2018 YoungArts winners announced

Seventeen current Interlochen Arts Academy students are among this year’s Finalists, Honorable Mentions and Merit recipients.

November 30, 2017

The 2018 YoungArts winners have been announced and once again current Interlochen Arts Academy students and alumni are well-represented among the honorees.

Seventeen current Interlochen Arts Academy students and 34 Interlochen alumni are among the 757 winners. Winners were selected from YoungArts most competitive pool of candidates to date, including applicants from 47 states, and ranging from 15-18 years old in grades 10-12.

Winners will receive up to $10,000 in award money, training and mentoring from leading artists, and the opportunity to participate in the 37th annual National YoungArts Week held in Miami Jan. 7-14, 2018.

From the finalists, YoungArts selects 60 honorees for nomination to the White House-appointed Commission on Presidential Scholars. From that pool, 20 are selected to become U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts. Last year, four Interlochen Arts Academy students were among the nominees including one winner: Alexa Bleasdale-Curnutte (IAA 14-17). Since 1965, 44 Interlochen alumni have been recognized as U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

YoungArts celebrates the nation’s most promising young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts. You can learn more at http://www.youngarts.org/winners.

*=Current Interlochen Arts Academy students

Finalists

Cinematic Arts

• Nathan Ginter (IAA 16-, IAC 14-15)*

Classical Music

• Andrew Chang (IAC 17) | Clarinet

• Gabriel Costache (IAA 16-, IAC 16) | Percussion*

• Anders Peterson (IAA 16-, IAC 16) | Clarinet*

• Anoush Pogossian (IAC 17) | Clarinet

• Joshua Williams (IAC 15) | Tuba

Design Arts

• Sean Cheng (IAA 14-)*

• Lauren Lam (IAC 11)

Theater

• Marie-Josée Bourelly (IAA 17-, IAC 11-16)*

• Maya Lagerstam (IAA 14-16, IAC 13-14, 14)

• Ethan Riordan (IAC 15)

Voice

• Emily Damasco (IAC 16) | Mezzo Soprano

Writing

• Margaret Blackburn (IAA 16-) | Poetry*

Honorable Mentions

Classical Music

• August Haller (IAC 13-14) | Horn

• Kimberly Han (11-12) | Piano

• Jack Kessler (13-15) | Viola

• Haeun Kim (IAC 13) | Violin

• Nicolas Quero (IAA 15-17, IAC 14-16, 16-17) | Flute

• Angela Scates (IAA 15-, IAC 12-15) | Oboe*

• YiXuan Zhao (IAC 14) | Flute

Jazz

• Francesca Castro (IAC 17) | Voice

Theater

• Hannah Ellowitz (IAC 15)

• Grace Pichler (IAC 17)

Visual Arts

• Quinlan Lewis-Mussa (IAA 16-, IAC 16)*

• Elaina Yip (IAA 15-17, IAC 14)*

Voice

• Jennifer Barnett (IAC 15) | Popular Voice

Merit

Classical Music

• Benjamin Beckman (IAC 11-17) | Composition

• Andrew Boosalis (IAC 16) | Percussion

• Mia Bramel (IAC 11-13) | Piano

• Peter Bynum (IAA 17-) | Flute*

• Sophie Choate (IAC 16) | Viola

• Derek Chung (IAC 10-11) | Piano

• Aviva Frost (IAC 11-13) | Cello

• Weston Gilbert (IAC 11) | Composition

• Christopher Hall (IAA 15-17, IAC 15) | Tuba

• Ophir Horowitz (IAC 15) | Piano

• Ria Modek (IAC 14-15) | Guitar

• Jakob Schoenfeld (IAA 17-, IAC 17) | Percussion*

• Harrison Short (IAA 14-, IAC 15) | Bassoon*

• Joseph Skerik (IAA 14-, IAC 13) | Viola*

• Alyssa Warcup (IAA 16-, IAC 15-16, 16) | Viola*

Jazz

• Francesca Castro (IAC 17) | Guitar

• Kevin Oliver (IAC 15-16) | Saxophone

• Valentina Shelton (IAC 15) | Voice

Singer-Songwriter

• Ethan Riordan (IAC 15)

Theater

• Harrison White (IAA 17-)*

Visual Arts

• Isabella Rios (IAA 15-)*

• Lauren Lam (IAC 11)

Voice

• Jack Keller (IAA 16-, IAC 16) | Tenor*

• Adriana Mantilla (IAC 14) | Soprano

Writing

• MoAde Jagusah (IAA 14-) | Creative Non-Fiction*

• Rachel Litchman (IAA 16-17) | Creative Non-Fiction

• Lauren Miller (IAC 16) | Selection from a Novel

• Valerie Wu (IAC 16) | Creative Non-Fiction