Fourteen talented UNO students participated in the 2019-2020 Concerto/Aria Competition hosted by the UNO Orchestras. The guest judges selected two winners who have earned the opportunity to perform as featured soloists with UNO’s Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra. Winners Nadia Maudhoo, violin student of Dr. Mary Perkinson, performed Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane Concert Rhapsody and Seulji Kim, piano student of Dr. Kristin Taylor, performed the first movement of Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 by Robert Schumann. The judges also chose to recognize Trevor Petersen, cello student of Gregory Clinton, as runner-up receiving honorable mention for a very fine performance of the Concerto No. 2 in D Major by Haydn.

The Concerto/Aria Competition is open to all students taking applied lessons in the School of Music as a way to recognize high-achieving student musicians, offering them the rewarding experience of playing with a full symphony orchestra as soloist, while also giving UNO Orchestra students the educational experience of playing varied repertoire with soloists. The competition is a great reminder not only of the hard work of our students, but also the dedicated applied faculty and collaborative pianists that work with and support our students daily.