Photo Credit: The Woodlands Concert BandEvents
Winners announced in The Woodlands Concert Band Student Concerto Contest
The Woodlands Concert Band (WCB) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Student Concerto Contest.
In its sixth year, the Student Concerto Competition has awarded over $10,000 in cash prizes to the winners with $1,000 going to 1st place, $500 to 2nd place, and $300 to 3rd place. Information on the contest can be found at www.woodlandsband.org.
Each performer will perform with the WCB in a free concert Sunday, June 23, 2024, 4:00, at Christ Church Methodist, 6363 Research Forrest Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77381.
Patgrick Umanzor
Patrick was born in San Salvador, El Salvador and moved to San Francisco, California when he was one year old. He began playing flute in the middle of his fifth-grade year. The family moved to Spring, Texas where Patrick began playing in the Krimmel Intermediate School band under the direction of Stetson Begin.
Patrick became active in the flute community by participating in Floot Fire in 2019 and 2021, Houston Youth Symphony in 2022-2023, and the Interlochen summer arts camp in 2023. Patrick received 1st place in the Junior Division of the Houston Flute Club Young Artist Competition in 2021, and 2nd place in the Claire Johnson Flute Soloist Competition in 2022. He went on to achieve 1st place in the Senior Division of the Houston Flute Club Young Artist Competition in 2024, and the Overall winner of the 2024 Symphony North of Houston Concerto Competition.
Patrick is a three-time Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All Stater, participating in the 2022 All State Symphonic Band, the 2023 All State Symphonic Orchestra, and the 2024 All State Symphonic Band. He is a 3 time outstanding performer at the University Interscholastic League Solo and Ensemble Contests.
Patrick is active in the Klein Oak High School Band program under the direction of David McGrath and is student in the studio of Kathy Blaha. After graduation in 2025, Patrick plans to pursue music performance.
Katherine Hwang
Katherine Hwang is an ascending senior at Dulles High School in Fort Bend ISD. Katherine began playing clarinet in the fourth grade. She became a student of Roman Cisneros in the sixth grade with whom she continues to study. Katherine is a 5-year region band member, 2-year principal clarinet in the Region Orchestra. 2-year Texas Music Educator’s Association All-State Symphony Orchestra member, 1-year Texas Music Educator’s Association All-State Philharmonic Orchestra member, a member of the Symphony Orchestra of the Houston Youth Symphony for the 2022-2023 season, 2nd place in the 2023 Woodlands Concert Band Soloist Competition. Katherine also received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Houston International Music Competition.
Yixuan (Vanessa) Chen
Yixuan is a 10th-grade flutist from Dulles High School in Sugar Land, TX. She showed great interest in music very early and began her study of the flute with Ms. Joyce Lao when she was 8 years old. Since 2019, she has been studying the flute with Mrs. Rebecca Garfield. Yixuan has been a member of the Houston Youth Symphony since 2021 and was also accepted into the 2023 NFA High School Flute Choir. She was the 1st Place winner in the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition (2023, 2020), International Woodwinds and Brass Competition (2021), and Houston Flute Club Denise Jennings Competition (2024, 2023, 2021, 2019), the 2nd Place winner in Claire Johnson Flute Soloist Competition (2020), and Houston Flute Club Young Artist Competition (2024, 2023). She made her debut at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, NY in December 2022. In 2024, Yixuan was also awarded as ECHO’s 2nd place honorable mention YACC winner and will perform her solo with the ECHO Orchestra in October 2024. Furthermore, she will attend the Interlochen Arts Camp Advanced Flute Intensive and Oberlin Flute Boot Camp this summer. Yixuan plans to pursue flute performance in college and as a career.
In addition to the student solo performances, the WCB will perform their 23rd Annual I Love America Patriotic Concert. This year’s theme is A Musical Melting Pot which will feature selections representing the diverse cultures that make up America. You will hear selections by Alfred Reed, Percy Grainger, Ryan Nowlin, Clifton Williams, and others.
Making its Woodlands debut is Woodlands Overture by Brian Balmages. Woodlands Overture was commissioned by The Woodlands Concert Band in honor of the 70th birthday of the director, Paul Worosello. WCB has a close relationship with Balmages as they have performed a concert of his music with Balmages attending rehearsals and speaking at the performance.
The Woodlands Concert Band is an all-volunteer band consisting of music educators, band directors, and accomplished hobbyists from the greater The Woodlands community.
The band’s final performance of the 2023-2024 season will be Thursday, July 4, 2024, 8:00am at Market Street in The Woodlands in support of the South County 4th of July Parade.
Source: The Woodlands Concert Band
