Symphony allows
Youth Talent winners
to shine

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

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Those Amazing Kids! Hawaii's Best and Brightest Shine: Honolulu Symphony concert starring Youth Talent winners, 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Tickets $12 and $15. Also, 100 $7.50 tickets available on day of show. Call 538-8863.

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Four 1998 Honolulu Symphony Youth Talent winners perform with the orchestra Sunday in an Ohana concert dedicated to showcasing the talents of Hawaii's most gifted young musicians.

The Honolulu Symphony Associates each spring hosts the talent competition for local musicians ages 18 and under. More than 70 youths competed in the event.

Auditions were held in April at Orvis Auditorium in the University of Hawaii Music Department. The performances were judged by a four-person panel, including the Symphony's assistant conductor Stuart Chafetz, two full-time orchestra members and an artist in the community.

The following four winners will be featured in Sunday's concert:

Nina Cann-Woode, piano: The 16-year-old Punahou student began piano studies at age 6. She earned first place awards in the 1995 Baldwin Junior High School competition and the 1996 Yamaha High School competition. Cann-Woode performed with the Symphony as a winner of Concerto Night in 1996. She's won honors from the Music Teachers National Association, Southwestern Division in 1997, and has been featured on PBS. This summer, she performed with a trio ensemble in the Pacific Music Festival at Stanford University. In September, Cann-Woode was named a National Merit Semi-finalist.

Joseph Francis Leblanc, saxophone: The 16-year-old began playing saxophone at age 10 and has studied music since 1993. LeBlanc has been awarded Outstanding Musician by the Moanalua High School Music Department for three consecutive years and received the Outstanding Jazz Musician and Outstanding Leadership awards during his junior year. He's performed as lead saxophonist for the Hawaii High School Select Jazz Band since 1996 and this year the Select Jazz Band performed his original composition. LeBlanc earlier this year performed at Carnegie Hall with the Moanalua High School Symphony Orchestra. He's been accepted to the University of Northern Colorado and has been offered a full scholarship to the University of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bradford Lee, piano: A junior at Iolani, 16-year-old Lee has performed extensively in concerts, master classes and programs statewide, including Hawaii Public Radio, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Waikiki Shell and at the University Orvis Auditorium. Bradford has received numerous awards in piano, including scholarship awards from the Morning Music Club, the Honolulu Symphony Associates and the Honolulu Chinatown Lions. Lee is principal cellist of the Hawaii Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Shinobu Nakatani, piano: The 10-year-old who attends Minami Elementary School in Japan, has been studying piano since age four. She began playing piano while living on Maui, performing with the Maui Symphony from 1996-'98.

Other 1998 Honolulu Symphony Youth Talent winners are Mathew Bow, 14, cello; and Nicolle Wong, 17, piano. They will be featured in a performance to be announced later this season.