Rosen-Schaffel Competition for Young and Emerging Artists
July 6
The festival proudly presents the 13th annual Rosen-Schaffel Concerto Competition for Young & Emerging Artists, known for the pivotal role it has played in launching the careers of some of our region’s most promising young artists. This year’s competition, in partnership with the Hayes School of Music, extends eligibility to undergraduate and graduate collegiate musicians (up to age 26) to 10 states across the southeast: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida! In the final live round of the competition, presented during An Appalachian Summer Festival on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, a panel of distinguished conductors will choose a First, Second, and Third Place winner from a group of finalists selected via a blind adjudication process by esteemed musicians and collegiate educators during the spring. The competition’s audience will also select an Audience Choice Award winner.
IN PERSON: Rosen Concert Hall, Broyhill Music Center, 813 Rivers St., Boone
LIVESTREAM: Available on the App Summer YouTube channel
DATE/TIME: Saturday, July 6, 2024
2pm-5pm
Event is FREE
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Box Office at theschaefercenter@appstate.edu or 800-841-2787 or 828-262-4046.
ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT: Appalachian is committed to providing an inclusive experience for individuals with disabilities. If accommodations are needed in order to fully participate on the basis of a disability, contact the Office of Disability Resources (828.262.3056). It is recommended that accommodation requests be made two weeks prior to the event.
PRIZES
First Place: $2,500*
Second Place: $2,000
Third Place: $1,500
Audience Choice: $1,000
*In addition to a cash prize, the First Place Winner will also receive an invitation to perform during An Appalachian Summer Festival’s 2025 season.
2024 FINALISTS
JAYON FELIZARTA, Violin
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Jayon Felizarta is a Filipino-American violinist studying under Dr. Fabian Lopez at UNCG. As a North Carolina native, he has been closely involved with the local musical community since his youth, performing with the NC Triangle Youth Symphony, Duke String School symphony, and Triangle Youth Philharmonic Quartet. Jayon has been awarded top prizes for the North Carolina Symphony Youth Concerto Competition in 2017, the King’s Peak International Music Competition in 2021, and most recently the UNCG Student Concerto Competition this year. He was a laureate of the Peter Perret youth talent search, and has performed as soloist for the Winston-Salem Symphony. An active orchestral performer, Jayon has had a seat as a first violinist of the Fayetteville Symphony since 2021, and concertmaster of the UNCG University Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Wilmington Symphony and performs as violinist for the JAW Trio at UNCG.
JOSHUA FORBES, Viola
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Joshua Forbes was raised in Durham, NC. As a child, he was always interested in music, and by age seven was a singer at Cinitapp, a music school in Raleigh, NC. His true passion for the viola began in middle school at Durham School of the Arts, where he was introduced to the viola by a music teacher, Boyd Gibson, and fell in love with music. In 2017, Joshua decided to pursue music as a career and began studying under Simon Ertz. In 2018, Joshua took a leap of faith and attended UNCSA for high school, where he studied viola with Ulrich Eichenauer. Joshua is currently an undergraduate violist at UNCSA, studying with renowned soloist and chamber musician Jordan Bak. Joshua is pursuing his dream of becoming a soloist and professional chamber musician, collaborating with world-class musicians and making lifelong connections. He currently serves as a member of UNCSA’s Outreach Program Artist Corps, where he often goes to elementary, middle, and high schools to teach viola. Joshua has attended summer intensives across the United States: Northern Lights Chamber music festival, Green Mountain chamber music festival, Landeskakademie für musizierende, and the Josef Gingold Chamber music festival of Miami. When not performing, Joshua spends his free time making tea and sight reading.
ANNETTE GREGOIRE, Viola
Appalachian State University
Annette Gregoire graduated from Appalachian State University with her Bachelor’s in Viola Performance in 2023, and is currently in the first year of her Master’s. She grew up in Hendersonville, NC, where she started playing the viola in her school orchestra at age 11. Annette is an alumna of Brevard Music Center and, since 2022, has played with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra and Symphony of the Mountains. Her chamber group, the High Country String Quartet, plays for various weddings and events in the region. When she’s not playing viola, she is an amateur cook and a dabbler in the banjo.
TOMAS ZIBETTI HAUSHAHN, Guitar
Radford University
Tomas Zibetti Haushahn is a Brazilian guitarist and began his guitar studies at the Montenegro Municipal Arts Foundation (FUNDARTE). He is currently a student of the Master’s program at Radford University and holds the position of Graduate Teaching Assistant under orientation of Dr. Robert Trent. In 2021 he was awarded 1st place in the X Fred Schneiter National Guitar Competition, which led to him premiering “Study No 1” by Brazilian composer Vicente Paschoal. In 2023 he graduated with academic honors at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) under Dr. Daniel Wolff’s supervision. During his undergraduate degree, he also worked in the organization of the UFRGS International Guitar Festival, where he had the opportunity to participate in Masterclasses with Fabio Zanon, Thomas Patterson, Karol Samuelcik and others.
CHRISTINE HOLLEY, Flute
East Tennessee State University
Christine Holley is a rising college sophomore at East Tennessee State University and a graduate of Science Hill High School. She has played flute for 13 years (doing Suzuki Flute) and is continuing to play her flute in college as a music major. She participated in events such as East Tennessee School Band & Orchestra Association (ETSBOA) and Tennessee Music Education Association (TMEA) throughout high school, playing in the TMEA band and orchestra, as well as the ETSBOA band and orchestra.
SAMUEL SOLIZ, Alto Saxophone
University of Central Florida
Samuel Soliz is a senior with one semester remaining at UCF, majoring in Music Performance. Samuel attended Lake Worth High School in Lake Worth, Florida. Samuel has also competed in other national competitions such as MTNA and the Ocala and UCF concerto competition. Samuel intends to pursue a master’s degree starting in the fall of 2025 with the goal of becoming a professor.
