VSA arts Announces 2009 International Young Soloists to Perform at the Kennedy Center

February 20, 2009

WASHINGTON, February 20, 2009 - VSA arts presents its 25^th annual International Young Soloists Concert, with performances from a cellist, flutist, pianist, and jazz drummer, at the Kennedy Center on April 28 at 7:30 p.m. The International Young Soloists Program annually recognizes emerging young artists with disabilities from all over the world who demonstrate exceptional musical talent. The soloists receive $5,000 and the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center, one of the most prestigious cultural centers in the country.

“The International Young Soloists Program has encouraged young artists to pursue careers in music for more than two decades,” said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. “It offers them the chance to increase their visibility and potential for success by performing at the Kennedy Center.”

The 2009 VSA arts Young Soloists Awardees include:

Flutist Bobbi Blood, 21, a student at the University of Utah, is pursuing a degree in music performance. Blood, who is blind, currently performs with the University of Utah Symphony Orchestra and the University A Capella Choir. She has received several music awards, including first place in the 2007 Utah Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition.
Emily Grissing, 22, studies cello performance at SUNY Fredonia. Originally from Rochester, New York, she is the principal cellist with SUNY Fredonia’s Full, Chamber, and Opera Orchestras. Grissing, who has uveitis and iritis, participated in the 2008 Summer National Orchestral Institute, where she was principal cellist under conductor Michael Stern. She has performed with the Erie Philharmonic, Equinox Orchestra, and Chautauqua Institute Music School Orchestra.
Classical pianist Azariah Tan Peng Chay, 17, of Singapore is a National Arts Council Conservatory scholar studying as a second-year student under Albert Tiu at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. He was diagnosed with a moderate-to-severe hearing impairment at the age of four and has won the Trinity College of London Music Competition and Nis International Piano Competition.
Jazz drummer Karl Schwonik, 24, is a native of Gwynne, Canada. He was the winner of the 2008 Queen’s Jubilee Award for Excellence in the Arts and two Alberta Foundation for the Arts grants. He has performed with acclaimed jazz musicians Paul Bollenback and Jeff Johnston at venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Schwonik, who is blind, is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Music degree at McGill University in Montreal.

The VSA arts International Young Soloists Program was created in 1984 to recognize outstanding young musicians with disabilities and support and encourage their pursuit of a music career. Previous IYS winners have enjoyed careers as professional musicians and received many honors and awards. Country/folk singer Laura Dodd has released several albums and toured nationwide, opening for acts such as Rascal Flatts, Patty Loveless, Sandi Patti, and Maynard Ferguson.

Singer/songwriter Melody Gardot, a 2007 International Young Soloists Awardee, has released two albums and will release another this spring. She continues to build audiences along the northeastern seaboard, drawing critical acclaim from the media. Scott MacIntyre of the 2008 International Young Soloist Award recipients MacIntyre Family Singers is currently a season eight contestant on the popular television show American Idol.

Tickets to the International Young Soloists Concert are free with reservations. Please e-mail Liza Key at EFKey@vsarts.org with the number of tickets requested, the name under which the tickets should be held and any accessibility requests. The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F Street, NW,Washington, D.C.

For more information about the International Young Soloists Award, please visit www.vsarts.org or call (202) 628-2800.

About VSA arts
VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded 35 years ago by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in 55 countries around the world. VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, please visit www.vsarts.org

Media Contact:

Stephanie Taylor/VSA arts
(202) 628-2800 ext. 3883
SKTaylor@vsarts.org