FIFTEEN STUDENTS FROM KAREN AMLAW MUSIC
TAKE TOP PRIZES IN THE 17TH ANNUAL YOUNG ARTIST
PIANO COMPETITION AT WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY
On Saturday, April 27th, 2019, for the second consecutive year, twenty-seven students from Karen Amlaw Music participated in the annual Young Artist Piano Competition at Westfield State University. In this competition pianists from age 5 through college are judged on a variety of performance aspects including musicality, tempo (is it the right one and is it consistently used), accuracy of rhythms and pitches, appropriate use of dynamics for expression, balancing sound among fingers and between hands, use of pedals, hand position, and difficulty of the piece chosen.
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In 2018 eleven of KAM’s young pianists received top prizes – this year fifteen emerged with top prizes in their respective divisions. They were as follows:
Eight-year-old Shreya Gopinath of Westborough, MA - First Place, Senior Division of the Length of Study Competition. Shreya also received an Honorable Mention in the Early Study Division of the Length of Study Competition in 2017.
Eleven-year-old Mahati Sudhir of Westborough, MA - First Place, Junior Division of the Length of Study Competition.
Seven-year-old Victor George of Marlborough, MA - Second Place, Junior Division of the Length of Study Competition.
Six-year-old Kairi Robbins of Southborough and eight-year-old Siddhi Kulkarni of Shrewsbury - Second Place, Early Study Division of the Length of Study Competition.
Five-year-old Aaron Yoder of Westborough - Third Place, Age Achievement 5 - 6 year-olds.
Ten-year-old Luke Lee of Grafton, MA - Third Place, Senior Division of the Length of Study Competition. Last year Luke earned an Honorable Mention for his performance in the Intermediate Division of the Length of Study Competition.
Nine-year-olds Sreejon Saha of Upton, MA and Sai Ilakya Kumar of Westborough, MA – Third Place, Intermediate Division of the Length of Study Competition. Sreejon also took Second Place last year in the Junior Division of the Length of Study Competition.
Seven-year-old Shiven Kataria of Grafton, MA – Third Place, Junior Division of the Length of Study Competition. Shiven was also the Second Place winner of the Early Study Division of the Length of Study Competition last year.
Seven-year-old Vihaan Batra of Shrewsbury, MA - Third Place, Early Study Division of the Length of Study Division.
Twelve-year-old Veronica Njuguna of Westborough, MA - Honorable Mention, Intermediate Division of the Length of Study Competition.
Five-year-old Alexandra Anderson of Grafton, MA - Honorable Mention, Junior Division of the Length of Study Competition.
Eight-year-old Rishi Ravi of Shrewsbury, MA and nine-year-old Aniya Yeruva of Grafton, MA - Honorable Mention, Early Study Division of the Length of Study Competition.
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In addition to the various competitive divisions students also have the opportunity to perform with the sole goal of receiving an evaluation. This year all of our students played in the evaluation round as well as performing in their respective competition divisions. Their ratings were as follows:
SUPERIOR:
Cole Anderson (age 7) and Aniya Yeruva of Grafton; Victor George of Marlborough; Anthony Cacciatore (9) and Victoria Campana (8) of Northborough; Vihaan Batra, Rishabh Mehta (8), Sreejon Saha, and Wesley Tuttle (9) of Shrewsbury; Mihir Bhat (9) and Suhas Rajesh of Upton; Shreya Gopinath, Sai Ilakya Kumar, Darsh Nayak (8), Veronica Njuguna, and Aaron Yoder of Westborough
EXCELLENT:
Shiven Kataria of Grafton; Rishi Ravi of Shrewsbury; Kairi Robbins of Southborough;
Diya Arun (11), Luke Lee, Aaryav Shridhar (8) and Arushi Vora (10) of Westborough
GOOD:
Alexandra Anderson of Grafton
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The Young Artists Piano Competition (YAPC) is an annual piano competition for serious classical pianists from New England. Since its inception in 2003, YAPC has collaborated with Westfield State University to provide students, from kindergarten through adult levels, with an opportunity to develop their skills and professionalism in a high-level competition. Its mission is to provide serious piano students with an opportunity to compete with level-appropriate competitors in a safe, structured environment where they can meet others who share their love of classical music, develop friendships, and retain a desire for learning the classics that remains with them well after the competition is over.
For students who do not want to compete yet but are interested in having an evaluation of their skills and achievement, YAPC has a non-competitive "Evaluation" category. This category allows students the opportunity to be evaluated by professional music teachers. It is a helpful tool for both teacher and student as it gives written feedback about the individual student's progress and development.
YAPC is currently counted among the top piano competitions in New England. It has achieved recognition for its high standards of excellence in every area of the competition from preparation to delivery. The organizers of YAPC value the educational atmosphere at Westfield College where students can meet others who share their love of classical music and grow in the knowledge of the classics. In addition, with the excellent standards and collaboration of their judges, evaluators, parents and community, YAPC offers students who wish to pursue piano performance, an outstanding opportunity to reach for their dreams. Through YAPC students learn about themselves and grow musically while learning to compete against others in a professional environment.
Karen Amlaw Music (KAM) has been offering quality music instruction to students from MetroWest and beyond since 2005. This is past February was KAM’s third year anniversary in it’s expanded location in Downtown Crossing in Westborough, MA.
Proud to be recognized by Hulafrog as the area's Most Loved Music Lessons three years in a row and nominated as a Top Music School by Baystate Parent in 2018, KAM has offerings for young musicians as well as the young at heart - age 4 to adult - in bass, guitar, piano, ukulele, violin, and voice. In addition to private lessons KAM offers Kids on Keys for 4 - 8 year-olds and Intro. to Singing with age appropriate music for 2nd through 5th graders.
KAM's over 140 students include multiple young artist competition winners, district and all-state musicians, members of music theater and opera casts, and more. KAM's instructors have over 150 combined years of experience in the industry as both performers and music educators. Music making is their passion - they take pride in passing on such joys to their students. They are frequently sought after to adjudicate festivals and scholarship / young artist competitions throughout the state and have performed throughout the world in venues from local sporting events to Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and more - often sharing the stage with fellow nationally and internationally acclaimed artists.
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For pictures from Saturday's hours of musical fun visit the YAPC 2019 photo gallery on KAM's Facebook Page.
