Three Lebanon Valley College Students Named Concerto-Aria Competition Winners

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Concerto Aria winner Timothy Lupia

ANNVILLE, PA (04/23/2015)(readMedia)-- Charles Thai '16, Amy Karnes '16, and Timothy Lupia '16 are the winners of Lebanon Valley College's prestigious Concerto-Aria Competition. At the annual competition, faculty members select the year's top music students. Each competition winner will perform solo pieces in the upcoming year with LVC's Symphony Orchestra, which is under the direction of Dr. Johannes Dietrich, Newton and Adelaide Burgner Professor of Instrumental Music.

For the competition, Thai, saxophone, performed Movement II: Elegy from Concerto for Stan Getz by Richard Rodney Bennett; Karnes, flute, performed the second and third movement of Francis Poulenc's Sonate; and Lupia, voice, performed "Questa o quella" from Rigoletto by Verdi.

Thai (Reading, Pa.) is a junior music and music education double major with concentrations in saxophone and jazz studies. He currently studies under Adjunct Professors Tom Strohman, Beverly Butts, and Tim Wolfe. He is very thankful for his studies with musicians Erich Cawalla, Nathan Bellott, and Tim Price. Thai is a recipient of the Edna and Clark Carmean Talent Award in Music, and was recently inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in education. He is a member of LVC's Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Pride of The Valley Marching Band, Jazz Band, Symphony Orchestra, Clarinet Choir, Saxophone Ensemble, and Small Jazz Ensemble. Thai also performs as a freelance musician in local venues around Annville and his hometown in jazz/funk ensembles such as Sam and Ian's Ultrahang.

"All the performers in this year's Concerto-Aria Competition sounded very amazing!" Thai said. "I am very ecstatic that the music professors enjoyed my performance and am very excited to have an opportunity to perform with the LVC Symphony Orchestra next fall."

Karnes (Auburn, Pa.) is junior music education and music double major with concentrations in jazz studies and flute. She currently takes lessons with Tom Strohman, professor emeritus of music, and Robin Lilarose, adjunct instructor of music. Karnes is very happy to have studied under Dana Harlos, Elizabeth Heck, Gloria Evert, and Christopher Evans. She has had the wonderful experience of touring with the College's Jazz Band, as well as serving as a peer tutor. Karnes is currently a member of the Clarinet Choir, Flute Ensemble, Woodwind Quintet, and is the primary flutist in the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra.

"After seeing so many other students perform with the orchestra and being a member of the orchestra myself, I am so excited to have the opportunity to solo with our orchestra!" Karnes said.

Lupia (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) is a junior economics and music (voice) double major. He currently studies voice with Dr. Michael Wojdylak, assistant adjunct professor of voice at Lebanon Valley College. Lupia was a winner in the Junior Men division in the Regional NATS competition. He is involved in the Concert and Chamber choirs, Vale Records, and Wig and Buckle Theater Company, as well as serving as a resident assistant.

"Everyone who took part in the competition played with intense professionalism," Lupia said. "I am honored and thrilled to have been considered for the opportunity to perform with Lebanon Valley College's Symphony Orchestra."

Lebanon Valley College offers numerous public performances by students, faculty, and guests of the College throughout the semester, many of them free and open to the public. Visit www.lvc.edu/music/events.aspx for our list of spring recitals.