International Woodwinds and Brass Competition 2014
American Protégé International Woodwinds and Brass Competition is designed for solo performers and ensembles of all ages, nationalities and countries, who would like to challenge themselves in a very competitive environment. The Competition is open for Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Oboe, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Piccolo, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Flugel, Tuba and other woodwinds and brass instruments. Participants are required to submit video recording of recent performance for the audition.
Eligibility
We invite school students and adults to participate in the Competition. There is no age limit for the adult participants.
Multiple winners will be chosen in each of the following age groups:
Category: | Age: |
Young musicians | 5 - 9 |
Junior | 10 - 13 |
Intermediate | 14 - 17 |
Amateur (without Professional Degree) | 18 and older |
College students and professionals | 18 and older |
Awards
First Place Winners performed on April 5, 2015 at 11:30 AM at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
$330 Scholarship, Judges’ Favorite Award Trophy, Judges’ Distinction Award Trophy and other Special Awards were granted based on the judges recommendations.
International Woodwinds and Brass Competition 2014 Results
Judges Distinction Award (Plaque Trophy) Winners:

Seraphin Maurice Lutz,16, plays the clarinet and the piano from the age of four. In the field of clarinet he has won several awards since 2008 both in Germany and on international scale too. In 2008 he won the first prize in the “First International Competition for Young Instrumentalists” in Markneukirchen and the first prize in the international competition “Glass Harp”. He also played at the concert of prize winners, which was broadcasted by Bavarian Radio. In 2012 in 2013 he won the 1st prize at German-wide contest “Youth Plays” with the highest possible score. “German Foundation Musical Life” (Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben) awarded him a special prize for his outstanding performance. In the year of 2014 he was awarded the 2nd prize in the “International Radio Competition for Young Musicians Concertino Praga” (EMCY) which was followed by a concert of laureates accompanied by the Radio Symphony Orchestra in the Rudolfinum Prague. Furthermore, he has performed several times as a soloist with orchestras such as the Hofer Symphony Orchestra and the Collegium Musicum in Nurenberg.



Adrian Falco, 17, from Friendswood, Texas, has been the first chair saxophone in the Friendswood High School Band for the last three years. He started learning saxophone in sixth grade. Adrian has received many regional and Texas music awards. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, Adrian was awarded first place in region for alto saxophone by the Texas Music Educators’ Association. In 2013 and 2014, Adrian won first place in the area competition for alto saxophone. In 2013 and 2014 he auditioned and earned a place as a Texas All-State Musician for saxophone in the largest high school division (5A), and has ranked in the top ten high school alto saxophonists in Texas. In 2014, he was one of the top three soloists in the Houston Underground saxophone concerto competition. Adrian has also performed as the first saxophonist in Friendswood High School musicals and at many Texas state and regional concerts.



Koranut Kaprasit, 17, young clarinetist from Thialand. He has played Clarinet since 2006 with only 9 years of age while he was studying at Assumption College Thonburi. Koranut has performed with Rangsit Yamaha Wind Orchestra, Principal Clarinetist of Assumption College Thonburi Youth Orchestra, Saint-Gabriel Foundation Orchestra in Celebration concert for King of Thailand conducted by Bundit Ungrangsee. Koranut also was attended in Masterclass with Sergio Bosi at “2014 International Clarinet Festival il mondo del Clarinetto 8th edition at Todi (Italy)” including workshop in this festival and also Clarinet workshop in Thailand. Koranut also had opportunity to worked with Jan Van der Roost, composer and guest conductor of Rangsit Yamaha Wind Orchestra, Vanich Potavanich, Bundit Ungrangsee, Manaschai Bunchung, music director in the bigest musical concert in Thailand that was performed by high school students at Prince Mahidol Hall, the bigest standard music hall in Thailand, etc. Now Koranut is studying in Italy at under AFS Intercutural programs at Italy.



John Hallberg, a native of Southern California, is currently a Doctorate of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He also holds degrees from the University of Iowa and California State University, Long Beach. John is currently on faculty at The Colburn School in downtown Los Angeles as a Saxophone Teaching Artist. As an active performer and participant in national and international music conferences and competitions, John has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, Asia, and across the United States. Most recently, he was 1 of 11 Americans (out of 110 candidates total) selected from around the world to travel to Dinant, Belgium, to compete in the 6th International Adolphe Sax Saxophone Competition and Symposium. His primary instructors include Dr. Douglas Masek, Dr. Kenneth Tse, and James Barrera. He also received additional instruction from Dr. Eugene Rousseau and Dr. Thomas Liley.
Winners by Age Category
First Place Winners: | ||
Young Musicians Category, Age 6 to 10: | ||
Marina Orlova, flute | 9 | Moscow, Russia |
Student of Evgenia Karitskaya | ||
Brian Yang, clarinet | 9 | Forest Hills, NY |
Student of Lily Chang | ||
James Taumer, clarinet | 10 | Chicago, IL |
Student of Thomas Coleman | ||
Junior Category, Age 11 to 14: | ||
Peyton Chen, Oboe | 13 | Cupertino, CA |
Student of Yu-Ting Wang | ||
Brandon Bartholomeusz, alto saxophone | 14 | Adelaide, Australia |
Student of Damien Hurn | ||
Intermediate Category, Age 15 to 17: | ||
Jessica Shand, flute | 15 | Colorado Springs, CO |
Student of Brook Ferguson | ||
Seraphin Lutz, clarinet | 16 | Bamberg/Stegaurach, Germany |
Student of Ulf Rodenhäuser | ||
Adrian Falco, alto saxophone | 17 | Friendswood, TX |
Student of Dan Gelok | ||
Koranut Kaprasit, clarinet | 17 | Thailand/Italy |
Student of Tanakrit Duangkongmonsri and Phuket Areesamarn | ||
Advanced Category, College Students and Professionals: | ||
Nijat Masimov, balaban | 18 | Baku, Azerbaijan |
Student of Ilham Najafov | ||
Jiwon Han, flute | 19 | Huntington, NY |
Student of Min Hee Kim | ||
Minkyoung Kim, flute | 19 | Huntington, NY |
Student of Min Hee Kim | ||
John Hallberg, saxophone | 26 | Tustin, CA |
Amateur Category: | ||
Emily Beckman, flute | 22 | Sault Sainte Marie, MI |
Student of Sharon Sparrow | ||
Second Place Winners: | ||
Young Musicians Category, Age 6 to 10: | ||
Spencer Rubin, oboe | 10 | Woodbury, NY |
Student of Valerie Sulzinski | ||
Nana Goliadze, flute | 11 | Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia |
Student of Meri Zhvania and Marine Iakobishvili | ||
Junior Category, Age 11 to 14: | ||
William Wang, flute | 11 | Irvine, CA |
Student of Elizabeth Chang | ||
Fernando Ragazzini, flute | 12 | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
Student of Daniel Colo | ||
Michael Chaniago, clarinet | 12 | Jakarta, Indonesia |
Student of Adi Atmadja | ||
Angela Scates, oboe | 13 | Palm Beach Gardens, FL |
Student of Sarah Kennedy | ||
Jeremy Xi, clarinet | 14 | Baltimore, MD |
Student of Lily Chang | ||
Nikita Zhuang, clarinet | 14 | Perth, Australia |
Student of Peter Sunman | ||
Xinran Li, oboe | 14 | Beijing, China |
Student of Christine Wang | ||
Intermediate Category, Age 15 to 17: | ||
David Winograd, tenor saxophone | 15 | Morganville, NJ |
Student of Lillian Sakowski | ||
Jason Chang, clarinet | 15 | Walnut, CA |
Student of Chris Stoutenborough | ||
Rebecca Park, flute | 15 | Colorado Springs, CO |
Student of Nancy Andrew | ||
Janis Jin, french horn | 16 | Irvine, CA |
Student of Stephanie Stetson | ||
Jessica Chen, flute | 16 | Sunnyvale, CA |
Student of Jill Heinke | ||
Sara Han, clarinet | 16 | Interlochen, MI |
Student of Emil Khudyev | ||
Sydney Lusby, clarinet | 17 | Grapevine , TX |
Student of Emil Khudyev | ||
Advanced Category, College Students and Professionals: | ||
Sarah Tran, flute | 23 | Fort Worth, TX |
Student of Jean Larson-Garver | ||
Tomasz Zymla, bass clarinet | 28 | Prudnik, Poland |
Amateur Category: | ||
Meredith Barker, french horn | 26 | Houston, TX |
Raul Delgado, saxophone | 29 | Barcelona, Spain |
Third Place and Honorable Mention Winners will be notified of their standing via email.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!