HOUSTON (June 1, 2019) – Performing Ginastera’s Harp Concerto, Opus 25, Rachel Lee Hall won the 44th annual Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition, which earned her a gold medal, a $25,000 prize and a solo performance at Jones Hall with the Houston Symphony at the Donor and Subscriber Appreciation Concert on Wednesday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. under the direction of Associate Conductor Robert Franz.
The Grace Woodson Memorial Award was presented to Hall on Saturday, June 1, in Stude Hall at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music by competition chair Vicki West. In addition to the cash prize and solo performance with the Houston Symphony, Hall will participate in a week-long Education and Community Engagement Residency that will provide her with essential training to help her succeed in their field and contribute to the communities in which she lives and works.
Hall has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Akron Symphony Orchestra, and appeared as a soloist with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra. She currently serves on the faculty at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia and earned both her bachelor and master of music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
The Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition—a partnership between the Houston Symphony League and the Houston Symphony—is one of the world’s greatest multi-instrument competitions and was named to honor the memory of Ima Hogg, a co-founder of the Houston Symphony. The prestigious competition is designed to identify outstanding young instrumentalists and support their pursuit of careers in music. Chaired by Vicki West, this year’s finals competition featured four outstanding finalists selected from a pool of candidates ranging from a wide variety of instruments and nationalities.
The Second Prize was awarded to cellist Coleman Itzkoff, who received a $10,000 prize, a silver medal and a solo appearance with the Houston Symphony led by guest conductor Roderick Cox at Miller Theatre Outdoor Theatre during the ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights concert series on Saturday, June 29. In addition, Itzoff was awarded the Nancy and Robert Peiser Award for Artistic Encouragement. The third and fourth-place prizes were awarded to Chloe Tula and Katherine Audas, who won $5,000 and $1,000 cash prizes respectively. The Herman Shoss Audience Choice Award was awarded to Audas.
The Houston Symphony’s 44th annual Ima Hogg competition was broadcast live on Houston Public Media News 88.7.
2019 HOUSTON SYMPHONY IMA HOGG COMPETITION WINNERS
First Prize, The Grace Woodson Memorial Award
Rachel Lee Hall (harp)
$25,000 and solo performance with the Houston Symphony at the Donor and Subscriber Appreciation Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 in Jones Hall.
Second Prize, The Houston Symphony League Award:
Coleman Itzkoff (cello)
$10,000 and solo performance with the Houston Symphony at Miller Outdoor Theatre at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2019
Third Prize, The Selma Neumann Memorial Award
Chloe Tula (harp)
$5,000
Fourth Prize, The Jean Whitbread Kucera Award
Katherine Audas (cello)
$1,000
About the Ima Hogg Competition
Named and purposed after former founder and President of the Houston Symphony, Miss Ima Hogg, this prestigious competition is designed to identify outstanding young instrumentalists between the ages of 16 and 26 to support their pursuit of careers in music. The goal is consistent with the vision of Miss Ima Hogg, whose passions included fostering young talent and supporting the Houston Symphony. It is one of the few instrumental competitions worldwide that includes all standard orchestral instruments.
The Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition is a definitive breeding ground for fine musicians. Past winners have won numerous national and international competitions, received principal posts with some of the world’s major orchestras and even occupied seats within the Houston Symphony – Concertmaster Frank Huang, Principal Keyboardist Scott Holshouser, and Principal Harpist Megan Conley are three such players, all former prize winners of the competition.
About the Houston Symphony League
The Houston Symphony League and the Houston Symphony League Bay Area are dedicated to supporting the Houston Symphony through volunteer efforts and fundraising. Symphony League members are involved with the Symphony’s education programs through student music competitions and activities at Family Concerts, Student Concerts, Summer Community Concerts and Theater District Open House. Members from the Bay Area League promote music appreciation to elementary students in Clear Creek ISD through enrichment programs in the schools. Both Leagues contribute to the successful operation of the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition by providing volunteers for in-hall support and hospitality.
About the Houston Symphony
During the 2018−19 season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its fifth season with Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada and continues its second century as one of America’s leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, the full-time ensemble of 88 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony’s four Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 900 community-based performances each year, reaching hundreds of thousands of people in Greater Houston.
The Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony has recorded under various prestigious labels, including Naxos, Koch International Classics, Telarc, RCA Red Seal, Virgin Classics, and, most recently, Dutch recording label PENTATONE. In 2017, the Houston Symphony was awarded an ECHO Klassik award for the live recording of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck under the direction of former Music Director Hans Graf. The orchestra earned its first Grammy nomination and Grammy Award at the 60th annual ceremony for the same recording in the Best Opera Recording category.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Eric Skelly: 713.337.8560, eric.skelly@houstonsymphony.org
Mireya Reyna: 713.337.8557, mireya.reyna@houstonsymphony.org
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