Tag Archives: Overture Awards

Dr. Marcia Bowling
and Dance Pro Jozsef Parragh
Crowned New Dancing for the Stars Champs

Bowling also named ‘Fundraising Champion’

CINCINNATI, OH – Dr. Marcia Bowling (Gynecologic Oncology, The Christ Hospital Network) and her dance pro Jozsef Parragh (Independent Dance Instructor) received a near-perfect score of 37 (out of 40), taking first place at the Cincinnati Arts Association’s twelfth-annual Dancing for the Stars on Saturday, April 14, at the Music Hall Ballroom. Bowling also took home the ‘Fundraising Champion’ Award, as the celebrity who raised the most money for the event through ticket sales and donations.

Pam Kravetz (nationally-recognized artist, arts educator, and Project Manager for ArtWorks) and Alyenendrov Tsorokean (Dance Instructor; Owner, Phoenix Rising Latin & Ballroom) took second place; and John J. Williams (Attorney; President, Cincinnati Bar Association) and Doreen Beatrice (Independent Dance Instructor)  placed third.

The sold-out event welcomed more than 675 guests.  As CAA’s largest annual fundraiser, it raised $125,000 in support of the organization’s acclaimed arts education programs, including the Overture Awards – the nation’s largest locally-run high school arts scholarship competition. 

Dancing for the Stars’ online auction went live two weeks prior to the event to allow fans and supporters to participate whether or not they were at the fundraiser, and bidding at the event was done using smart phones. This new digital approach resulted in the most successful auction in the event’s twelve-year history, raising nearly $30,000.   

The remaining three dance pairs included:

• Ryan Messer (Regional Business Director, Johnson & Johnson; Board Member, Cincinnati Public Schools) and Desiree Mainous (Dance Instructor; Owner, Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati)
• Dr. Renu Kotwal (Psychiatry & Neurology, The Christ Hospital Network) and Josh Tilford (Dance Instructor; Owner, Dance Manor)
• Steve Valerius (President Individual Division, Ameritas Life Insurance) and  Leigh Bradshaw (Dance Instructor; Co-owner, Cincinnati Ballroom Company)

Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars 2018 featured six Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program, at which the audience vote and judges scores propelled the winners to victory. The competitive dance for the evening was Swing, and each dance pair had 90 seconds to woo the crowd and the judges.

Event emcees were Chris O’Brien and Janeen Coyle (“Married with Microphones,” 103.5 WGRR-FM). The four competition judges were Douglas Beal (Independent Dance Instructor), Bonita Brockert (Independent Dance Instructor), Jeremy Mainous (Dance Instructor; Owner, Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati), and Neal Schulte (2014 Dancing for the Stars Winner & Fundraising Champion; Founder & President, Schulte Financial Group, LLC.)

Currently in its twelfth year, Dancing for the Stars has become one of the most-anticipated (and imitated) fundraising events of the season.  Since the event’s debut in 2007, nearly 90 local notables have ‘danced for a cause’. The impressive list of past champions includes:  2007 – Dr. O’dell Owens (former president, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; former Hamilton County coroner); 2008 – Jenell Walton(former WLWT-TV5 reporter; former reporter, The List; former WCPO-TV9 anchor and reporter); 2009 – Phil Schworer (Attorney, Frost Brown Todd; former president, Cincinnati Bar Association); 2010 – Donna Speigel (owner, The Snooty Fox); 2011 – Dr. Tracey Skale, M.D. (chief medical officer, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral  Health Services), 2012 –  Regina Russo (former chief of communications, Contemporary Arts Center; former director of marketing and communications, Cincinnati Art Museum; former anchor/reporter, WXIX-TV19), 2013 – Chris Seelbach (Cincinnati City Councilman), 2014 – Neal Schulte (founder & president, Schulte Financial Group, LLC), 2015 – Johnny Chu (owner, KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia restaurant),  2016 – Jay Lame (Financial Analyst, Lenox Wealth Management), and 2017 – Rohan Hemani (Procter & Gamble Fabric Care Intrapenuer)

In addition, Dancing for the Stars 2018 featured:

• Dinner-by-the-bite provided by A Catered Affair, Alfio’s buono cibo, CMX CineBistro, Garnish Catering, Jeff Thomas Catering, Lala’s Blissful Bites, Metropolitan Club, Oriental Wok, Palomino Restaurant & Bar, Prime Cincinnati, Skyline Chili, Stone Creek Dining Company, Vonderhaar’s Catering, Inc., Whole Foods Market
• Popular DJ and 103.5 WGRR personality Rockin’ Ron Schumacher
• Pre-event wine tasting compliments of Biltmore Estate Winery (Music Hall’s newest premium wine) and meet-and-greet with the Stars
• Open dancing before and after the competition

Event highlights included:

• Entertaining and amazing exhibition dances by Dancing for the Stars talented Pros.
• An inspiring video about the Overture Awards featuring interviews with many of the student competitors.
• Two big screens that featured live video of the competition and engaging video introductions of the Stars and Pros (interviews and rehearsal footage) before their dances.
• Humorous, astute, and supportive comments from the Dancing for the Stars panel of judges.
• Exceptionally responsive, raucous, and energetic audience reactions, which included large cheering sections holding signs with various messages in support of their favorite Stars.
• Dance and fundraising champion, Dr. Marcia Bowling, earned the night’s highest score from the judges with an expert swing routine (and a gorgeous dress) with dance Pro Jozsef Parragh.
• Audience favorite and 2^nd-place finisher Pam Kravetz and dance Pro Alyenendrov Tsorokean danced as Mayzie La Bird and the Cat in the Hat to a whimsical tribute to Dr. Seuss.
• Third-place finisher John J. Williams showed his swagger and confidence in a Blues Brothers-inspired dance with dance Pro Doreen Beatrice.
• There was some ‘risky business’ on the dance floor when Steve Valerius danced Tom Cruise-style to Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll” with dance Pro Leigh Bradshaw.
• Ryan Messer, dance Pro Desiree Mainous, and friends danced a timely and touching story about high-school bullying, being yourself, and Gay Pride to “Born This Way” – Lady Gaga’s rousing anthem of individuality.
• The glamour and fun of Bollywood filled the Music Hall Ballroom as Dr. Renu Kotwal, wearing one of the most beautiful dresses at the event, danced an Indian-inspired Swing with dance Pro Josh Tilford.

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Presenting Sponsor: TriHealth 

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Silent Auction Sponsor: Lenox Wealth Management

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Event Sponsors:  Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Doreen Beatrice, Bonita Brockert, Cincinnati Ballroom Company, Crest Graphics, Dance Manor, Pebble Creek Group, Jozsef Parragh, and Phoenix Rising Latin & Ballroom.

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Event Committee:  Dr. Allison Holzapfel, co-chair (Dancing for the Stars 2017 Fundraising Champion); Jamie Humes, co-chair (Dancing for the Stars 2016 Fundraising Champion); Amal Daoud; Terry Foster; Sue Gilkey; Jim Howland; Ginger Loftin; Joe Rigotti; Rosemary Schlachter; Phil Schworer; and Dr. Tracey Skale. 

CAA’s OVERTURE AWARDS AND ARTS EDUCTION PROGRAMS
Cincinnati Arts Association’s Education & Community Relations programs promote life-long engagement in the arts, while contributing to individual, organizational, and community success. With a mission to educate, inspire, and engage the Tri-state region, these accessible arts programs ignite the imagination of students of all ages.

The Overture Awards is one of several programs ‒ which also include Artists on Tour, SchoolTime, Emerging Arts Leaders, and more ‒ that have served more than 1.6 million children and adults since the inception of CAA’s Education & Community Relations programs two decades ago. CAA is proud of its newest initiative, Arts in Healing, that promotes wellness through the arts.

The Overture Awards – the largest locally-run, high school arts scholarship competition in the country – recognizes, encourages, and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. Each year, more than 450 students are nominated by their schools to compete, and this year’s competition awarded $42,000 in scholarships for excellence in Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. To date, the Overture Awards has awarded $750,000 to support artistically-talented students in pursuit of their dreams. Now in its 22nd year, the Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation and Leadership Cincinnati (a Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber program).

As part of the Overture Awards, the Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction promotes and rewards excellence in arts instruction throughout the Tri-state region – just one more way to encourage quality arts in Cincinnati USA!

For more information about CAA’s Education & Community Relations programs, visit www.cincinnatiarts.org/education-community. 

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies.

#  #  #

$45,500 Awarded for Excellence in the Arts
Arts Educator Award Winner Also Announced    

CINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Arts Association is pleased to announce the winners of its Overture Awards Competition, held on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater, and the winner of its Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction. The competition awarded $4,000 to six area students for education and training, with 18 runners-up each winning $1,000, while the Arts Educator Award winner received $2,500 and two finalists were awarded $500 each.

The Overture Awards recognizes, encourages and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12 and is the area’s largest solo arts competition. Students are nominated by their schools and/or private studios to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

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. The Arts Educator Award finalists and winner are selected by a panel of judges who are arts professionals.

2018 OVERTURE AWARDS WINNERS

CREATIVE WRITING:  Frances Timberlake – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts
HOMETOWN: Clifton, OH – Frances studies Creative Writing at SCPA, where writing became an outgrowth of her love for theater and storytelling. Most recently, Frances was named a National YoungArts Finalist and nominated as a U.S. Presidential Scholar of the Arts, in addition to earning recognition through the National Scholastic Writing Awards.

DANCE:  Drake Phouasavanh – grade 12, Conner High School
HOMETOWN: Florence, KY – Drake is a competitive dancer with the Expressions Dance Theatre Sundancer team and a past Overture Awards Finalist. He trains in all dance genres, attended the 2017 Cincinnati Ballet Summer Intensive on a scholarship, and has performed in multiple musical theatre productions.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC:  Kash Sewell – grade 12, Beechwood High School
HOMETOWN: Fort Mitchell, KY – Kash has participated in the Cincinnati Youth Wind Ensemble, Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, and Kentucky All-State Bands. He is a well-rounded young man with diverse interests. He practices his saxophone devotedly, not from any sense of obligation, but because of the sheer joy he derives from playing and performing.

THEATER:  Ellie O’Hara – grade 11, Notre Dame Academy High School/Marilyn Zelcer Studio
HOMETOWN: Park Hills, KY  – Since third grade, Ellie has kept true to her dream of becoming a Broadway actress. She studies with both Marilyn Zelcer at Musical Arts Center and Moss Dance Academy. She has played many roles throughout her career, her favorite being Belle in Beauty and the Beast this past summer. Her ambitions are to pursue musical theatre in college and head to the bright lights of New York.

VISUAL ART:  Anne Knellinger – grade 12, Walnut Hills High School
HOMETOWN: Pleasant Ridge, OH – Anne began pursuing her artistic interests at a very young age, and started taking AP Art courses in tenth grade. She has won Gold Keys in the National Scholastic competition. She enjoys volunteering, running cross country, and playing ultimate frisbee with her friends. She plans to pursue a career in design.

VOCAL MUSIC:  Natalie Choo – grade 12, Seven Hills School/Karl Resnik Studio
HOMETOWN: Montgomery, OH – Natalie studies voice with Karl Resnik at the Musical Arts Center and participates in the Young Artists Preparatory Program, directed by Lincoln Chapman. She has attended summer programs at the Curtis Institute of Music and CCM. She was a Finalist at the Schmidt Vocal Competition, Finalist for the 2018 YoungArts National Arts Competition, and recently named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

2018 ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD WINNER

Ka-Ron Lehman, University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music
Discipline: Dance
Nominated by Ndaya Hoskins

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The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held on January 20 at the Northern Kentucky School of Music at Immanuel UMC, Northern Kentucky University, and Mount Saint Joseph University. The top 20percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center on February 2- 3.

Now in its twenty-second year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate and manage the competitions, and nurture the program.

THE OVERTURE AWARDS ARE ENDOWED BY THE OTTO M. BUDIG FAMILY FOUNDATION.

Overture Awards Presenting Sponsors:  TriHealth; The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.; Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Summerfair Cincinnati

Scholarship Sponsors:  Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Doreen Beatrice, Douglas Beal, Bonita Brockert, Cincinnati Ballroom Company, Jozsef Parragh, Pebble Creek Group, Phoenix Rising Ballroom, Summerfair Cincinnati, Josh Tilford, Western & Southern Financial Fund, The William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation

Competition Sponsors:  Northern Kentucky School of Music at Immanuel UMC, Northern Kentucky University, Mount Saint Joseph University

Printing Sponsor:  Graphic Village 

THE 2018 OVERTURE AWARDS FINALISTS
Winners listed in bold.

CREATIVE WRITING

• Jenna Bao – grade 12, Sycamore High School
• Hope Neyer – grade 11, Mount Notre Dame High School
• Frances Timberlake – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts
• Lauren Timmins – grade 12, Loveland High School

DANCE

• Regan Lawler – grade 12, Erickson Academy of Irish Dance / Summit Country Day School
• Drake Phouasavanh – grade 12, Conner High School
• Ava Sine – grade 10, School for Creative & Performing Arts / Just Off Broadway
• Ryan Sohmer – grade 10, The Studio for Dance / School for Creative & Performing Arts

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

• Ione Sally – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts
• Kash Sewell – grade 12, Beechwood High School
• Madeline Wolfe – grade 9, Leung Studio / Ursuline Academy
• Andrew Yang – grade 9, Seven Hills School / University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music

THEATER

• Margot Grom-Mansencal – grade 12, McCready Voice Studio / Wyoming High School
• Maxwell Metsch – grade 11, Lincoln Chapman Studio / School for Creative & Performing Arts
• Ellie O’Hara – grade 11, Marilyn Zelcer Studio / Notre Dame Academy High School
• Kat Sweeney – grade 10, St. Ursula Academy / Karl Resnik Studio

VISUAL ART

• Geneva Huffman – grade 11, School for Creative & Performing Arts
• Anne Knellinger – grade 12, Walnut Hills High School
• Dominic Pham – grade 11, St. Xavier High School
• Cynthia Zhang – grade 12, Indian Hill High School

VOCAL MUSIC

• Natalie Choo – grade 12, Karl Resnik Studio / Seven Hills School
• Reed Gnepper – grade 11, School for Creative & Performing Arts/ University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory
• Lauren Maynus – grade 11, Alison Acord / Ursuline Academy
• Sarah Moser – grade 12, Keen Voice Studio / Campbell County High School

2018 ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD FINALISTS
Winner listed in bold.

Susan Herrick, Voice of Indiana
Discipline: Vocal/Choral Performance
Nominated by Connie Walker

Ka-Ron Lehman, University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music
Discipline: Dance
Nominated by Ndaya Hoskins 

Kathy Louder, Mount Notre Dame High School
Discipline: Creative Writing
Nominated by Cara Wagner

2018 Arts Educator Award Honorable Mentions

Lara Koogler, Calvary Christian School
Discipline: Piano
Nominated by Mitchell Ward

Karl Resnik, The Musical Arts Center
Discipline: Vocal Music
Nominated by Natalie Choo

Bing Yang, Liao Ning Professional Performing Arts School
Discipline: Dance
Nominated by Judi Hu 

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 1.5 million students. 

# # #

 

$45,500 Awarded for Excellence in the Arts
Arts Educator Award Winner Also Announced

CINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Arts Association is pleased to announce the winners of its Overture Awards Competition, held on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater, and the winner of its Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction. The competition awarded $4,000 to six area students for education and training, with 18 runners-up each winning $1,000, while the Arts Educator Award winner received $2,500 and two finalists were awarded $500 each.

The Overture Awards recognizes, encourages and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12 and is the area’s largest solo arts competition. Students are nominated by their schools or private studios to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

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. The Arts Educator Award finalists and winner are selected by a panel of judges who are arts professionals.

2017 Overture Awards Winners

CREATIVE WRITING:  Olivia Short – grade 12, Mother of Mercy High School
HOMETOWN: Delhi, OH – Olivia Short is a poet and prospective English major. This is her second year as an Overture finalist. She works in school as a peer writing tutor, newspaper co-editor, and Creative Writing Club chair. Outside of school, she works with GLSEN (pronounced “glisten”), a local nonprofit, where she runs a lending library for LGBTQ youth. She sees writing as an extension of one’s culture, identity, and chosen family.

DANCE:  Annika Hsi – grade 10, Walnut Hills High School/Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet
HOMETOWN: Montgomery, OH – Annika began dancing at age five. Learning different genres, she found her passion in ballet. At age nine, she started training at Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet under Mr. Oliver Arana. She was a finalist at World Ballet Competition, Indianapolis International Ballet Competition, and was invited to compete at the Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York. Annika is excited to perform in the Overture finals for the second year.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC:  Christina Nam – grade 9, Walnut Hills High School
HOMETOWN: West Chester, OH – Christina loves communicating through playing violin. She made her solo debut with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at age nine. She has enjoyed performing solos with many orchestras and won numerous prizes and awards nationally and internationally. She was a semi-finalist at the 8th Louis Spohr International Violin Competition held in Weimar, Germany. Christina is concertmaster of Starling Chamber Orchestra, WHHSCO, and a member of Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. She appeared twice on NPR’s From the Top and Showcase with Barbara Kellar on PBS/CET.

THEATER:  Anthony Frederickson – grade 9, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/McCready Voice Studio
HOMETOWN: Mason, OH – Anthony, age 15, first found his passion for performing while participating in a theater camp at age 10. His family, and particularly his cousins, has inspired his journey. He has appeared in over 140 shows, including The Secret Garden (Colin) at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Center Stage in Baltimore, and Elf Jr. and The Wizard of Oz Jr. at the Taft Theatre. His dream is to be on Broadway.

VISUAL ART:  Ava Grannan – grade 12, Wyoming High School
HOMETOWN: Wyoming, OH – Ava started exploring art at a young age with her family at art galleries. Ava is a fashion designer in the making and plans to attend college. She is inspired by John Fluevog. Her work has been recognized by six gold keys in Scholastics, Ohio Governor’s Art Awards, and Rhode Island School of Design Art Book Awards. Ava loves to create, volunteer, and play Ultimate Frisbee. She works at a restaurant to save for college.

VOCAL MUSIC:  Katherine Sharp – grade 12, Indian Hill High School/The Music House (Anne Moss)
HOMETOWN: Indian Hill, OH – Katherine is honored to study music with Anne Moss (The Music House). She performs with the May Festival Youth Chorus and Indian Hill Church Choir, competed in the Schmidt Vocal Competition, and has sung the national anthem at Cincinnati Reds and Bengals games. Next year, Katherine plans to continue her passion for music by pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance.

2017 Arts educator award Winner

Becky Childs, UC-CCM Preparatory Department
Discipline: Musical Theater
Nominated by Annabel Forman

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held on January 21 at the Mount Saint Joseph University, Northern Kentucky School of Music of Immanuel UMC, and Northern Kentucky University. The top twenty percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center on February 10- 11.

Now in its twenty-first year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate and manage the competitions, and nurture the program.

The Overture Awards are endowed by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation.

Overture Awards Presenting Sponsors:  TriHealth; The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.; Otto M. Budig Family Foundation.

Scholarship Sponsors:  Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Doreen Beatrice, Douglas Beal, Bonita Brockert, Cincinnati Ballroom Company, Jozsef Parragh, Pebble Creek Group, Phoenix Rising Ballroom,  Summerfair Cincinnati, Josh Tilford, Western & Southern Financial Fund, The William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation

Competition Sponsors:  Mount Saint Joseph University, Northern Kentucky School of Music of Immanuel UMC, Northern Kentucky University

Printing Sponsor:  Crest Graphics

The 2017 Overture Awards Finalists
Winners listed in bold.

CREATIVE WRITING

• Presley Hargis – grade 12, Conner High School
• Hallie Menkhaus – grade 11, Taylor High School
• Olivia Short – grade 12, Mother of Mercy High School
• Jessica Sommerville – grade 12, William Mason High School

DANCE

• Joseph Harrington – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway
• Annika Hsi – grade 10, Walnut Hills High School/Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet
• Anna Robertson – grade 12, Bellbrook High School/McGing Irish Dancers
• Ava Sine – grade 9, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

• Cory Bargemann – grade 12, Walnut Hills High School
• Calvin Huang – grade 11, St. Xavier High School/Inna Terekhov
• Christina Nam – grade 9, Walnut Hills High School
• Jiin Woo – grade 11, Sycamore High School

THEATER

• Elsa Benson – grade 12, Sycamore High School/Karl Resnik Studio
• Anthony Frederickson – grade 9, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/McCready Voice Studio
• Chandler Hoffert – grade 12, Fairfield High School/McCready Voice Studio
• Morgan Reece – grade 12, Kings High School/Lincoln Chapman Studio

VISUAL ART

• Ava Grannan – grade 12, Wyoming High School
• Madyson Haynes – grade 12, Dixie Heights High School
• Geneva Huffman – grade 10, School for Creative & Performing Arts
• Sarah Kenkel – grade 12, Mother of Mercy High School

VOCAL MUSIC

• Taylor Kay Baer – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts /Wyant-Zenni
• Reed Gnepper – grade 10, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Mary Ann Powers-Buyukisik
• Katherine Sharp – grade 12, Indian Hill High School/The Music House (Anne Moss)
• Nathaniel Wilkens – grade 12, St. Xavier High School/Melody Wallace Voice Studio

2017 Arts educator award Finalists

Susan Jung, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Discipline: Theater
Nominated by Carter Jackson

Marion Peraza de Webb, Peraza Music Workshop
Discipline: Instrumental Music
Nominated by Beatrice Baker

2017 Arts Educator Award Honorable Mentions

Hitomi Koyama, UC-CCM Preparatory Department
Discipline: Instrumental Music
Nominated by Chisato Fuji

Melody Wallace, Wallace Voice Studio
Discipline: Vocal Music
Nominated by Anna Greco

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 1.5 million students.

# # #

CINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is proud to present the 2017 Overture Awards Finals Competition. The Overture Awards provides $4,000 to six area high school students for education and training expenses, with eighteen finalists each winning $1,000. The program also provides a $2,500 Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction.

The Overture Awards Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 1:00 PM at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Winners will be announced immediately following the competition.

This year, 476 students were nominated by their schools or studios to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage, and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held on January 21 at the Northern Kentucky School of Music at Immanuel, Northern Kentucky University, and Mount Saint Joseph University. The top 20 percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center on February 10 and 11. Twenty-four finalists (four in each discipline) will compete in the Finals Competition at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater on March 11.

Now in its twenty-first year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate and manage the competitions, and nurture the program.

THE OVERTURE AWARDS ARE ENDOWED BY THE OTTO M. BUDIG FAMILY FOUNDATION.

Overture Awards Presenting Sponsors:  TriHealth; The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.; Otto M. Budig Family Foundation.

Scholarship Sponsors:  Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Doreen Beatrice, Douglas Beal, Bonita Brockert, Cincinnati Ballroom Company, Jozsef Parragh, Pebble Creek Group, Phoenix Rising Ballroom,  Summerfair Cincinnati, Josh Tilford, Western & Southern Financial Fund, The William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation

Competition Sponsors:  Northern Kentucky School of Music at Immanuel, Northern Kentucky University, Mount Saint Joseph University

Printing Sponsor:  Crest Graphics

THE 2017 OVERTURE AWARDS FINALISTS

CREATIVE WRITING

• Presley Hargis – grade 12, Conner High School
• Hallie Menkhaus – grade 11, Taylor High School
• Olivia Short – grade 12, Mother of Mercy High School
• Jessica Sommerville – grade 12, William Mason High School

DANCE

• Joseph Harrington – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway
• Annika Hsi – grade 10, Walnut Hills High School/Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet
• Anna Robertson – grade 12, Bellbrook High School/McGing Irish Dancers
• Ava Sine – grade 9, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

• Cory Bargemann – grade 12, Walnut Hills High School
• Calvin Huang – grade 11, St. Xavier High School/Inna Terekhov
• Christina Nam – grade 9, Walnut Hills High School
• Jiin Woo – grade 11, Sycamore High School

THEATER

• Elsa Benson – grade 12, Sycamore High School/Karl Resnik Studio
• Anthony Frederickson – grade 9, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/McCready Voice Studio
• Chandler Hoffert – grade 12, Fairfield High School/McCready Voice Studio
• Morgan Reece – grade 12, Kings High School/Lincoln Chapman Studio

VISUAL ART

• Ava Grannan – grade 12, Wyoming High School
• Madyson Haynes – grade 12, Dixie Heights High School
• Geneva Huffman – grade 10, School for Creative & Performing Arts
• Sarah Kenkel – grade 12, Mother of Mercy High School

VOCAL MUSIC

• Taylor Kay Baer – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts /Wyant-Zenni
• Reed Gnepper – grade 10, School for Creative & Performing Arts/Mary Ann Powers-Buyukisik
• Katherine Sharp – grade 12, Indian Hill High School/The Music House (Anne Moss)
• Nathaniel Wilkens – grade 12, St. Xavier High School/Melody Wallace Voice Studio

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 2017 award will receive $2,500, and two finalists will receive $500 each. The recipients of the Arts Educator Award may utilize the monetary award to strengthen their program or practice, e.g. an artist fee for a guest lecturer or master class, the 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.

Arts Educator Award Finalists

Becky Childs, UC-CCM Preparatory Department
Discipline: Musical Theater
Nominated by Annabel Forman

Susan Jung, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Discipline: Theater
Nominated by Carter Jackson

Marion Peraza de Webb, Peraza Music Workshop
Discipline: Instrumental Music
Nominated by Beatrice Baker

Arts Educator Award Honorable Mentions

Hitomi Koyama, UC-CCM Preparatory Department
Discipline: Instrumental Music
Nominated by Chisato Fuji

Melody Wallace, Wallace Voice Studio
Discipline: Vocal Music
Nominated by Anna Greco

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 1.5 million students.

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

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