2021 Marlin Engel Solo Competition

The Marlin-Engel Solo Competition was established by the Board of Trustees of Levine Music in 1980 to honor Jackie Marlin and Diana Engel, the school’s founders and co-directors from 1976-1980. Originally offering a single “Marlin-Engel prize” the competition today offers awards in both piano and instrumental categories and in three age divisions: Junior (up to age 9), Intermediate (ages 10-13) and Senior (ages 14-18). The first place prize for piano is the Ida Canter prized, established by Dr. Jane Loeffler and her family as a tribute to her grandmother.

The 2021 Competition took place virtually. Each participant prepared a video recording of two solo works or movements that contrast in style and period for the preliminary round. Students in the final round recorded their performances with piano accompaniment using Levine’s zero-latency rooms and additional protocols to make it a safe experience.

Special thanks to: Aaron Percy, Recording Engineer, Lois Narvey and Ted Cooper, competition organizers, Irina Kats, accompanist, Doris Lederer and Glenn Quader, instrumental competition judges, Gregory Sioles and Pallavi Mahidhara (Levine alumna), piano competition judges, Levine campus staff and return to campus task force.

This program has been made possible through the generous support of the Marinus and Minna B. Koster Foundation, Inc.

Instrumental Finalists

Junior/Intermediate Division

Suite No. 1 in G Major, J.S. Bach
Sarabande

Etude Op. 38, No. 14, F. Chopin

Amelia Baisden, cello student of Maxfield Wollam-Fisher

Capriccio, J. K. Mertz

Vereno Porteno, A. Piazzola

Bethan Bray, guitar student of Franco Platino

Sonata No. 3 BWV 1005, J. S. Bach
Largo

Praeludium, F. Kreisler

Eileen Maloney-Cunningham, violin student of Erin Durham

Senior Division

Violin Sonata in C Major, J. S. Bach
III.

Danse Espanole, M. De Falla

Julien Berman, violin student of Leslie Silverfine

Praeludium, F. Kreisler

Sonata for solo violin, S. Prokofiev
Moderato

Eddie Cavallin, violin student of Leslie Silverfine

Elegie Op. 24, G. Faure

Julie-O, M. Summers

Lucas Das, cello student of Henry Stubbs

Piano Finalists

Junior Division

Prole do Bebe, H. Villa Lobos
O Polichinelo

“Solace”, a Mexican Serenade, S. Joplin

Casey Didden, student of Hyeweon Gessner

Elegie Op. 47, E. Grieg
VII. Poco Andante

Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3, M. Clementi
Spiritoso

Maya Kansal, student of Darya Gabay

To a Wild Rose, Op. 52 No. 1, E. MacDowell

Scherzino in G Major, N. P. Rakov

Jason Ding, student of Darya Gabay

Intermediate Division

Italian Concerto BWV971, J. S. Bach
I.

Impromptu Op. 90 No. 3, F. Schubert

Sanjeev Belle Trichur, student of Deborah Lloyd

Waltz Op. 34 No. 3, F. Chopin

Sonata, D. Scarlatti

William Wu, student of Marina Alekseyeva

Mazurka Op. 17 No. 2, F. Chopin

Variations on a Theme by Paganini Op. 35, Arr. Nikolay Vygodsky

Charles Crist, student of Hyeweon Gessner

 Senior Division

Fantasia BWV 906, J. S. Bach

The Lark (Sonata in B flat minor), M. Glinka

Evan Oberkirsch, student of Darya Gabay

Prelude and Fugue No. 3 in C sharp Major (from WTC Bk. 1), J. S. Bach

Waltz Op. 34 No. 3, F. Chopin

Antoni Kleczek, student of Martin Labazevitch

Piano Sonata Hob. XVI/50, J. Haydn
I. Allegro

“Grosse Sonate”, R. Schumann
Scherzo e Intermezzo

Robert Foster, student of Ted Cooper