CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING CAM STUDENTS!!

Making their mark with the Youth Orchestra of the Lowcountry (YoLow) are Nick Bentz, Rachael Dawson, and Shannon Fitzhenry. Nick and Shannon are currently in the Honors Program at CAM and all three students are studying violin under Charleston Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, Yuriy Bekker.

Making it into the Regional Orchestra are Rebecca Culver, Rachael Dawson, and Ann Pitner. Rebecca is also a student of Yuriy Bekker. Ann Pitner studies violin under new CAM faculty member and Kidzymphony Orchestra Director, Javier Orman.

Young brothers Joseph and Justin Yu will make their debut with the Regional Orchestra. Joseph studies the viola under Javier Orman while Justin studies the cello under Yun Hao Jiang.

CAM also is proud to announce the accomplishments of two of its piano students who have recently participated in the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) competition:

Micah McLaurin, a 9th grade home school student who currently studies under renowned pianist, Enrique Graf, won the Senior Category division. In February of 2010 Micah will be featured as soloist during the CofC International Piano Series as well as perform with Hilton Head Symphony and Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Micah’s dream is to be a concert pianist.

Selina Pi, a 7th grade student at Charleston Day School, was the alternate for the Junior Category division. Selina started piano at age five and has been studying under Eunjoo Yun, Executive Director of CAM, since 2006. She is a straight A student, has performed in various community outreach recitals. When she is not playing the piano Selina enjoys singing and playing tennis.

Congratulations to Preston Craig, who was accepted as a Merit Scholar and Classical Guitar Major at Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan!! She will be a boarding student at Interlochen for her last three years of high school. Preston is currently studying under CAM faculty member Marco Sartor. We wish her the very best.

Congratulations to Youth Orchestra of the Lowcountry Concerto Competition Winner ZOE WITKOWSKI an eighth grader at the SC Virtual Charter School and a student of Professor Natalia Khoma, will be performing the first movement of the Haydn Cello Concerto in C Major on Thursday 4/30.

Congratulations to Matthew Kwon who got accepted into the medical program at the University of Pittsburgh as a full scholarship student for Fall 09! Matthew studies cello under Natalia Khoma as a CAM Honors Program student. We are proud of his accomplishments and wish him the very best in Pittsburgh.

Congratulations to Gary Washington for being accepted into the SC Governor School of the Arts & Humanities in Greenville, SC!! Gary currently studies cello under Yun Hao Jiang. Although we will miss him here next year, we are thrilled that his dreams of becoming a professional musician is becoming a reality. When asked what his ultimate goal in life was, he simply replied, "to make my music known to the world."

Congratulations to Rachael Dawson for getting concert-mistress of the Honors Orchestra! Rachael currently studies violin with Kay Wheeler.

Micah McLaurin Wins Concerto Competition in Hilton Head.
Mary Woodmansee Green, Music Director, and Concerto Competition Director, Joe Gimbel are pleased to announce that Micah McLaurin of Charleston was the first place winner of the 2009 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition held on Saturday, January 17, 2009.
He played the first movement of the Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No 1 in G Minor, Op. 25 in the Competition.
Since 2000, the Hilton Head Youth Orchestra has sponsored a Concerto Competition which is run under the auspices of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.
The annual competition is for gifted musicians in grades 12 or below.
This year, 22 gifted young musicians applied with 10 competing in the finals.
Micah was also recently in the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra’s “2009 Blount-Slawson Young Artists Competition,” a concerto competition, where he placed 4th.

Micah McLaurin is an 8th grade home school student from Charleston, SC and is the son of David and Karen McLaurin. Micah has studied piano for 5 ½ years, and is currently studying under Enrique Graf at the Charleston Academy of Music. He has won numerous local awards, including SC Music Teacher’s Association (SCMTA) Pre-College piano auditions, Charleston Music Teacher’s Association (CMTA) Achievement Day winner, National Guild auditions winner, Music Teacher’s National Audition (MTNA) SC state winner in 2007; and SC Piano Festival Audition ETV representative 2 consecutive years. He also won 2nd place in the 2008 International Institute of Young Musician’s (IIYM) International Piano Competition in Lawrence, Kansas. Micah’s one dream is to be a concert pianist. He is also a boy scout, plays tennis, and swims on the Northbridge Terrace summer league.

Zoe Witakowski has won the YoLow Concerto Competition and made it into the Junior All-State Orchestra!! Zoe currently studies cello under Natalia Khoma.

Ann Pitner & Clay Dustin have made it into the SC All-State Competition!!
They are both violin students at CAM. Ann is currently studying under Kay Wheeler and Clay is currently studying under Nonoko Okada.

We Are So Proud of Micah, Zoe, Ann, and Clay….
WAY TO GOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!