McLean Community Center Hosts Teen Performance Competition

Three talented McLean high school musicians will vie for the top prize in the James C. Macdonald Arts Scholarship Competition tonight in the Alden Theatre.

A preliminary round was held in early May with nine applicants in total. There was a myriad of musical instruments in the first round: piano, violin, cello, marimba and voice.

Three finalists were chosen from the initial group of applicants: 

• Michelle Kyeong-Eun Park, a junior at Langley High School will play the piano. Park took first place in last year’s competition.
•  Ryo Kaneko, a sophomore at McLean High School will also play the piano. He came in second place last year.
• Arman Nasrinpay, a sophomore at McLean High School will play the violin. This is Nasrinpay’s first time entering the competition.

Each finalist is given a ten-minute time slot in which to perform. They can play one or more musical pieces of their choosing, typically in the realm of classical music. The only caveat is that they must perform the same music in both the preliminary round and the final.

All three finalists will receive monetary scholarships in the amounts of $1.200, $800 and $400 for first, second and third place, respectively.

The same three judges moderate both rounds of the competition. They are:

• Dr. Seyon Lee is a noted pianist and instructor.
•  McLean resident James Scopelitis is an actor, singer and pianist. 
• Local musician Alvin Smithson is a composer and piano teacher.

 “It is always a pleasure to be able to recognize the talented high school students in our community through the James C. Macdonald Arts Scholarship Competition. I believe this community values the arts,”  said Kathleen Herr, the Director of Youth Programs at the McLean Community Center, who organizes the competition.

James C. Macdonald was a director in the early days of the McLean Community Center. After his passing, his parents created an endowment to fund the scholarship competition.

Any high school age student residing in or attending school within the boundaries of the McLean special tax district is eligible to audition. Historically, there were four categories: music, dance, theatre and visual arts. Unfortunately, and for the first time this year, there were not enough applicants in three of the areas. As a result, the competition is limited to music this year.

What: James C. Macdonald Arts Scholarship Competition

Where: Alden Theater in the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Avenue

When: Tonight.  Ticket Price: Free