FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              April 5, 2005 

FESTIVAL OF PIANISTS RESULTS ANNOUNCED 

            The annual Festival of Pianists for students in grades 1 through 12 took place April 2 at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

            “Due to a larger than usual number of calendar conflicts with public school events, only 36 students registered for the event,” said Dr. Rodney Murrow, professor of music and director of the event. “The competition is open to any piano student in the northwestern region of Oklahoma and south central Kansas. Eleven teachers in the region entered students.”

            All students performed for a rating in the first round of competition. Those who received “Superior-Plus” ratings were invited to return to the second round.

            Superior-Plus ratings were achieved by Kelsi Hadwiger and Brennan Louthan, students of Carla Mitchel of Alva; Alison Goeken and Josh Girty, students of Nita Cox of Cherokee; Sarah Jeanne Mitchell, Courtney Neises and Elizabeth Mitchell, students of Mary Frances Holefelder of Wellington, Kan.; Charissa Curby, Sydney Vanhooser, Caleb Curby, Levi Curby and Shelby Vanhooser, students of Regina Chace of Oklahoma City (formerly of Enid);

Anton Ridgway, Kaylie Mayes, Elliott Ridgway, Alyssa Logsdon, Whitney Nusser, Aaron Pierce, Courtney Roark, Hailey Roark and Kayla Noble, students of Alycen Ridgway Yoder of Alva; Kurtis Eckhardt, student of Joy Ware of Alva; Sydney Downing, student of Edna Tims of Medford; Morgan Miller, student of Karen Payne of Buffalo; Katie Moeder, student of Francee Hume of Enid; and Kayla Hadwiger, student of Charla Parker of Alva.

            Students earning a Superior rating included Andrew Krush, student of Janice Semrad of Waukomis; Marissa Montalvo, Jacklyn Highfill and William Parker, students of Nita Cox; Tenille Smith, Philip Ridgway and Payton Stein, students of Alycen Ridgway Yoder; and Nathan Curby, student of Regina Chace.

            Following three rounds of competition and an Honors Recital, awards were distributed as follows:

            Elementary I, grades 1-3: Sydney Downing, first place; Morgan Miller, second place.

            Elementary II, grades 4-6: Levi Curby, first place; Shelby Vanhooser, second place; Elizabeth Mitchell, third place; Caleb Curby, fourth place; Katie Moeder, fifth place.

            Junior High, grades 7-9: Kelsi Hadwiger, first place; Sarah Jeanne Mitchell, second place; Charissa Curby, third place; Elliott Ridgway, fourth place; Alison Goeken, fifth place.

            Senior High, grades 10-12: Sydney Vanhooser, first place; Courtney Neises, second place; Whitney Nusser, third place; Kurtis Eckhardt, fourth place.

            First and second place winners received trophies; third through fifth place winners received medallions.

            Adjudicator for the festival was David Husser, a graduate student in the piano pedagogy program at the University of Oklahoma. He is a student of Dr. Jane McGrath, a nationally recognized piano pedagogue, author, lecturer, clinician and pianist.

-NW-

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