Overture Awards Program 2024

presents

Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony Saturday, March 16, 2024 Previous Rounds Semi-Finals Competition Thursday, February 1 - Saturday February 3, 2024 Regionals Competition Entry Date Wednesday, December 13, 2023 OVERTURE AWARDS ARE ENDOWED BY

The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation Presenting Sponsors

The Cincinnati Arts Association and its Education and Community Programs are supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony Saturday, March 16, 2024 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 Chris O'Brien & Janeen Coyle STAGE MANAGER Marcia Fortner 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 2024 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 President VP, Education & Community Engagement VP, Development Community Programs Manager Executive Assistant/Assistant Stage Manager Afterschool Expand Program Director Education Department Intern Education & Community Engagement Coordinator Additional CAA Staff Support

Emily Spooner Steve Loftin Joyce Bonomini Sarah Miller Ryan DuPree Brenda Jones Jared O’Roark Josh Sengar Lindsay Wielonski 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

ISABELLA SHEARER • Grade 12, School for Creative and Performing Arts • Just Off Broadway Isabella started her artistic journey at age nine, under the direction of Daryl Bjoza and Sara Swinehart at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. She has performed numerous lead roles at SCPA. Her dream is to pursue a BFA degree in college and share her talents with the world.

NORA DOYLE • Grade 9, School for Creative and Performing Arts • Just Off Broadway Nora has enjoyed dancing since the age of 2½. She currently trains in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, lyrical, and musical theatre. Nora has enjoyed performing lead roles as Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy. She has also enjoyed performing in major musicals, specifically the lead role of Amanda Thripp in Matilda. Nora hopes to continue in her love for the arts for many years to come.

ALEXANDRIA YETTER • Grade 11, Sycamore High School • Hairston School of Dance Alexandria has performed in several Cincinnati Ballet Productions, most recently with the Hairston School of Dance as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and Lilac Fairy in Aurora Wedding. She has spent her summers studying ballet with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Kirov Academy, San Francisco Ballet, Ellison Ballet, and Boston Ballet and will be attending Ballet West Academy this summer on scholarship.

AUDREY ZUZIAK • Grade 11, Dixie Heights High School • Expressions Dance Theatre Audrey has been dancing since the age of three. She trains at Expressions Dance Theatre in many different styles. She has won numerous awards throughout her years of performing. Audrey attended the 2023 Kentucky Governor’s Scholars for the Arts summer intensive in dance. In college, she intends to double major in nursing and dance.

FINALS COMPETITORS CREATIVE WRITING In order of appearance

MARGAUX FLAIG • Grade 11, Ursuline Academy Margaux enjoys using her imagination to capture multiple points of view and finds that the written word is often the most effective way to convey complex ideas. She received the 2023 Montgomery Women's Club award for poetry.

When she's not writing, Margaux practices the game of tennis with great zeal, sings in Ursuline Academy's A Capella Choir, and spends time with her close friends.

HAILEY HARTMAN • Grade 12, William Mason High School Hailey has been scribbling stories and poems for as long as she could hold a pencil. Her writing has won her six awards from the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. Outside of poetry, she channels her love of words into public speaking and is the President of her school's Model UN team.

ANNA MATU • Grade 12, William Mason High School Anna is co-editor-in-chief of her school’s literary magazine and a varsity member of its academic team. Her poetry has been honored by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and has brought her to the Overture Awards Finals for three years running. Anna is also a painter and has most recently received a Scholastic Gold Key for her art portfolio.

LILLIAN WALTZ • Grade 11, Indian Hill High School Lillian is a lifelong lover of words and stories. She is an alumna of the Kenyon Young Writers' Workshop and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized her work with both Silver and Gold Keys. Her poetry can be found in The Stirling Review and Hot Pot Magazine. In addition to creative writing, she plans to pursue a career in law or journalism.

FINALS COMPETITORS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC In order of appearance

CHRISTY KIM • Grade 12, William Mason High School Christy has been playing the violin since the age of six and now plans to pursue music professionally. She has won top prizes in numerous competitions, most recently the 2023 Sejong Music Competition, the 2023 Matinee Musicale Scholarship Competition, and the 2023-24 Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition. Christy has been featured on National Public Radio's From The Top radio show with host Peter Dugan.

KELIANG YAO • Grade 11, The Seven Hills School • University of Michigan Keliang studies piano with professor Logan Skelton. She is the 2023-24 MTNA state winner and has performed as a soloist with the Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. She wishes to continue her classical music study in college. In addition to competitions and recitals, Keliang performs in the community and volunteers in the hospital weekly.

GRACE KIM • Grade 11, William Mason High School Grace has been playing the flute for seven years and is in the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. She was a member of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra during the Interlochen Arts Camp 2023 season and has won top prizes in competitions such as the 2023 Walgreens National Concerto Competition (Other Instrument Senior division), Jack & Lucille Wonnell Young Artist Concerto Competition, and the 2021 National Flute Association Junior Soloist Competition.

ERICA NAM • Grade 11, Walnut Hills High School Erica started playing the violin at three years old. She is a proud member of the Starling Chamber and Cincinnati Symphony Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. Erica appeared as a soloist with the Kentucky Symphony and Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestras. She has won top prizes in Sejong Music, Louisville Orchestra Young Artist, and New Albany Orchestra Concerto Competitions. Erica plans to pursue violin performance as her major in college.

FINALS COMPETITORS VOCAL MUSIC In order of appearance

ISHANVI KARTHIKEYAN • Grade 11, Lakota West High School Ishanvi has been learning Carnatic vocal music for over eleven years. She has performed Carnatic music at various venues and has won several regional and national music competitions. She also plays the violin and is the concertmaster of the Butler Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In her free time, Ishanvi enjoys baking and drawing.

ELLA CLARK • Grade 12, Dixie Heights High School • Talia Zoll Studio of Music Ella recently placed first in the regional Schmidt Vocal Competition and third in the 2023 Matinee Musicale competition, and is a two-time Overture Awards finalist. She loves participating in her school's musicals, the May Festival Youth Chorus, and Dixie’s chamber choir. Ella hopes to double major in music education and vocal performance. She would like to thank her voice teacher, Talia, for the support and guidance throughout the years.

JACOB EDDINGFIELD • Grade 12, Elder High School • Michelle Wells Voice Studio Jacob has studied with a private voice teacher for two years, is a four-year participant in his high school's vocal ensemble, and has competed in both OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) and NFMC (the National Federation of Music Clubs), where he had the highest rating for two consecutive years.

EVAN STUART • Grade 12, Highland High School • Keen Voice Studio Evan is overjoyed to be performing in the Overture Finals. He joined choir in eighth grade and has loved singing ever since. He hopes to attend university to pursue vocal performance this upcoming year. He would like to thank his family and teacher Ms. Keen for their encouragement.

FINALS COMPETITORS VISUAL ART In order of appearance

ISABELLA BRINK • Grade 12, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Isabella has been creating art for longer than she can remember. She has won the OAEA Award of Excellence, ArtBeat awards, and a Scholastic Gold Key. Isabella runs her own summer camp called Art in The Park, where she teaches young artists and shares her love for the arts.

RYLEE DISSINGER • Grade 12, Oak Hills High School Rylee has been a photographer for a little over a year now. She started off with sports photography then began her own business taking senior and family portraits. She takes AP Photography, where Mrs. Shorsh nominated her for the Overture Awards. She is also committed to Ohio University for photojournalism.

ALISHA VERMA • Grade 12, William Mason High School Alisha has been making art for as long as she can remember. In her work, she explores her emotions and experiences through the human form. Her artwork has been awarded several Scholastic Gold Keys. Aside from art, she loves collecting records, visiting art museums, and watching movies.

ELLEN ZHANG • Grade 12, William Mason High School Ellen has enjoyed creating art for over six years in many different media, including painting and sculpture. As an artist, she received a perfect score on the AP 2-D Art and Design Portfolio and a Gold Key on the Scholastics Art Portfolio. Ellen's dream is to be an installation artist. Outside of art, Ellen enjoys Chinese traditional dance, calligraphy, and reading.

FINALS COMPETITORS THEATER

In order of appearance

TOBI AINA • Grade 12, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy • Musical Arts Center Tobi has acted in several shows, such as 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Something Rotten (Nick Bottom), and currently, Children of Eden (Japheth). In his free time, he loves playing lacrosse and saxophone, as well as filmmaking. He would like to thank his director Mrs. Susan Jung, as well as his voice teachers Mr. Sam and Mr. Karl, for pouring so much time and knowledge into him, and his family for supporting him. He dedicates this performance to God, as well as the late Mr. Lincoln Chapman, his former voice teacher for whom he cared deeply.

ARABELLA BERTUCCI • Grade 12, Campbell County High School Arabella has trained with CCM Prep and the Cincinnati Ballet since age five.

She has performed in musical theatre throughout middle and high school. Her favorite credits include Karen in Mean Girls (CAST), Ermengarde in Hello Dolly! (The Carnegie), and Velma in Chicago (CCHS). In 2022, Arabella was selected for Kentucky's Governors School for the Arts (musical theatre).

Arabella was nominated by her theatre teacher, Claire LaNicca.

ALI LEWIS • Grade 11, Mercy McAuley High School Ali began her theater career when she was twelve years old and has since received two Cappies for Best Comedic Actress in a Musical and Best Lead Actress in a Musical. Besides performing, she is very passionate about composing music and has written a musical called The Lost and Found that will be performed this summer at her high school, Mercy McAuley.

NATALIE HUDEPOHL • Grade 12, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy • Musical Arts Center • Cincinnati Music Academy Natalie's favorite roles include Portia in Something Rotten, Evie in Disney's Descendants, Annie in Annie, and Molly Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher.

For four years, Natalie was in the Young Artist Preparatory Program for young opera singers. She was an Overture Awards Semi-Finalist in Vocal Music in 2021. Natalie plans to attend the Honors College at Clemson University and major in Nursing.

2024 OVERTURE AWARDS JUDGES Each round of the competition—Regionals, Semi-Finals, and Finals—are adjudicated by a panel of judges who are professionals in their discipline.

CREATIVE WRITING Chair: Elissa Yancey Regionals: Zackary Hill, Alan Jozwiak, Aiesha Little, Billy Simms, Sherry Cook Stanforth, Susan Steinkamp Semi-Finals: Joseph Bates, Michelle Lawrence, Rebecca Todd Finals: Disirae Hosley, Alison Russell, Annette Januzzi Wick

DANCE Chair: Jacqui Haas Regionals: Jessica Harris, Joy Detherage Jovet Semi-Finals: Christina Bolden, Tracy Bonner, David Choate Finals: Donna Grisez, Mary Kamp, Shane Ohmer

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Chair: Janell Eschenbrenner Regionals: Frank Huang, Danielle Hundley, Ellen Croy Stephens, Siok Lian Tan, Elizabeth Wu Semi-Finals: Darren Ling, Jon Sanford, Kanako Shimasaki Finals: Pin-Hsuan Chen, Kevin Holzman, Alexander Moore

THEATER Chair: Kate Wilford Regionals: Beth Harris, Deondra Means, Greg Procaccino, Regina Pugh, Joshua Steele Semi-Finals: Annie Fitzpatrick, Marvin Hawkins, Ariel Shaw Finals: Carolyn Guido Clifford, Pat Linhart, Damon Stevens

VISUAL ART Chair: Billy Simms Regionals: Kip Eagen, David Knight, Deogracias Lerma, Craig Lloyd, Lindsay Nehls, Kelly Phelps, Anna Christine Sands, Paige Williams Semi-Finals: Richard Fruth, Cathy Mayhugh, Jane Winget Sheldon Finals: Anissa Lewis, Kate Rowekamp, Paige Wideman

VOCAL MUSIC Chairs: Kathy Wade Regionals: Dione Bennett, Jiana Hunter, Ebony Menefield, Danielle Steele, Jackie Stevens, Marc Weagraff Semi-Finals: David Adams, Padma Chebrolu, Ellen Graham, Deondra Means Finals: Padma Chebrolu, Yemi Oyediran, Jessica Rivera Shafer, Daniel Weeks

2024 OVERTURE AWARDS SEMI-FINALISTS CREATIVE WRITING Kelsey Espenshade Margaux Flaig Hailey Hartman Anna Matu Zoe Schnadower Desika Shyam Sundar Lillian Waltz

Grade 11 11 12 12 11 10 11

High School Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Ursuline Academy William Mason High School William Mason High School Walnut Hills High School William Mason High School Indian Hill High School

DANCE Caroline Blair Shamiso Chikwenhere Nora Doyle Uma Georgeton Janie McManus Riley Neugebauer Abigail Riester Isabella Shearer Caroline Spoelker Alexandria Yetter Audrey Zuziak

Grade 11 10 9 12 12 10 11 12 11 11 11

High School/Studio Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/CHCA Dance Academy Beechwood High School/Expression Dance Theatre School for Creative and Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway Liberty University Online Academy/CHCA Dance Academy Notre Dame Academy/Expression Dance Theatre Turpin High School/Just off Broadway Turpin High School - College Conservatory of Music Prep Department School for Creative and Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway Kings High School/Movement Emporium Sycamore High School/Hairston School of Dance Dixie Heights High School/Expression Dance Theatre

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Benedict Cecilio Joshua Chertock Christy Kim Grace Kim Reagan Lisch Erica Nam Krish Subramanian Angela Tang Keliang Yao

Grade 12 12 12 11 12 11 12 9 11

High School/Studio Sycamore High School/Leung Studio Bishop Fenwick High School/Leung Studio William Mason High School William Mason High School Archbishop McNicholas High School Walnut Hills High School William Mason High School/Indian Springs Academy of Music William Mason High School Seven Hills School/University of Michigan

Tobi Aina Frances Bell

Grade 12 12

Arabella Bertucci Alejandra Decima Adeline Durgin Natalie Hudepohl

12 11 11 12

Stephen Lambert Ali Lewis Taylor Phelps Anna Schlangen Mendez Braxton Simmons Morgan Tracy Kavan Vadivelu Sam Waspe Isabella Wesloh Jameson Zoller

12 11 12 12 12 9 11 11 11 12

High School/Studio or Private Teacher Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/Musical Arts Center Indian Hill High School/Kate Brauer-Bell Acting Studio/ Talia Zoll Studio of Music Campbell County High School Saint Henry District High School/Kate Brauer-Bell Acting Studio Ursuline Academy/Golden Voice Studio Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/ Musical Arts Center/Cincinnati Music Academy School for Creative and Performing Arts Mercy McAuley High School Beechwood High School/Keen Voice Studio Sycamore High School/Cincinnati Music Academy School for Creative and Performing Arts William Mason High School/Kate Brauer-Bell Acting Seven Hills School Sycamore High School Kings High School Highlands High School/ Cincinnati Music Academy

THEATER

VISUAL ART Isabella Brink Rylee Dissinger Evelyn Gao Sadie Kes Mikayla Maidlow Somya Manglore Arielle Miller Rowan Miller Isabella Newmoyer Jesse Paley Aidan Prince Alisha Verma Ellen Zhang

Grade 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12

John Bunch

Grade 12

Ella Clark Ruth Darnell Jacob Eddingfield Sabine Huhn Ishanvi Karthikeyan Natalie Marshall Laiya Solimano-Nichols Evan Stuart Celia Wallace William Wittekind

12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 10

High School Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Oak Hills High School Seven Hills School Lakota East High School Princeton High School William Mason High School School for Creative and Performing Arts School for Creative and Performing Arts Lakota East High School William Mason High School School for Creative and Performing Arts William Mason High School William Mason High School

VOCAL MUSIC High School/Studio Saint Xavier High School/Cincinnati Music Academy/ McCready Studio Dixie Heights High School/Talia Zoll Studio of Music Seton High School/Wells Voice Studio Elder High School/Seton High School/Michelle Wells Voice Studio Sycamore High School/Musical Arts Center Lakota West High School Campbell County High School/Keen Voice Studio School for Creative and Performing Arts Highlands High School/Keen Voice Studio Dixie Heights High School/Talia Zoll Studio of Music Saint Xavier High School/Musical Arts Center

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.

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 FINALISTS

John Ingram, Private Instructor Discipline: Instrumental Music Nominated by John Paul Shannon Lincoln Chapman, Musical Arts Center (posthumous nominee) Discipline: Vocal Music Nominated by Alice Pooley and Sabine Huhn Judges: Jacqui Haas, Elissa Yancey The Arts Educator Award includes a monetary award that may be utilized to strengthen a program or practice, e.g. artist fee for guest lecturer or master class, purchase of equipment, or a professional learning opportunity, such as tuition assistance for either the educator or for students to study with the recipient or another professional.

The Overture Awards and Cincinnati Arts Association graciously thank the following for their support: Program Sponsors Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. Otto M. Budig Family Foundation Summfair Cincinnati TriHealth Accent on Cincinnati Arthur Murray – Cincinnati Amanda Barraza Douglas Beal Bonita Brockert Lane Glick David Kapor Jon Lawhead Jeremy Mainous Frank Marzullo Diana Nguyen Amanda Orlando Morgan Angelique Owens

Tom Parker Erin Rolfes Litsa Spanos Britton Spitler (Brock Leah Spears) Andrea Stefano Josh Tilford Rostislav Toporski Melissa Vaughn Janeen Coyle Chris O’Brien J.D. Hughes

Print Sponsor Harlan Graphics

A special thank you to all the Aronoff Center volunteers, Cincinnati Arts Association staff, and Stagehand Local 5 IATSE who make the Overture Awards possible!

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