3 Students Selected to Study with Master Violinist

A trio of Three Village students are tops when it comes to strings and have been been chosen to participate in a masterclass with world-renowned concert violinist Midori.

Talented student-musicians Kathryn Leung from R.C. Murphy Junior High School as well as Martin Vaillancourt and Jake Vincel from Ward Melville High School will have the opportunity to learn from Midori during this program on Nov. 10 at the Staller Center Recital Hall. 

In addition to the three selected for the masterclass, Ward Melville students Devin Cowan, Ariel Leong, Tommy Li, and Elizabeth Merrifield were invited to audition for the program. Elizabeth was named a first runner-up and Devin was selected as a second runner-up.

The audition process began last June, when students had to submit a portfolio of their achievements as well as letters of recommendation from their private and school conductors. 

Applying students were required to have achieved perfect scores on their New York State School Music Association level 6 solos, the highest level of competition, for three consecutive years. The second round of the selection process called for the students to audition in front of a panel of professors and musicians from the university by performing their most advanced piece from memory.