Woohoo Gabrielle!

NEWS RELEASE

ALGOMA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC

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The 2016 Sault Ste. Marie Music Festival concluded on May 8 with the Shield Competition at St. Luke’s Cathedral. 

The 5 division winners are chosen by the guest adjudicators to participate in the Shield Competition where they compete for the festival’s top prize. 

Participants this year were:  Alejandro Izquierdo – Guitar; Hannah Nicoletta – Piano; Gabrielle Turgeon – Strings (violin); Gabrielle Turgeon – Voice; Meghan Gauthier – Winds (flute)

The Shield adjudicator was noted violinist and conductor – Nurhan Arman, conductor of the Toronto Sinfonia. Following the performances he commented on each performance and then awarded the Shield to violinist Gabrielle Turgeon. 

Gabrielle just turned 15 years of age and is a violin student of Guy Traficante at the Algoma Conservatory of Music. 

She performed the Bartok Romanian Dances as well as the last two movements of Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor. 

Gabrielle was the division winner for both violin and voice and has been recommended for the Provincial Competition for violin, voice and musical theatre.

She is currently in grade 10 in the IB program at Korah Collegiate and has been featured in several school musicals including Oliver, Phantom of the Opera and Aladdin.
 
The Sault Ste. Marie Music Festival is in its 79th year. This year there were several hundred student performances with guest adjudicators from Toronto and London. 

Over $4,000 in scholarships were awarded and top students were also recommended by the adjudicators to represent Sault Ste. Marie at the Provincial Finals which will be held in Peterborough this Spring. 

The top three students in the Junior and Senior categories of each division are awarded scholarships. 

Other exceptional performances are recognized through Performance of Distinction certificates. Students must perform at least two pieces to be considered for an award. 

For the past 12 years the festival has been coordinated by the Algoma Conservatory of Music.

Awards, Recommendations and Scholarships for each Division:

Shield Competition Winner:  Gabrielle Turgeon – Strings (violin)

Senior Division Winners and Shield Competitors:  Alejandro Izquierdo – Guitar; Hannah Nicoletta – Piano; Gabrielle Turgeon – Strings (violin); Gabrielle Turgeon – Voice; Meghan Gauthier – Winds (flute)

Scholarships and Recommendations:
Shield Competition Winner:  Gabrielle Turgeon – Strings (violin) $300

GUITAR
Irene Tandberg, Adjudicator
JUNIOR DIVISION - Guitar 1. Garrett Nott $100 2. Lucas Anderson $75 3. Owen Middleton $50
Performance of Distinction Awards: (listed alphabetically) James Carricato, Gabriel Fournier

SENIOR DIVISION - Guitar 1. Alejandro Izquierdo $250 2. Joshua Hales-Leppanen $175
Provincial Recommendations - Guitar: Grade 8 - Joshua Hales-Leppanen Grade 9 - Alejandro Izquierdo

PIANO Maggie Morrison, Adjudicator
JUNIOR DIVISION - Piano 1. Colton Oliverio $100 2. Mario Kwon $75 3. Ryan North $50
Performance of Distinction Awards: (listed alphabetically) Damian Drouin, Keira Lamming, Abigail Marshall, Sophia Murray, Deanna St. Germain, Chloe Shier

SENIOR DIVISION - Piano 1. Hannah Nicoletta $250 2. Stephen North $175 3. Casey Croswell $100 Performance of Distinction Award: Hyland Muirhead Shield Competition: Hannah Nicoletta

Provincial Recommendations - Piano: (listed alphabetically) Grade 6 - Colton Oliverio, alternate - Abigail Marshall Grade 8 - Mario Kwon, Stephen North Grade 9 - Nathaniel Hallett, Annalise Tholberg Grade 10 - Casey Croswell Diploma - Juan Narvaez, Hannah Nicoletta; alternate - Hyland Muirhead

STRINGS Irene Tandberg, Adjudicator JUNIOR DIVISION - Strings 1. Corinne Turgeon $100 2. Brian Li $75 3. Jeffrey Chen $50, Chloe Fisher $50
Performance of Distinction Awards: (listed alphabetically) Maggie Liu, Aric Quan

SENIOR DIVISION - Strings 1. Gabrielle Turgeon $250 2. Bonnie Li $175 3. Hannah Nicoletta $100, Noah Nicoletta $100
Performance of Distinction Award: Emily Williams
Provincial Recommendations – Strings (listed alphabetically): Grade 7 - Brian Li Grade 8 - Bonnie Li Grade 10 - Gabrielle Turgeon, Sam Wier

VOICE Jackie Short, Adjudicator

JUNIOR DIVISION - Voice 1. Ryan Mauro $100 2. Cassandra McCauley $75 3. Lily Mick $50 Performance of Distinction Awards: Abigail Marshall, Gianna Spironello Musical Theater - Ryan Mauro $75

SENIOR DIVISION - Voice 1. Gabrielle Turgeon $250 2. Evan Williams $175 3. Annie Damignani $100 Performance of Distinction Awards: Mariah Bennardo, Brittany Noonan Musical Theater - Gabrielle Turgeon $150

Provincial Recommendations - Voice: (listed alphabetically) Grade 7 - Mariah Bennardo Grade 8 - Annie Damignani Grade 9 - Gabrielle Turgeon, Evan Williams, alternate - Brittany Noonan Grade 10 - Victoria Stortini-Snider Musical Theater - Elementary - Ryan Mauro, Cassandra McCauley Musical Theater - Junior - Gabrielle Turgeon Musical Theater - Intermediate - Jackson Allen, Annie Damignani, alternate - Charlotte Reich Musical Theater - Senior - Tomás Pochtaruk, Evan Williams Musical Theater - Advanced - Brittany Noonan, Victoria Stortini-Snider Secondary School Choir - Korah Korahsters Mrs. D. Williams, Director Community Choir - Northern Arts Academy Choir Ms. A. McCarthy, Director

WINDS Rob Galbraith, Adjudicator

JUNIOR DIVISION - Winds no awards given

SENIOR DIVISION - Winds 1. Meghan Gauthier $250 2. Courtney Irwin $175 Provincial Recommendations - Winds: Grade 9 - Meghan Gauthier

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