Wellesley Symphony
Orchestra Young Soloist Competition
2011 Winner – Sasha Scolnik-Brower
The winner of the WSO 2011 Young
Soloist Competition is cellist Sasha
Scolnik-Brower, an 11th grade student at Phillips
Academy in Andover. In 2011 he was a first-place winner of both the Boston
Symphony Concerto Competition and the Boston Youth Symphony Concerto
Competition. Other awards include first
prize in the 2010 Walden Chamber Players Competition, and in the young artists
competition of A Far Cry chamber orchestra. He studies with Natasha Brofsky
at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, having previously studied
with Andrew Mark, Thomas Kraines, and Jan Muller-Szeraws.
As a member of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra (Federico Cortese, conductor), he has toured England, Germany, and the Czech Republic. As a soloist, Sasha has performed with orchestras including the Reading Symphony, Nashua Chamber Orchestra, Longy School of Music Chamber Orchestra, and Merrimack Valley Philharmonic. Sasha is a passionate chamber musician, and in 2010 was a semifinalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition as a member of the Kaleva String Quartet (Roger Tapping, coach).
He performs regularly with his mother, flutist Julie Scolnik, and sister, pianist Sophie Scolnik-Brower. When not playing music, Sasha enjoys his academic studies, particularly French, English, physics, and math, and loves playing tennis.
2011 Special Achievement Award
– Yugo Okutomo
The 2012 WSO Special Achievement Award is being given to Yugo Okutomo, 8, a fun-loving 3rd grader at the Angier School in Newton, Massachusetts. He is a violin student of Bonnie Black, and he truly loves to play the violin, anytime and anywhere...from summer folk fiddling festivals to more formal performances such as this special opportunity to play with the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra. (Yugo’s younger brother, Shogo, a 1st-grader, is also a happy violinist, studying with Bonnie Black.)
In addition to his musical pursuits, Yugo plays his favorite sport, soccer, with the Newton Youth Soccer League. Other favorite activities include swimming, camping, skiing, and sleep-overs with his best friend. Yugo is a voracious reader, and in his spare time can be found reading virtually any books he can get his hands on.
- - -
(NOTE: Applications for the WSO Young Soloist Competition are posted here
around Labor Day each year. If you have any questions
about the competition at any time, please contact Dianne Mahany by email at d.mahany@verizon.net or by telephone at
978-443-5212.)