Overture Awards 2026 Scholarship Competition Reveals Winners
Six student winners and two educators were honored, with $4,000 top prizes awarded across six disciplines.
the Cincinnati Arts Association has revealed the winners of its Overture Awards Competition, held on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater, and the recipients of its Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction. The competition awarded $4,000 to six area students for education and training, $1,500 each to the eighteen runners-up, and $1,000 each to two Arts Educator Award recipients.
The Overture Awards recognizes, encourages, and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12 and is the area’s largest solo arts competition. Students are nominated by their schools and/or private studios to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.
The Arts Educator Award promotes and rewards excellence in arts instruction throughout Greater Cincinnati. An educator who teaches any of the following arts disciplines may be nominated: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. A nominee may be a high school arts specialist, teaching artist working with high school students, or an arts professional or educator providing private lessons or instruction. Students between the ages of 14-19 who are currently enrolled in high school submit nominations for their favorite educators.
The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held virtually in January 2025. The top thirty percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center from February 5-12.
2026 Arts educator award RECIPIENTS
Creative Writing
Olivia Landry, grade 11, Villa Madonna Academy, is from Walton, KY. She is an avid reader and writer with a focus on speculative fiction and dark fantasy, has been writing for seven years, and recently earned a Gold Key in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. She hopes to become a full-time author and New York Times bestseller.
Dance
Nora Doyle, grade 11, School for Creative and Performing Arts / studies with Just Off Broadway, is from Cleves, OH. She is in her 12th year at the School for Creative and Performing Arts and began training at age 2.5 across multiple dance styles. She plans to continue her dance studies and pursue the arts long-term.
Instrumental Music
Mario Agustín Ynga Orellana, grade 10, Walnut Hills High School / studies with Dr. Laura Sabo, is from Amelia, OH. He grew up immersed in Bolivian musical traditions, began as an accordionist, and later transitioned to clarinet. He is principal clarinet of the OMEA All-State Band, a CSYO Norman E. Johns Chair awardee, and also has a strong interest in mathematics.
Theater
Jai’Den Pritchett, grade 11, Sycamore High School / studies with Musical Arts Center, is from Cincinnati, OH. He was recently named a Winner with Distinction in the National YoungArts Competition for Musical Theatre and plans to pursue a BFA in Musical Theatre.
Visual Art
Edie Anderson, grade 12, School for Creative and Performing Arts, is from Cincinnati, OH. Her comics and illustrations have earned multiple Gold Keys in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and a Gold Seal in the Cincinnati Public Schools’ citywide art show. She aims to write and illustrate graphic novels.
Vocal Music
William Wittekind, grade 12, Saint Xavier High School / studies with Musical Arts Center, is from Cincinnati, OH. He has studied and performed classical music since seventh grade, recently won the Matinee Musicale Competition, and was an Overture Awards finalist in 2025 and semifinalist in 2024.
2026 Arts Educator Award Recipients
Giovanni Flores
Private Instructor, Instrumental Music. Nominated by Quincy Whitfield.
Michael Sherman
High School Teacher, Theater. Nominated by Adelaide Linser.
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