BRATTLEBORO — The Windham Orchestra's 28th annual Concerto Competition for young musicians was held at the Brattleboro Music Center on Sunday, Feb. 2. Two co-winners were named, both Massachusetts high schoolers.
And you can hear them this spring.
They are cellist Nate Steele, 14, who studies in Deerfield, and violinist Alexander “Sasha” Yakub, 15, who studies in Amherst.
According to Windham Orchestra Director Hugh Keelan, the competition had nine contestants and the field was what he called breathtakingly high. Indeed, he said, the talent shown all around made it difficult to settle on only two winners.
“The size and quality of the field is a heart-warming validation of the interest in this competition and the desirability of playing with the Windham Orchestra,” Keelan said in a statement announcing the winners.
The winners will perform with Windham Orchestra in daytime concerts at the Latchis Theatre in Brattleboro on Thursday, March 20, and at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester on Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Steele will perform Camille Saint-Saëns's playful Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 33. Yakub will perform Saint-Saëns's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28.
Since its inception 28 years ago, the Windham Orchestra's Annual Youth Concert Competition has been funded by Brattleboro violinmaker Douglas Cox (www.coxviolins.com).