Schmidt to perform with Salem Chamber Orchestra in March 2010

On Sunday November 1, 2009, three finalists competed in live performance at the fourth annual Connie Fritz Memorial Concerto Competition for the opportunity to perform with Salem Chamber Orchestra. After excellent and impressive performances by Brady Schmidt, marimba, Emily Potter, flute, and Jenna Ahn, violin, the judges awarded Brady Schmidt with the grand prize. Brady will perform his piece, Tambourin Chinois by Fritz Kreisler with Salem Chamber Orchestra at the “Gift of Music” Family Concert on March 14, 2010.

All finalists, including Lila Neahring (harp) who was unable to perform due to an injury, received a cash award for their commendable accomplishments in the first round of recordings. Congratulations to all four of these incredible students!

The competition was adjudicated by SCO’s principal horn Mike Hettwer, and SCO’s associate principal viola Danny Seidenberg.

Mike Hettwer also plays principal horn in Portland Opera Orchestra, Portland Ballet, and Linfield Chamber Orchestra, and has played in ensembles around the state and beyond. Mike will be a featured soloist in SCO’s upcoming concert on Nov 21 & 22 with tenor Les Green, playing Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, & Strings.

Danny Seidenberg was a long-time member of the famous Turtle Island String Quartet, and member of the jazz/pop/rock/classical crossover band Silk Mountain Project, which will perform at SCO’s Fireside Jazz concert on December 9.

Brady Schmidt

Brady Schmidt, a senior at North Salem High School, began studying piano at the age of seven. Upon entering the fifth grade he joined the Houck Middle School band program as a percussionist and quickly moved up to become a part of the highly respected Advanced Band. In the years that have followed Brady has been a member of the Salem Youth Symphony, been selected to be part of both the All-State and All-Northwest Orchestras, been the District 4 Solo/Ensemble winner in mallets, orchestral snare and timpani, attended the 2007 Summer Brass & Percussion Institute which is taught by members of the San Francisco Symphony, and received full ride scholarships the past two years to attend the Kinhaven Summer School of Music in Vermont. He is currently a percussion student of Dr. Sean Wagoner at the University of Oregon and also studies drum set with Tim Goertzen and piano with his mom. In addition to his musical activities he is a member of the varsity soccer team at North Salem and is active in his church.

Emily Potter

Emily Potter is a junior homeschool student from Jefferson, Oregon. She has been a principal flutist with the Salem Youth Symphony and Philharmonia for four years, and, in 2008, won the SYS’s annual concerto competition. She also plays with the Jefferson High School Band, was first flute in both 2009 All-Northwest and WIBC, and has competed in OMEA District and State Solo competitions, placing within the top five in 2009. She has come in first at the 2008-09 OMTA and MTNA Northwest Division competitions, and was among seven finalists at the MTNA National Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, she has performed in masterclasses for Patricia George, Greg Pattillo, Molly Barth, and Zart Dombourian-Eby. Emily studies flute with Sandy Duffy Norman in Salem, Oregon.

Lila Neahring

Lila Neahring is a junior at Oregon Episcopal School in Portland. She has studied harp for 8 years and piano for 11 years. She is a harp student of Bethany Evans. Lila attended the International Institute for Young Musicians for piano in the summer of 2004. In September 2008, Lila participated in the Lily Laskine International Harp Competition in Paris, France. In April 2009, she won Honorable Mention at the Vernon L. Wiscarson Young Musicians’ Competition in Monmouth, OR. Lila is also a competitive rock climber, and she was a finalist at the Youth National Championships this past July.

Jenna Ahn

Jenna Ahn is currently a senior at Sprague High School. She has been playing the violin for 11 years, and is a student of Prof. Dan Rouslin. She serves as the concertmistress of the advanced orchestra at Sprague and is also apart of the Salem Youth Symphony.