Photo - Standing from left to right:
Sally A. Myers (Chair of Rotary Noon Music Contest); Laura Cha (2nd Place); Saya Hazel (3rd Place); Matthew Alan Nunez (1st Place) and Dr. Jeanne McClellan (President Temecula Noon Rotary Club)
The Rotary Club of Temecula held its 11th Annual Rotary High School Music Contest designed for high school musicians to showcase their musical talent. Eleven contestants from local high schools, private schools and home school programs in Temecula, Murrieta and the surrounding area competed in vocal, instrumental and piano disciplines to win cash prizes and the opportunity to advance to the Rotary District 5330 Finals competition. The repertoire is classical for the instrumentalists and pianists, and musical theater or classical for the vocalists. All of the contestants study music and wish to further their musical careers in college.
The three cash prize winners are Matthew Alan Nunez, Piano - 1st Place of $400 (12th Grade, Home School student); Laura Cha, Piano – 2nd Place of $250 (11th Grade, River Springs Charter School); Saya Hazel, Piano – 3rd Place at $100 (11th Grade, Chaparral High School). All three categories competed together for the top three prizes. The club enjoyed instruments like the flute, soprano recorder and a classical guitarist as well as vocalists. For many of the contestants, it was their first music contest and the event advanced them to the next level of their music career, and for others it was an opportunity to continue with awards for their years of practice and discipline of their musical talents. The Rotary Club offers the contest each year to encourage young high school musicians to strive to compete in the area of their musical passion.
The Rotary Club of Temecula works with the local schools and music instructors in the Valley. The contest is an excellent opportunity to prepare for college music auditions and other regional, state and national competitions.
The competition was held at Grace Presbyterian Church in Temecula on Wednesday, February 17th. The Rotary Club of Temecula is one of about 15 area Rotary Clubs that sponsor a club level music contest. The winners advance to the Rotary District 5330 Semi and Finals competition in March thru April at the University of Redlands. The Finals winners will be showcased at the Rotary District Conference June 4 - 6, 2010 at the Doral Resort Hotel in Cathedral City, and will receive large cash prizes. The competition is also respected among music professors at local and state colleges and universities.
For more information, please contact Sally Myers , Rotary Club of Temecula Music Contest Chair at (951) 506-8024.
