Wednesday, February 12 - Saturday February 15, 2025
Regionals Competition Entry Date
Wednesday, December 10, 2024
OVERTURE AWARDS ARE ENDOWED BY The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
Presenting Sponsors
Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Aronoff Center • Jarson-Kaplan Theater
Finals Competition Order
DANCE
CREATIVE WRITING
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
~Intermission~
VOCAL MUSIC
VISUAL ART THEATER
~Intermission~
AWARDS CEREMONY
ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD
STUDENT AWARDS
Six Winner Awards (one in each discipline)
$3,000 each
Eighteen Finalist Awards
$1,000 each
EMCEE
Jack Atherton
STAGE MANAGER
Michael Hatton
PRODUCTION TEAM
Joyce Bonomini
Ryan Dupree
Brenda Jones
Jared O’Roark
Josh Sengar
Emily Spooner
Lindsay Wielonski
The Overture Awards
The Cincinnati Arts Association’s Overture Awards recognizes, encourages, and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. Its mission is to encourage arts education as an integral part of a student’s academic experience and to create an environment that encourages training in, and appreciation of, the arts. The Overture Awards Competition is the area’s largest solo arts competition and offers awards in six artistic disciplines: creative writing, dance, instrumental music, theater, visual art, and vocal music. For the 2025 competition, students may win $3,000 (one awarded in each discipline) or a $1,000 finalist award (a total of eighteen awarded). Judges at all levels of the competition are from the professional arts community.
Overture Awards Staff
Youth and School Programs/Overture Manager Emily Spooner
President Steve Loftin
VP, Education & Community Engagement Joyce Bonomini
VP, Development Sarah Miller
Community Programs Manager Ryan DuPree
Executive Assistant/Assistant Stage Manager Brenda Jones
Special Program Manager Jared O’Roark
Education Department Intern Josh Sengar
Education & Community Engagement Coordinator Lindsay Wielonski
Additional CAA Staff Support
Aronoff Center Operations
Finance
Marketing
Ticketing
Weston Art Gallery
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 nearly a dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than two-million students and adults. For more information, visit www.cincinnatiarts.org.
FINALS COMPETITORS DANCE
In order of appearance
NORA DOYLE
• Grade 10, School for Creative and Performing Arts
• Just Off Broadway
Nora is a dance major in her eleventh year at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. She began dancing at age 2.5 and continues studying many genres of dance. Nora enjoys performing in ballets and musicals. She hopes to share her love for the arts for many years.
MAANASA YARLAGADDA
• Grade 12, Sycamore High School
Maanasa is a Bharatanatyam dancer who has been training for ten years, earning several regional and national awards. She has performed at the 2024 Paralympics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and various community venues. She hopes to pursue medical sciences in the future. Outside of dance, Maanasa enjoys reading, crocheting, and volunteering as a tutor at a local nonprofit.
AUDREY ZUZIAK
• Grade 12, Dixie Heights High School
• Strive Dance Collective
Audrey has been dancing since the age of three. She has won numerous awards, received a perfect score on a solo, and was an Overture Awards finalist. She plans to attend college for nursing and become a travel nurse.
ABIGAIL RIESTER
• Grade 12, Turpin High School
• College-Conservatory of Music – Prep Ballet Department / Planet Dance
Abigail is a dedicated dancer with fifteen years of training, during which she won many awards, titles, and honors. She has attended prestigious summer intensives, often on scholarship, and has performed twice as a pre-professional dancer with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, including at their 30th Anniversary Gala. Abigail is a senior soloist with Exhale Dance Tribe, a resident company at the Aronoff Center, and also trains intensively at the College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department.
FINALS COMPETITORS CREATIVE WRITING
In order of appearance
EVELYN JEONG
• Grade 9, Talawanda High School
Evelyn has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember, spending all of her free time reading books and crafting stories that combine her passion for fantasy and mental health. With goals of becoming a clinical psychologist and author, she hopes that all of her tales provide three important things: perspective, critiques of society's largest problems, and escape from the exhausting rhythms of every day.
ABBEY MADER
• Grade 11, Saint Ursula Academy
Abbey is a passionate writer, musician, and photographer. She won the Mount St. Joseph poetry award in 2024 for her creative work. She loves singing and plays guitar as part of an ensemble, using music as a form of self-expression. Abbey also gives back by volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and working at her school’s coffee shop.
JAI TATE
• Grade 11, Ohio Connections Academy
Jai’s first stories were scribbles on pieces of paper that only she could decipher. Since then, she’s found joy in being able to express herself across a variety of literary genres. Jai, a consistent honors student, lives by the famous Toni Morrison quote: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” As the reigning Miss Black Teen Cincinnati, her mission is to highlight the importance of literacy and promote a culture that embraces lifelong learning.
ASHER WESOLOWSKI
• Grade 10, School for Creative and Performing Arts
Asher has been writing since he was in fourth grade. He has won multiple awards from the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition and writes poetry in his spare time.
FINALS COMPETITORS
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
In order of appearance
BECKETT CERÓN
• Grade 10, Seven Hills School
• Studies with Jeremy Collins
Beckett has studied classical guitar since he was five. In 2017, Beckett played in an ensemble that premiered Andrew York’s “Singularity” at Carnegie Hall. In 2018, at age nine, he was the youngest-ever member of the Guitar Foundation of America's (GFA) Youth Orchestra. In 2023, he was selected to GFA’s Mentorship Program and had a Colombian cumbia commissioned for him by Colombian guitarist-composer Carlos Bedoya, which Beckett performed at the opening ceremony of the 2023 GFA Convention. Beckett was recently named an NPR From the Top fellow.
VIVIAN CHANG
• Grade 12, William Mason High School
• Hong Cheng Violin Studio
Vivian started violin study at age four. She is concertmaster of Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, assistant concertmaster of Ohio’s All-State orchestra, and violinist of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra NYO2. Vivian has won National Public Radio’s From the Top finals and was featured in the show’s “Daily Joy” video series.
SONYA MOOMAW
• Grade 9, School for Creative and Performing Arts
• Studies with Dr. Sarah Kim
A cellist for ten years, Sonya has won numerous competitions, including placing second in the National Sphinx Competition, first in MTNA Junior Strings, and first in the Cleveland Cello Society Junior Division. She has soloed with many orchestras, including the Cincinnati Symphony, Sphinx Symphony, New Albany Symphony, and Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony.
ANGELA TANG
• Grade 10, William Mason High School
• Studies with Joel Smirnoff
Angela has been playing the violin for ten years. She is the assistant concertmaster at the CSYO Philharmonic Orchestra and was one of the finalists in the CSYO Concerto Competition. Angela is the state winner of MTNA Competition and Buckeye Audition. She played as a soloist with Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra as the winner of the 2024 competition. Outside of music, Angela loves astronomy, creative writing, and photography, and is an active member of her school's Science Olympiad Team.
FINALS COMPETITORS
VOCAL MUSIC
In order of appearance
ISHANVI KARTHIKEYAN
• Grade 12, Lakota West High School
• Studies with Malathy Vijay
Ishanvi has been singing Carnatic music for over twelve years and has won several regional and national Carnatic music competitions. She also plays both the Carnatic and Western violin and is the concertmaster of the Butler Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In her free time, Ishanvi enjoys baking and drawing.
EDEN BEE
• Grade 12, Turpin High School
• Studies with Xan Jeffery
Eden is a senior at Turpin High school and has been doing musical theatre since elementary school. She loves to sing and act and do musical performances outside of school. She plans to major in musical theatre in college!
DEVI KOOL
• Grade 10, Wyoming High School
• Studies with Stacey Sands
Devi has been singing and performing since she was just seven years old and has been taking voice lessons for five years. She has always had a great love of theatre and has participated in fifteen shows, with her most recent being Footloose, where she played Rusty. She also loves to read and write, and hopes to go to college to study journalism with a minor in theater.
WILLIAM WITTEKIND
• Grade 11, Saint Xavier High School
• Studies with Musical Arts Center
William has been practicing classical music since the sixth grade. He is a bass-baritone and has participated in numerous vocal competitions. William’s accomplishments include being a semi-finalist in the 2024 Overture Awards and an Honorable Mention at Schmidt Vocal Competition. His performances include being in the feature choir at Carnegie Hall.
FINALS COMPETITORS
VISUAL ART
In order of appearance
ALLISON DROEGE
• Grade 12, William Mason High Schools
Allison has been creating art for six years, specifically fine-tuning her main media of alcohol marker and colored pencil for the past year. She has earned a national award from Scholastic as well as five Gold Keys for a portfolio and additional works. She plans on going to college to pursue Mechanical Engineering in the fall.
NATHAN KNOLL
• Grade 12, Elder High School
Nathan has been an artist his whole life, practicing sculpture, photography, and illustration, among other mediums. He has won twenty-four Scholastic Art Awards, including two Gold Key portfolios, achieved a perfect score on his AP 3D Art and Design Portfolio, and has been featured in several art shows around the city. Nathan hopes to go to college to study fine arts.
FAITH OGENYI
• Grade 12, Lakota East High School
Faith has been doodling her way to becoming an artist since childhood. She has sharpened her skills through competing in events like the Scholastic Art Awards and Ohio Governors, experimenting with an assortment of colorful mediums. Faith is committed to her goal of working as an animator, surprising the world with her chaotic nature. She hopes to inspire others to push their boundaries of creativity, just like her teachers have inspired her.
ANDREW SICHAK
• Grade 12, Loveland High School
Andrew's passion for photography started when his father first gave him a camera. He has received a Gold Key for a photo and a Silver Key for his portfolio in the 2025 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. In addition to photography, Andrew has played the violin for over seven years and hopes to continue in college. His dream is to photograph the UEFA Champions League, the highest level of professional soccer in the world, which is located in Europe.
FINALS COMPETITORS THEATER
In order of appearance
JAKE HAGERTY
• Grade 11, Highlands High School
Jake has been involved in theater for six years, performing in twelve shows with his school, Anderson Performing Arts, Inc. and C.A.S.T. He competes with his school's Forensic Team in Duo Improvisation and Humorous Interpretation and enjoys playing piano. He plans to pursue a theater degree after high school.
CLARISSA RAMIREZ
• Grade 12, Sycamore High School
Clarissa has been studying theater for more than eight years now. She is pursuing Musical Theatre in college and is in the process of auditioning. Clarissa has trained at CCM's Preparatory for two years and often performs on Aves Theatre's stage or at Kings Island. She is preparing to portray Donna in Mamma Mia! this spring.
JAI’DEN PRITCHETT
• Grade 10, Sycamore High School
• Musical Arts Center
Jai’Den has been a part of musical theatre since he was seven. He studies voice with Mr. Karl Resnick and loves the mentorship and guidance he has received. Jai’Den won the Best Overall Performance award at the 2024 SHS Variety Show. He has been in many shows with Aves Theatre, including Willy Wonka Jr. (Charlie), Footloose: Youth Edition (Ren), Freaky Friday (Ensemble), Guys and Dolls (Sky), the current production of Between The Lines (Prince Oliver/ Edgar), and the upcoming Mamma Mia! (Ensemble). He plans to major in Musical Theatre after graduation.
NATALIE SCHMALL
• Grade 10, Ursuline Academy
Natalie has been passionate about theater since stepping on stage for the first time in the third grade. Now, she performs with Ursuline Academy as well as The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, and she studies voice with Karl Resnik. She attends the Junior Theater Festival every year and is part of the Young Artist Preparatory Program for young opera singers.
2025 OVERTURE AWARDS JUDGES
Each round of the competition—Regionals, Semi-Finals, and Finals—is adjudicated by a panel of judges who are professionals in their discipline.
CREATIVE WRITING
Chair: Elissa Yancey
Regional: Mildred Fallen, Alan Jozwiak, Aiesha Little, Billy Simms, Sherry Cook Stanforth
Semi-Final: Joseph Bates, Michelle Lawrence, Rebecca Todd
Semi-Final: Andrea Canny, Padma Chebrolu, Laura Gentry, Deondra Means
Final: Padma Chebrolu, Sarah Folsom, Yemi Oyediran, Jessica Rivera Shafer
2025 OVERTURE AWARDS
SEMI-FINALISTS
CREATIVE WRITING
Grade High School
Thomas Aldridge 12 Conner Senior High School
Molly Armstrong 10 Archbishop Mc Nicholas High School
Lauren Ashelman 11 Springboro High School
Amelia Fredrick 11 Turpin High School
Evelyn Jeong 9 Talawanda High School
Abbey Mader 11 Saint Ursula Academy
Gulbayaz Niyazova 10 Springboro High School
Jai Tate 11 Ohio Connections Academy
Lillian Waltz 12 Indian Hill High School
Asher Wesolowski 10 School For Creative and Performing Arts
DANCE
Grade High School
Caroline Blair 12 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Ella Brunt 12 Lakota East High School
Nora Doyle 10 School for Creative and Performing Arts
Rylie Godin 12 Walnut Hills High School
Elise Hellmann 11 Highlands High School
Delani Higgins 12 Ohio Virtual Academy
Riley Neugebauer 11 Turpin High School
Abigail Riester 12 Turpin High School
Erin Stethem 11 Mount Notre Dame High School
Brooklyn Tapp 12 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Maanasa Yarlagadda 12 Sycamore High School
Alexandria Yetter 12 Sycamore High School
Audrey Zuziak 12 Dixie Heights High School
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Grade High School
Beckett Cerón 10 Seven Hills School
Vivian Chang 12 William Mason High School
Yuhan Gu 11 William Mason High School
Grace Kim 12 William Mason High School
Annie Li 11 William Mason High School
Sonya Moomaw 9 School for Creative and Performing Arts
Sophia Suwiryo 10 Summit Country Day School
Angela Tang 10 William Mason High School
Keliang Yao 12 Seven Hills School
Yeming You 12 William Mason High School
THEATER
Grade High School
Maeve Bachman 11 Sycamore High School
Andrew Canter 12 Walnut Hills High School
Hana Conte 11
Summit Country Day School
Issiah Current 12 Norwood High School
Maya Ganim 12 Turpin High School
Jacob Hagerty 11 Highlands High School
Elise Hartmann 10 William Mason High School
Salem Hartz 10 Sycamore High School
Chanduni Herath 12 Notre Dame Academy
Avery Kaufman 11 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Jai’Den Pritchett 10 Sycamore High School
Clarissa Ramirez Hernandez 12 Sycamore High School
Natalie Schmall 10 Ursuline Academy
Lydia Wright 11 Mercy McAuley High School
Amelia Zink 12 Scott High School
VISUAL ART
Grade High School
Ka'iulani D'Eredita 12 William Mason High School
Allison Droege 12 William Mason High School
Nathan Knoll 12 Elder High School
Alysse Niewoehner 12 Oak Hills High School
Faith Ogenyi 12 Lakota East High School
Jesse Paley 12 William Mason High School
Piper Schaeffer 12 Loveland High School
Elizabeth Schreibeis 12 Oak Hills High School
Andrew Sichak 12 Loveland High School
Elsa St. Clair 10 School for Creative and Performing Arts
Hope Turnbull 11 School for Creative and Performing Arts
Solana Underwood 12 School for Creative and Performing Arts
Ava Vance 10 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
VOCAL MUSIC
Grade High School
Eden Bee 12 Turpin High School
Kiersten Bennett 10 Scott High School
Clara Dellecave 12 Oak Hills High School
Ishanvi Karthikeyan 12 Lakota West High School
Devi Kool 10 Wyoming High School
Adelaide Linser 11 Walnut Hills High School
Elyse Longbottom 11 Indian Hill High School
Sylvie Martin 12 Highlands High School
Lorenza Schweitzer 10 Highlands High School
Blake Sisney 12 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Eve Troutwine 12 Oak Hills High School
Samuel Vega Angeles 11 Conner Senior High School
William Wittekind 11 Saint Xavier High School
ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARTS INSTRUCTION
The Arts Educator Award promotes and rewards excellence in arts instruction throughout Greater Cincinnati. An educator who teaches any of the following arts disciplines may be nominated: creative writing, dance, instrumental music, theater, visual art, and vocal music. They can be a high school arts specialist, teaching artist working with high school students, or an arts professional or educator providing private lessons or instruction. Nominations for the award must come from students between the ages of 14-19 who are currently enrolled in high school. Nominations are made by submitting an on-line application with a three-minute video about why the nominee is an exemplary arts educator.
The winner of the 2025 award will receive $1,000. The recipient of the Arts Educator Award may utilize the monetary award to strengthen their program or practice, e.g. artist fee for guest lecturer or master class, purchase of equipment, or a professional learning opportunity, such as for tuition assistance for either the educator or for students to study with the recipient or another professional.
History of the Award
The Arts Educator Award was first introduced during the 2006-07 Season as the “Theater Educator Award,” which was originally created by Jackie Demaline, former Cincinnati Enquirer theatre critic and arts reporter, as one of the first initiatives of the Enquirer’s Acclaim Awards for Excellence in Cincinnati Theatre. With its move to the Cincinnati Arts Association’s Overture Awards program in 2015, the Theatre Educator Award has broadened its scope to become the Arts Educator Award.
ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD
JAMES BRAID
Private Instructor
• Discipline: Instrumental Music
• Nominated by Kieran Niska
The Overture Awards and Cincinnati Arts Association graciously thank the following for their support:
Program Sponsors
Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust
Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.
Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
Summfair Cincinnati
TriHealth
Accent on Cincinnati
Scott Allgyer
Arthur Murray – Cincinnati
Arthur Murray – West Chester
Douglas Beal
Doreen Beatrice
James Branham
Bonita Brockert
Sebastian Castillo
Maura Garuccio
Alex Johns
Dr. Hali Jungers
Dr. Magdalena Kerschner
Jeremy Mainous
Print Sponsor
Harlan Graphics
Newport Aquarium
Punky's Pixels
Bret Schneider
Deb Schubert
Britton Spitler
Studio 900
Zack Thornton
Josh Tilford
Melissa Vaughn
Janeen Coyle
Chris O’Brien
J.D. Hughes
A special thank you to all the Aronoff Center volunteers, Cincinnati Arts Association staff, and Stagehand Local 5 IATSE members who make the Overture Awards possible!
The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
To tend, unfailingly, unflinchingly, toward a goal is the secret of success.
– Anna Pavlova
The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation salutes the success of the Cincinnati Arts Association Overture Awards winners.
