kennedy School. His primary focus is advising large arts institutions on economic growth and workforce development planning. Learn more about Robert Simonds.
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