2013 Overture Award Winners Announced

The Cincinnati Arts Association has announced the winners of its 2013 Overture Awards Scholarship Competition, held on Saturday, March 2, 2013 at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater. The competition annually awards $3,000 scholarships to six area students for post-secondary education, with 18 runners-up each winning $500 scholarships.

Students are nominated by their schools to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, or Vocal Music. The scholarship program is the largest of its kind in the United States and was developed to recognize, encourage and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final and Final.

CREATIVE WRITING: Olivia Linn - Wyoming High School, grade 11

HOMETOWN: Wyoming, Ohio - Olivia has been writing since she was in the third grade, when she began her involvement with Women Writing for a Change. She attributes her love of writing and strength of voice to this organization. Olivia plans to pursue writing in college and hopes to see the world outside of the Midwest.

DANCE: Angela Vettikkal - Cultural Centre of India / William Mason High School, grade 11

HOMETOWN: Mason, Ohio - Angela loved to dance as a child, starting with ballet and tap at age four and Indian Classical dance from age eight. She studies at the Cultural Centre of India and Shree School of Dance. Angela volunteers at a hospital and hopes to use her talents to serve the community.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Jacqueline Tso - Sycamore High School, grade 11

HOMETOWN: Loveland, Ohio - Jacqueline Tso studies violin with Almita and Roland Vamos in Chicago. Jackie is the concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. She was the winner of the Overture Awards in 2011; BAMSO (Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra) Concerto Competition in 2008, 2009, and 2012; and participated in the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition in 2012.

THEATER: Reginald Hemphill - Walter Pool Studio / School for Creative and Performing Arts,

grade 12

HOMETOWN: Mt. Airy, Ohio - Reggie is a drama and vocal major at SCPA, and studies voice with Walter Pool. He performs with three ensembles: Jazpel, Meridian 8, and Tremelo. During his time at SCPA, he has appeared as King Duncan in Macbeth, The Lion in The Wizard of Oz, and the Stage Manager in Our Town. He was a Corbett Mayerson Scholarship Finalist at SCPA. He is also an Eagle Scout with Troop 591. He plans to study theater at Miami University, Northern Kentucky University, Ohio Wesleyan, or the University of Cincinnati in the fall.

VISUAL ART: Abigail Koch - Lakota West High School, grade 12

HOMETOWN: West Chester, Ohio - In addition to her classes at Lakota West, Abigail has taken private art classes at Schain Studios for two years. Her passion lies not just in visual art, but also theater, and she is involved with both school and community theater groups on and off-stage. She plans to pursue fine arts in college.

VOCAL MUSIC: Matthew Pearce - Walter Pool Studio / Larry A. Ryle High School, grade 12

HOMETOWN: Union, Kentucky - Matthew has spent his whole life singing and playing instruments at school and church. He is currently studying with Walter Pool and is preparing for college where he will be a Vocal Performance major. He is the tuba section leader, tenor section leader, and choir president at Ryle High School. He also sings in a choir and a praise team, plays in a brass group, and plays hand bells at church.

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held on January 12 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, Immanuel United Methodist Church (Lakeside Park, KY), Saint Ursula Academy, University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College, and Xavier University. The top 20 percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center on January 18and 19. Twenty-four finalists (four in each discipline) competed in the Finals Competition at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater on March 2.

Now in its 17th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy)and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate and manage the competitions, and nurture the program.

Overture Awards Program Sponsors: Carey Digital; Citi; The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; Ft. Washington Investment Advisors

Scholarship Sponsors: Arthur Murray - Cincinnati; Doreen Beatrice; Bonita Brockert; Cincinnati Ballroom; Dare to Dance; The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Step-N-Out Studio; Stock Yards Bank & Trust; Summerfair Cincinnati; The William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation; Western & Southern Financial Fund.

Competition Sponsors: Buddy Roger's Music, Immanuel United Methodist Church (Lakeside Park, KY), Pebble Creek Group, St. Ursula Academy, University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College, Xavier University.

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