Four very talented musicians took center stage at a recent Coronado Rotary luncheon meeting after becoming the finalists among a large field of contenders. In December, Coronado High School and Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) students in grades 9 through 12 were invited to participate in the 2019 Third Annual Coronado Rotary Music Scholarship Competition. Fifteen students entered the prelims, with instruments ranging from saxophone to piano and trumpet.
Ryan Wood, a junior at Coronado High School, won First Place at the Coronado Rotary Club’s Musical Scholarship Competition held at the Coronado Cays Yacht Club. The talented high school student performed “Pure Imagination” by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and “Over the Rainbow” by Harold Arlen on the guitar.
Alex Murray, a Coronado High/Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) sophomore placed second with his piano performance of “The Magnetic Rag” by Scott Joplin.
Both Ryan and Alex will compete at the Rotary District 5340 Regional Competitions. The winners of the regional competitions are eligible to compete in Rotary District Finals. All District Finalists are guaranteed a $500 award, with the winner receiving $2,500.
Finishing as this year’s Club Finalists were Coronado High/Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) senior Sebastian Sanchez on the bass performing “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” by Marcel Louiguy/Jacques Larue/Mack David; and Michael Storm, a junior at Coronado High School performing “Un Did De Noviembra” by Leo Brouwer on the guitar.
The Coronado Rotary Club provided awards of $200 (First Place); $125 (Second Place); and $75 (each Finalist).
The Coronado Rotary Music Scholarship Competition aims to recognize the high school students who best demonstrate musical talent and love for instrumental music. The students who participate are judged on musical ability, technique and accuracy, interpretation of the selection played, and stage presence.
The Coronado Rotary was honored to have the music competition judged by three highly respected musical artists:
- Jim George is the President of the San Diego Clarinet Society. He maintains an active solo and chamber music schedule and freelances in San Diego as a woodwind doubler, where he adds flutes and saxophones to his arsenal to play Broadway shows at the San Diego Civic Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, Starlight, North Coast Repertory Theatre and the Welk Theatre. He teaches privately and coaches woodwind students at Solana Beach School District and Cathedral Catholic High School.
- Mariah Gillespie is founder of Ms. Mariah’s Music, offering in-home piano, harp, and voice lessons to students of all ages. She has been a featured soloist with the Southern Great Lakes Symphony (harp) and was twice awarded the Wayne County Council for the Arts Artist Award as well as the A. Elaine Bychinsky Award in Music. Mariah currently serves as the Arts Education and Musical Arts Commissioner for the City of Coronado.
- Elan McMahan was this year’s Music Director for the Old Globe production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She previously worked on the Globe productions of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Summer Shakespeare Festival, and Powers New Voices Festival reading of Cake Off. Elan is Moonlight Stage Productions Resident Musical Director with over 50 productions to her name. She has received three San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Craig Noel Awards for Outstanding Musical Direction.
