Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Jan. 29, 2025 – Twelve entrants from across the United States competed in the Delta Symphony Orchestra’s (DSO) 35th Young Artist Competition, with Jonesboro residents being among the winners.
The competition was held Jan. 11 in the Fine Arts Center on the Arkansas State University campus. The entrants competed for prize money and an opportunity to perform with the Delta Symphony in its Feb. 23 concert. The Grand Prize winners received $1,000 each, and the other category winners received $750 each.
Anamaria Tarkington from Jonesboro was the winner for the piano division.
Tarkington has been performing for eight years and attends the Royal Garden Academy. Her teacher is Dr. Lauren Schack Clark. She is a violinist with the Delta Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas State University Orchestra, and The Tarkington’s Family Production Co. She has won first place in JD Kelly piano competition (2024), second place in the Beethoven Club Young Artist Competition – Piano (2023), and the high school award for the DSO Young Artist Competition (2023, 2024). Her parents are Beau and Anita Tarkington of Jonesboro.
Andrew Williams from Jonesboro was the winner for the woodwinds, as he performed the baritone saxophone.
He has been performing for nine years and currently attends Arkansas State University, where he studies with Dr. Elissa Kana. He is also a graduate of Nettleton High School. He has performed with the A-State Wind Ensemble, the National Intercollegiate Band, and the Arkansas Intercollegiate Band. His parents are David and Gienah Williams of Jonesboro.
Anne Elise Teeling, a soprano from Brooklyn, NY, was the winner of the voice division and also one of the two Grand Prize Winners.
Teeling has been performing for sixteen years and has attended Northwestern University (BM) and Florida State University (MM). She has studied under Theresa Brancaccio and Gloria Olson and currently studying with David Okerlund. She has performed in Opera in the Ozarks, Regina Opera Company, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island. She won the Ocala Symphony Young artist Competition in 2024. Her parents are Joseph and Leslie Teeling.
Leila Warren from Jacksonville, FL, was the winner of the strings division and also one of the two Grand Prize Winners.
Warren has been performing for twelve years and studies with Adelya Nartadjieva. She has performed in the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra and JSYO Honors Quartet. She has performed solos with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra at their “Lords of the Dance” concert; the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, at their “Holiday Pops” concert; and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra for their Stars of Tomorrow concert. She has been the grand prize winner of the St. Augustine Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition (2024), grand prize winner of the Young Artist Competition for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (2024), and Finalist of the MTNA Junior String Competition (2023).
The contestants for all categories are listed below:
Piano division: Tarkington performing the Mendelssohn, “Piano Concerto G minor.”
Woodwind division: Williams performing the Walters, “Rhapsody for Baritone Saxophone;” Maria Baechle from Fort Collins, CO, performing the Debussy, “Premiere Rhapsody for Clarinet;” Ella Liu from Collierville, Tn, performing the Sarasate, “Ziguernerweisen.”
String division: Tarkington performing the Bruch, “Violin Concerto 3;” Leila Warren from Jacksonville, FL, performing the Sibelius, “Violin Concerto;” Hannah Romanko from Troy, MO, performing the Dvorak, “Violin Concerto;” Selin Demeril from Baton Rouge, LA, performing the Lalo, “Cello Concerto.”
Voice division: Yunona Tabala from Watertown, MA, performing the Gounod, “Ah! Je viux vivre!” and Rachmaninov, “Sing Not to Me, Fair Maiden;” Holly Henson from Brookland, AR, performing the Mozart, “Dutch Zartlichkeit” and Rorem, “Emily’s Aria;” Reece Ruhl from Paragould, AR, performing the Gounod, “Ah levetoi soleil” and Puccini, “Che gelida manina;” Teeling performing the Thomas, “A vos jeux” and Strauss, “The Presentation of the Rose.”
Brass/Percussion division: James Falcon-Santana from Hazel Green, AL, performing the Raum, “Sherwood Legend.”
Judges for the event were A-State professor Kristin Leitterman, DSO Principal oboist, A-State professor of voice Marques Ruff, and Robert Johnson, DSO violinist.
The grand prize winners will be returning to perform with the Delta Symphony Orchestra at the Fowler Center on the A-State campus Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. Order tickets online here or call 870-761-8254 for group rates.