2023 Musician of the Year Award
Everett McConn grew up in Jacksonville FL where he attended what was then the Florida Junior College and began a degree in Music Education. He came to Gainesville FL in late August of 1974 to finish his degree at the University of Florida and has made Gainesville his home ever since. He is now in his 25 th year as the Director of Bands at Fort Clarke Middle School.
One of the highlights of Mr. McConn’s career was when the John Phillip Sousa Foundation awarded the Fort Clarke Band the prestigious Sudler Silver Cup in January 2012.
In 2003 Mr. McConn was voted the Alachua County Middle School teacher of the year. In addition, Mr. McConn has served as guest clinician for a number of middle school honor bands in Florida. Mr. McConn was the FBA District IV Chairman for 3 years. He has been a guest speaker for the student chapter of NAFME at UF on several occasions and has served as Supervising teacher for numerous student teachers doing their internships.
Finally, the greatest joy of Mr. McConn’s life has been his role as a father of five now adult children, grandfather of 8 and the opportunity to be happily married to Polly McConn for 46 years.
2023 Sarah Baird Fouse Woodwind Award Winners
1st Place: Kathleen Ridlon
Kathleen is currently a senior at Buchholz High School where she plays both flute and trumpet in the symphonic band. She has been playing flute for seven years, studying under Karisa McKinney. She also plays trumpet in the Santa Fe College Jazz Ensemble. She is a member of the Alachua County All County Honor Band playing flute for four years. After high school she plans to go to the University of North Florida where she will major in Music Education and minor in Special Education.
2nd Place: David Jiang
David is currently a sophomore in the IB Program at Eastside High School where he participates in the marching, symphonic, and concert bands. He has been playing flute for 6 years under Christine Alicot and piano for 7 years under Joy King. He has been in the Alachua County Youth Orchestra for 2 years. He has also been in the All County Band the past 5 years. Moreover, he has gained six consecutive years of Superior ratings in both Flute and Piano Festivals and has played on the state level for Piano Guild the past three years.
2023 Dorothy Reaves String Award Winners
1st Place: Sophie De
Sophie De began playing the violin at the age of six at a music school in Armenia. She currently is a Dual Enrolling Junior in high school and holds the title of concertmaster in the Alachua County Youth Orchestra. She was also the concertmaster of the Super String Orchestra conducted by Itzhak Perlman. Besides having exceptional academic grades, Sophie has won numerous competitions around the world – in Ukraine, Slovenia, Poland, Malta, Serbia, Armenia, Belgium, and Switzerland. She has First Prizes from the State Concerto Competition by the FSMTA, the Solo Instrumental division of the International Festival Project “Kaleidoscope of Talents” in Poland, and the Junior String Competition in Florida State by the MTNA. Sophie is also a winner in the violin concerto, solo, ensemble, and fiddle categories of the FFMC competition. She was a First Prize winner, gold medalist and an outstanding instrumental soloist at the 4th Annual Sacred Music Florida Competition. In 2021, Sophie received the Best Violinist Award in the “Debut” Talent Development Masterclass Program in Armenia. Sophie also won the GMTA Jeremy Avram Kushner Orchestral Instrument Award in 2023.
2nd Place: Haobai Chen
Haobai Chen is a 10th grade student studying at Oak Hall School. He has been playing cello since age 5, and has played actively in school, local, and state orchestras, as well as many chamber groups. At Oak Hall, he has organized various recitals, featured arranged music as well as original compositions. In his musical journey, he has developed a deep appreciation for romantic music, as well as the 20th century Russian composers. In addition to cello, Haobai loves traveling, food, and poetry.
2023 William Dishman Award Winners
1st Place: Isaac Savin
Isaac is currently a junior at Eastside High School. Isaac began studying piano at age five, but quickly fell in love with the cello and received his first cello at age 7. To this day, he still plays cello extensively and studies under Dr. Steven Thomas at UF. At Westwood Middle School, he decided to join band and chose euphonium as his instrument. On euphonium, Isaac participated in the All County Honor band every year since 7th grade, and participated in All State band in 10th grade. In addition to euphonium, Isaac has also learned the trombone, which he plays in the local jazz band he created, named In Full Swing. In the future, he would like to focus on classical repertoire in order to prepare for college.
2nd Place: Madelyn Urbine
Madelyn Urbine is a sophomore and the principal French horn player at Buchholz High School. In 2022, Madelyn was selected for the FBA Allstate Concert Orchestra and in 2023, she was chosen as principal player in the Allstate Concert Band. Madelyn has also been selected as principal player in the Alachua County Honor Band as a freshman and a sophomore. Along with this, she was chosen as a finalist in the First Coast Wind Symphony Concerto Competition as well as the US Navy Band’s Young Artist Solo Competition. Outside of practicing her instrument, Madelyn enjoys doing CrossFit.
2023 Betsy Schnell Piano Award Winners
MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARD: Aiden Yue
Aiden Yue is an 11-year-old, 6th grade Student at Abraham Lincoln Middle School. At age 7, he entered The Academy of Music and Art, Gainesville, Florida (a student of Dr. Nadia Mezey), and has studied piano since. His love for piano and classical music has been expressed from day one, for which he requires no supervision and diligently drives himself and practices piano every day.
The first year into piano study, Aiden won the first place at FFMP Sonata/Sonatina Competition, followed by his first public performance at the winner’s recital at the Thomas Center, Gainesville, FL. In fact, for the same competition, he has won 5 times straight with two first places, two second places, and 1 honorable mention. Aiden also was the third-place winner at the 2020 European Music Competition. The highlight of his competition life so far, in his fond memory, was the winning of the first prize at the Golden Classic International Music Awards. For which he traveled to the New York City and performed at the winner’s concert at the Carnegie Hall at the age of 8.
HIGH SCHOOL AWARD: Jennifer Wang
Jennifer Wang was born in Gainesville, FL and is a sophomore at Buchholz High School. She began playing piano at five years old with Mrs. Karen Schaefer and has been a student of Mrs. Mika Fujita since 2020. She would like to thank both of them for helping her learn and love piano. None of her piano achievements could have been done without their patience, generosity and encouragement. In her free time, she enjoys watching cartoons and reading novels.
Winners of the 2022 FPM Sonata/Sonatina Festival
Division I Winner: Victoria Liu, student of Juan Chen
Division II Winner: Lisa Xu, student of Juan Chen
Division III Winner: Claudia Thomas, student of Mika Fujita
Division IV Winner: Reinata Jiang, student of Wanda Louie
Division V Winner: Hailey Lin, student of Joy King
Division VI Winner: Yuntian (Raphael) Wu, student of Kai Tik Declan Tse
Division VII Winner: Miguel Secillano, student of Kosumo Morishita
Division VIII Winner: Michael Wei, student of Mika Fujita
Division IX Winner: Emmanuel Zheng, student of Evan Mitchell
Division X Winner: Lucas Hamilton, student of Catherine Martin
2022 Musician of the Year Award
Nansi Carroll, long-time resident of Gainesville, Florida, has served our community by providing musical opportunities for people of all ages through her work as music conductor, composer, accompanist, teacher, and music camp director.
Dr. Carroll has written over 300 vocal, choral and piano works in her positions as Music Director of St. Augustine Church in Gainesville, Artistic Co-Director of A Musical Offering, and as a faculty member at the University of Florida, Stetson University and the Walden School. In the past fifteen years she has concentrated on instrumental music, writing solo and chamber works for many instrumental combinations and mixed voices. Many of her compositions are published in Sacred Music in a Time of Social Change and in GIA.
Nansi Carroll studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Tanglewood, and the Yale University School of Music. She received a Doctorate from Yale in 1982. In addition to numerous solo recitals, Dr. Carroll has sung with the Annapolis Symphony, the New Jersey Symphony under the baton of Hugh Wolff, the Peabody Trio, and the Willis Bodine Chorale.
2022 Sarah Baird Fouse Woodwind Award Winners
1st Place Winner: John kury
John Kury will be a senior at F.W. Buchholz High School for the 2022-2023 school year. He is going to be in the top symphonic ensemble as well as the marching band and the jazz band. He studies saxophone with Todd Eckstein and his band director is Noah Graben. As well as playing alto saxophone he plays soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, and piano.
He has been a member of the Alachua County Honor Band for the last five years. As well as classical solo literature he also plays as the wind player of a jazz combo where he plays around town at different charities and events. He hopes to continue music throughout his life as well as pursue mechanical and aerospace engineering in college.
2nd Place: David Jiang
David Jiang will be a sophomore in the fall at the IB Program at Eastside High School where he participates in the marching and concert bands. He has been playing flute for 5 years under Christine Alicot and piano for 8 years under various teachers. He is in the Alachua County Youth Orchestra. He has also been in the All County Band the past 4 years. Moreover, he has gained five straight years of Superior ratings in both Flute and Piano Festivals and has played on the state level for Piano Guild the past two years.
2022 Dorothy Reaves String Award Winners
1st Place: Simone seely
Simone Seely started her violin journey at the age of five, and has since received multiple awards and has performed at several different venues-including making an appearance on TEDx with her brother on cello. In addition to winning the Florida State Fiddle Contest three times, she has also placed 1st in both the solo and duet categories at the Sacred Music Competition four years running. She has received multiple state titles from Florida Federation of Music Clubs in concerto, solo, duet, trio, quartet, and orchestral divisions. Additional accolades include the top prize at the Landmark Park, Long-Leaf Pine, and N.E. Florida Scottish Games fiddle contests. Simone has been involved with the Alachua County Youth Orchestra for the past 6 years and loves to play chamber music with her friends. She participated in both the inaugural Chamber Music Festival and Gator Chamber Music Institute held at the University of Florida. In her free time, Simone takes care of her cat and dogs and volunteers in the “Creativity Lab” at a local science museum.
2nd Place: Laurie Wang
Laurie Wang is a 10th grader at Buchholz High School. She has played the cello since the 4th grade and now plays as the principal cellist of the Alachua County Youth Orchestra, training privately with Dr. Steven Thomas. In her spare time, in addition to cello, she enjoys art, reading, gardening, and listening to music.
2022 Betsy Schnell Piano Award Winners
high School Winner: Fyodor Rudchenko
Fyodor Rudchenko began piano studies at age six with Karen Schaefer, and he has been working with Dr. Jasmin Arakawa since 2020. He has amassed numerous accomplishments over the years: 1st place in the Steinway Junior Piano Competition in Orlando, FL (2018);recipient of the Virginia Clayton Summer Study Award which enabled him to attend the University of Florida International Piano Festival (2018,2019) UFIPF Rising Artist Division Competition 3rd Prize(2019); International Keyboard Odyssiad semifinalist (2018); 1st place(2016, 2018, 2021), 2nd place(2017),and Honorable Mention (2020) in the Foundation for the Promotion of Music Sonata Festival; FSMTA District III Honor Recitalist(2014- 2018); 1st place (2020,2022) and Honorable Mention (2019) in the Betsy Schnell Piano Award competition in Gainesville, FL; Honorable Mention in the 5th Annual Memphis International Piano Festival and Competition (2020); Honorable Mention in the FSMTA State Concerto Competition (2021). Fyodor is currently in the 10th grade at Eastside High School IB program.
Middle School Winner: Caitlin Devine
Caitlin Devine is 13 years old and is in the 7th grade at Oak Hall School. She has been studying piano with Dr. Michael Deall. She started to play piano when she was 4 years old with after school lessons in junior kindergarten. Caitlin played in the National Federation of Music Clubs for the first time in 2021, where she earned a “Superior Rating” in the Moderately Difficult III class by playing Sonatina by Kabalevsky and Prelude #5 in Am by Catherine Rollin. In 2022 she earned a “Superior Rating” in the Difficult I class by playing Sleighbells in the Snow by William Gillock, and Fur Elise by Beethoven. Her latest challenge is that she is working on a Chopin Nocturne. Caitlin is also interested in playing ukulele and has recently started to learn a few songs.
Winners of the 2021 FPM Sonata/Sonatina Festival
Division I Winner: Chris Cui, student of Linda Blessing
Division II Winner: Raphael Wu, student of Jasmin Arakawa
Division III Winner: Chad Tan, student of Wanda Louie
Division IV Winner: Gyanna Gao, student of Wanda Louie
Division V Winner: Katie He, student of Joy King
Division VI Winner: Alex Chang, student of Nadia Mezey
Division VII Winner: Elizabeth Annie Blay, student of Wanda Louie
Division VIII Winner: Jennifer Wang, student of Mika Fujita
Division IX Winner: Fyodor Rudchenko, student of Jasmin Arakawa
Division X Winner: Nicholas Dang, student of Hee Jung Kang
2021 William Dishman Brass Award Winners
1st place: Michael Jagiello
Michael Jagiello is 16 years old and a student at Forest High School in Ocala and just completed his junior year. His trumpet career began in the 6th grade. Michael is very active in musical groups and other activities. He has been a member of the Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band, also in Ocala, for nearly 3 years and has been the principal trumpet of the Alachua County Youth Orchestra for 2 years. Michael’s accomplishments include participating in the Florida Bandmasters Association’s All-State bands for the past 4 years, and the NAFME’s All-Nationals Honor Concert Band 2021. He has also participated in All-County, All-District, All-District Jazz, as well as scoring superiors on solos in Solo & Ensemble for the past 5 years and taking 2 of them to state and earning a Superior with Distinction. Michael plans to major in music and pursue it as a career. His band director at Forest High School is David Jones.
2nd place: Sharay gao
Sharay Gao has just completed her senior year at Buchholz High School where she played Euphonium in the school’s Wind Symphony and Bass Trombone in the Jazz Band. In addition she has been a member of the Alachua County Youth Orchestra since 2019 as lead trombone. Sharay has been a member of the Alachua All-County Honor Band for the past six years as well as the 2019 FMEA All-State Concert Band and the 2021 FMEA All-State Symphonic Band. After graduating high school Sharay plans to pursue Computer Science at Georgia Tech while continuing music in the school’s marching band and concert ensembles.