The Wednesday Morning Music Club is proud to announce the 2017 recipients of the Wilcox, Maurer, Putter, and Rudd awards for outstanding high school performers. The awards were presented at a luncheon at the Austin Woman’s Club on May 17, 2017. Janie Keys, a member of the Awards Committee, served as program leader. See their individual bios and pictures below.
The winner of the Maurer Award, First Place, was pianist Eunice Lee, a senior at Cedar Park High School. She will bee a student a Northwestern University in Evanston, Chicago this fall.
Eunice received the Wilcox Award two years ago and has won many competitins since then. Among these was a concerto competition which resulted in a performance with the Austin Civic Orchestra and the Round Rock Symphony.
She has been an active member of the Austin Chamber Music Center for many years where she functions as the pianist for the Merit Scholarship Ensemble.
In 2014 she founded her own nonprofit music program, Music Eunited, an organization that aims to teach music to underprivileged elementary students. Recently, this organization has added an academic branch and is planning a Music Eunited Summer Camp to provide a public opportunity for any elementary student who wants to be exposed to music education.
The Putter Award, Second Place, was awarded to Emma Bushong, soprano. Emma is a senior at Westlake High School. She plans to attend either Oklahoma City University or Belmont University to earn a degree in vocal performance.
Throughout her high school career, she has gained experience not only in musical theater and vocal solo and choir work, but also in dance and acting. She has been part of the musical productions at the Westlake Performing Arts Center, and recently had the starring role in their production of Mary Poppins. She also was a soloist in the Zach Scott Theatre production of Mixtape.
In 2016, she was chosen as soloist in the Westminster Choir College High School Vocal Institute. In the Texas UIL solo and ensemble competition, she was chosen as First Division Soprano 1 soloist in 2015 and 2016. In 2016 she also received the Texas UIL Outstanding Soloist Award.
The Wilcox Award (9th through 11th grade students) First Place winner was violinist Margaret Seo, a sophomore at Westwood High School.
Margaret’s achievements are many. In 2013, she won the Pearl Amster Competition, giving her the opportunity to perform with the Austin Civic Orchestra. ln 2016, Margaret won the Austin Symphony Youth Award, and toured with the Austin Symphony Orchestra to local high schools. Margaret also won the 7th Asian American Community Partnership Competition Junior Division in 2012, and performed her solo at the Long Center.
She is currently a member of Chamber Music in Public Schools (CHAMPS), and placed first in the Chamber division of the Asian American Competition with her Grieg Quartet in 2016. She is the concertmistress of the Westwood High School Orchestra.
The Second Place winner of the Wilcox Award is tenor Corbin King, a junior at Vandegrift High School.
Since his freshman year, he has been performing with the VHS Chamber Choir and Chorale Choir under the direction of Michael Feris. Corbin is the Tenor section leader of both choirs. He develops his craft outside of school by singing with the Amphion Youth Choir and performing at church.
Corbin achieved First Chair, Tenor I in the TMEA Mixed All-State Choir in 2016 and 2017. He has won several vocal competitions including first place in the Texas area Schmidt Vocal Competition and first place in the SMART Opera vocal competition.
Corbin studies with Austin Bradley at Bradley Music Studio and is thankful to him and Natalie Cummings for their support and instruction.
Performances
