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12th Annual Rosen-Schaffel Competition for Young and Emerging Artists
July 1
The festival proudly presents the 12th 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 1, 2023
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 2024 season.
2023 WINNERS
FIRST PLACE
CARTER DOOLITTLE is a sophomore at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). Much like many other musicians, he started playing saxophone in middle school. He has been fortunate enough to study briefly with some amazing saxophonists and educators such as Dr. Clifford Leaman (USC), Professor Joe Lulloff (MSU), Professor Matt Olsen (FU), Dr. Karen Hill (Converse College), and Dr. Timothy McAllister (UM). Carter currently studies under Dr. Robert Young at UNCSA in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Saxophone Performance. He has had some great opportunities and achievements along the way, including receiving 1st and 3rd prizes in the 2019-2021 SCBDA Masters Recital Competitions, receiving 1st place in the 2020-2021 SCMTA and NCMTA State Solo Competitions, receiving 1st place in the 2020-2021 MTNA Regional Solo Competitions for SC and NC, receiving 5th and 3rd prizes in the 2021-2022 National MTNA Solo Competitions, placing 2nd in the UNCSA Concerto Competition, winning 1st prize in the Euterpe Solo Competition, making it to finals (thus far) in the Cleveland International Music Competition, and being named a Finalist for the 2021-2022 NASA Saxophone Quartet Competition.
SECOND PLACE
GABRIEL LOPEZ is a native of Puerto Rico currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music (Class of ‘24) at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) with a concentration on saxophone performance, under the instruction of Dr. Robert Young. He earned his high school diploma from Clayton High School, where he received the Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence and was named First Chair Alto Saxophonist of the 2020 North Carolina Senior High All-State Honors Band. A multi-faceted musician, he is a member of the UNCSA Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and the Ascend Quartet. He has performed in various masterclasses led by esteemed musicians such as Joseph Lulloff, Owen Broder, and Jon Metzger. Other masterclass attendances include Timothy McAllister, Anthony McGill, Connie Frigo, and Paul Hanson. After completing his undergraduate studies, Gabriel López aspires to pursue master’s and doctorate degrees in music and one day teach saxophone at the collegiate level.
THIRD PLACE
Baritone KEVIN SPOONER is pursuing his Master of Music in Vocal Performance at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute, studying under the tutelage of Dr. Marilyn Taylor. A recent graduate of the Eastman School of Music, where he studied under Anthony Dean Griffey, Kevin has performed a diverse breadth of roles in the operatic repertoire, ranging from Mozart to Sondheim. During the 2022/2023 season, Kevin made his professional debut as Marchese D’Obigny in Verdi’s La Traviata with Piedmont Opera and performed the role of Rodomonte in Haydn’s Orlando Paladino with the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute in February. Kevin also performed the role of Sir Anthony Absolute in Kirke Mechem’s The Rivals in April. In 2022, Kevin performed the role of Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème with Opera Steamboat and performed the role of Paul’s Father in Gregory Spears’ Paul’s Case with the Ad Astra Music Festival. Kevin made his 21st century opera debut as Johannes “Pa” Zegner in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up with the Eastman Opera Theater, and reprised the role with Notre Dame Opera. Additional Eastman Opera Theater roles include Poeta in Salieri’s Prima la musica e poi le parole, Buff in Mozart’s Die Schauspieldirektor, Marco in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and the Wolf in Sondheim’s Into the Woods.
AUDIENCE CHOICE
ERIC WANG is a rising senior at Wake Forest University, where he currently studies piano with Dr. Larry Weng and is a Nancy Susan Reynolds Scholar and Presidential Scholar in Music. Mr. Wang has been awarded 1st place in multiple editions of the Giles-Harris Piano Competitions, and has appeared in concert twice with the WFU Symphony as a prizewinner in the annual Concerto Competitions. As a prizewinner in the Baltimore Piano Festival Competition, Mr. Wang also debuted a solo program at Weill Recital Hall in 2019. His other honors include awards in the North Carolina MTNA Competitions and top prizes at the ECU Young Artist Competition and UNCSA Classical Sonata Competition. Mr. Wang’s prior teachers include Dr. Peter Kairoff and Mrs. Olga Urick. He has participated in masterclasses with Mr. Jerome Lowenthal (The Juilliard School), Dr. Arthur Greene (University of Michigan), and Dr. Kwan Yi (East Carolina University), among others. Mr. Wang also collaborates in chamber ensembles at Wake Forest and was recently selected as a finalist in the 2023 NC Symphony and Rosen-Schaffel Concerto Competitions.