CIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM

About Our 2007 Young Artists
 
Daniel ParkDaniel Park, 17, is a junior at Ames High School, where he is a member of the orchestra, symphonic band, jazz band, pep band and drumline. He also regularly performs with the Central Iowa Symphony, and his brother and sister performed as CIS Young Artists in 2003.

Daniel has studied violin with Won-Jun Kim (1996-1998), Elaine Badiere (2001-2001), Jonathan Sturm at Iowa State University (2001-2005) and Mahlon Darling (current). He also is studying percussion with Barry Larkin at Iowa State (2004-present). In addition to his violin and percussion studies, Daniel has studied viola, trumpet and piano.

Daniel has performed with a number of honor ensembles on violin as well as percussion. From 2003 through 2005, he was violinist for the Iowa Youth Symphony and Iowa Youth Chamber Orchestra; and in 2006 he was percussionist for the same two organizations. He performed with the SCIBA Honor Band on percussion (2003, 2006, 2007), and the Iowa All-State orchestra on violin (2004, 2005). He has received Division I (top) ratings in solo and ensembles, performing on violin, percussion and trumpet.

Daniel has attended Iowa State music camps the past four years, performing as principal second violin in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 and 2007, he performed percussion with the Iowa State University Honors Orchestra. In 2003, he was co-concertmaster for the Iowa Junior Honors Orchestra and was selected for the Des Moines Symphony Alliance Honors Orchestra.

He is the son of Young and Helen Park of Ames.
 

Benjamin WedekingBen Wedeking, 17, is a senior at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, where he is co-concertmaster of the orchestra and a member of the Roosevelt String Quartet that performs frequently in the Des Moines area.

He began studying the violin at the age of 5 with Kathy Hykes at Edmunds Academy of Fine Arts in Des Moines (1995-2002). More recently he has studied with Linda Swanson (2002-2006) and Lin He (2006-present). He has attended the American Suzuki summer institute in Stevens Point, Wisconsin every summer since 1996, and has participated in the two-week chamber program for advanced musicians.

Ben also has participated in the ISU chamber music camp several years. For the past three years, he has been a member of the Iowa All-State orchestra, and currently is an alternate player for the Des Moines Symphony.

In addition to his violin studies, Ben studies classical guitar, piano and voice and participates in numerous performing groups. He plans to major in music, continuing his study in violin and classical guitar.

He is the son of Bill and Elaine Wedeking of Des Moines.
 

About the CIS Program

Central Iowa Symphony has offered a Young Artists program for many years as part of its education and outreach mission. Students are selected by audition to perform a solo with the symphony during its third concert of the season.

Adjudicators, along with the CIS music director, will select performers who will contribute to a concert program of the highest quality, which reflects a balance of instruments, ages, historical periods, and musical styles. A 2-round format is planned for audition day. In Round 1, each student will play before an adjudicator and these sessions will be open only to the student’s parents and teacher. Each Round 1 adjudicator will name up to three students to play in Round 2. Round 2 will be open to the public and will be adjudicated by a panel of at least 3. At the completion of Round 2, adjudicators will confer and winners will be announced on audition day.

Auditions are open to Iowa residents, grade 12 or younger. It is open to wind, string, brass, percussion, piano, and voice students. Previous winners must wait 2 years before competing again. Students who won while in 11th grade are exempt from this rule and may compete again in 12th grade.

Download 2007 Young Artists Audition application [PDF]
News release about auditions

Recent Young Artist Performances

February 25, 2005

  • Neil Anders, Cello: Concerto in C Major, Franz Joseph Haydn

  • Erika Boysen, Flute: Concertino for Flute and Orchestra, Otar Gordeli
  • Alan Yangyang Zhou, Violin: Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs), Op. 20, Sarasote

February 25, 2006

  • Sarah Shin, Flute: Flute Concerto, Allegro Scherzando, Jacues Ibert
  • Annie Jeong, Violin: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, op. 22, Allegro moderato, Henry Wieniawski

 
 

About Our 2006 Young Artists
 
  Annie JeongAnnie Jeong is a sophomore and has attended Ames High School and the Sunhwa Arts High School in Korea. She started playing violin in Korea when she was in the first grade. After she moved to the United States in 2003, she began performing as the youngest member of the Central Iowa Symphony.

Since that time, Annie has attended a number of music camps and received numerous honors. In 2003, she was concertmaster for the Iowa Junior Honors String Orchestra Festival. In 2003 and 2004, she attended the Iowa State University summer music camp as a scholarship student, and was selected for the Iowa All-State Orchestra in 2004. In 2005, she attended the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, studying with Kyung Sun Lee and Chin Kim. In October 2005, she performed the same solo piece with the Oskaloosa Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to the Central Iowa Symphony, Annie is first violinist in the Des Moines Youth Symphony directed by Joseph Giunta, and performs at her church. Currently she is a student of Jonathan Sturm, concertmaster for the Des Moines Symphony and professor of music at Iowa State University.

Annie is the daughter of Hyunjo and Jinok Jeong of Ames.

Sarah ShinSarah Shin, a sophomore at Ames High School, started playing flute seven years ago as a third grader. She has been a member of flute choirs at Ames Middle School and Ames High School and also a flute ensemble at Iowa State University. She has been an Iowa All-Stater the past two years, named co-principal in the 2004 Iowa All-State Orchestra and third chair in the 2005 Iowa All-State Band.

Sarah also has been very active in competitions and various flute choirs. She received second place in the Flute Wonders competition in 2004 and 2005, and was named first place in the Des Moines Symphony Alliance competition in 2005. In summer 2005, she performed with the National Flue Association flute choir and attended Interlochen Arts Camp as a full scholarship student, studying with Katie DeJongh, Martha Fabrique and performing in master classes for Jeanne Baxtresser. She also has taken a master class with Tadeu Coelho in fall 2005 offered by the Nebraska Flute Club.

Sarah studies flute with Sonja Giles at Iowa State University and Christine Larson, who directs bands for the Baxter School District. Additional teachers include Tamara Thweatt and Mary Posses.

Sarah is the daughter of Chungyeol and Youngsook Shin of Ames.
 

Central Iowa Symphony is supported, in part, by grants from the City of Ames Commission on the Arts and the Sylvia and Bill McCormack Fund of the Central Iowa Symphony Foundation.