Winners 1998 - 2018

DSO Annual Young Artist Competition

The Delta Symphony Orchestra is proud to be a part of their past on the way to their future.

Find out what past winners are doing now. Young musicians from New York, Connecticut, Georgia, California, Florida, and more, traveled to Jonesboro to compete for prize money and awards. The Grand Prize Winners performed with the DSO, and included their wins and experiences to their resumes.  

1998 Winner

Joanna Cotten

Soprano, accepted into Julliard. Professional Singer

1998 Winner

Andrew Skoog

Tenor, Associate Professor of Voice

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

2014 Division Winner

Genevieve Kimbrough

Soprano

2017 Grand Prize Winner

Morgan Short

Harpist

2016 Grand Prize Winner

Sarah Stembel

Lyric Soprano

2016 Grand Prize Winner

Haeun Kim

Violinist

2017 Grand Prize Winner

Susan Yang

Pianist

2018 Grand Prize Winner

Tracy Wong

Pianist

2018 Grand Prize Winner

Thomas Nguyen

Saxophone

2016 Neale King Bartee Award

Sarah Beth Overcash

Violinist

2015 Division Winner

Lindsay Cunningham

Soprano, Opera

1993 Winner

Tony Kitai

Cellist, accepted at Eastman and now performs in the Houston Symphony.  Acting Associate Principal Cellist, Memphis Symphony and the Iris Chamber Orchestra.

1995 Grand Prize Winner

Nikola Takov

Violinist, Portland Symphony, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Indian Hill Symphony.

1992 Winner

Ying Li

Flute

1988 Winner

Jon Hynes

Pianist, accepted at the Paris Conservatory.  Visiting Professor of Music

University of Central Missouri 

1993 Winner

Aroussiak Baltaian

Faculty, Music Department

University of Southern California

1991 Winning Trombonist

David Herring

2013 Grand Prize Winner

Cori Beasley

Soprano

2010 & 2012 Grand Prize Winner

William Overcash

Violinist, accepted into Oberlin College & Conservatory.

2009 & 2010 Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Garrett Overcash

Violinist, Film Composer/Arranger, and Music Producer

Hevanti Productions, LLC

2008 Grand Prize Winner

Grant Harbison

Trumpet, Band Director, Jonesboro High School

2013 Neale King Bartee Award

Lauren Braden

Mezzo Soprano, Canadian Opera Company's Studio Ensemble

2010 Grand Prize Winner

Paul Vest

Cellist

2002 Grand Prize Winner

SSG J. Martin Bishop

Trumpet, The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own" Ceremonial Band 

2012 winner Renee Smith sings professionally in Texas.

2004 winner Linnaea Brophy was accepted into the New England Conservatory.

2000 winner Jerry Hou conducts orchestras in Europe.​

1996 winner Philip Ross is a professional oboist with the St.Louis Symphony.

1995 winner Tyrone Block is finishing his doctorate at the University of North Texas.

1995 winner Amanda Bone plays professionally in Europe.​

1993 winner Rossitza Jekova is a violin teacher at the University of Arkansas.

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2018

Grand Prize Winners

Tracy Wong/PIANIST, Cincinnati, OH

Thomas Nguyen/SAXOPHONIST, Conway AR

___________

2017

Grand Prize Winners

Megan Short/HARP, Boonesville, VA

Susan Yang/PIANO, Ann Arbor, Michigan

___________

2016

Grand Prize Winners

Haeun Kim/VIOLIN, Birmingham,  AL

Sarah Stembel/LYRIC SOPRANO, New Orleans, LA

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Sarah Beth Cash, VIOLIN, Brinkley, AR

Division Winners

Antonia Makridakis, FLUTE, Jonesboro, AR

Mi Ou Lee/PIANO, Lawrence, KS

___________

2015

Grand Prize Winners

Dan Cao/PIANO, Chicago, IL, 

Emma Hoeft/CELLO, Kansas City, MO

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Charlotte Jeong/FLUTE, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Lizzy Hamilton/FLUTE, Athens, OH

Lindsay Cunningham/SOPRANO, Nashville, TN

___________

2014

Grand Prize Winners

Nathan Cottrell/CELLO, Memphis, TN

Michael Barnes/MARIMBA, Lawton, OK

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Charlotte Jeong/FLUTE, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Connor and Elizabeth Dan/PIANO, Cordova, TN

Genevieve Kimbrough/SOPRANO, Little Rock, AR

 ___________

2013

Grand Prize Winners

Cori Beasley/SOPRANO, Arkansas State University

Yuta Nishimura/PIANO, Arkansas State University

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Lauren Braden/MEZZO SOPRANO, Jonesboro, Ar

Division Winners

Lydia Wilkens-Reed/CELLO, Memphis, TN

Cody Hutchinson/EUPHONIUM, Jonesboro, AR

Charlotte Jeong/FLUTE, (Valley View) Jonesboro, AR

Junior Prize Winner

Greta Hacker/PIANO, Jonesboro, AR

___________

2012

Grand Prize Winners

William Overcash/VIOLIN, Oberlin, OH

Renee Smith/SOPRANO, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Connor and Elizabeth Dan/PIANO, Cordova, TN

Luci Disano/CLARINET, Greedy, CO

Zachary McCoy/VIBRAPHONE, Humboldt, TN

___________

2011

Grand Prize Winners

Caroline Kim/VIOLIN, Germantown, TN

Luca Pruitt/XYLOPHONE, Huntsville, AL

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Josh Carter/PIANO, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Katie Liesner/SOPRANO, Memphis, Tn

Jamie Keys/CLARINET, Coralville, IA

Barrett Kelley/PIANO, Walnut Ridge, AR

Junior Prize Winner

Duane Chen/PIANO, Little Rock, AR

Henry Huang/PIANO, Little Rock, AR

___________

2010

Grand Prize Winners

Paul Vest/CELLO, Memphis, TN

Mi Ra Lee/PIANO, Korea St./Joe, MO

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

William Overcash/VIOLIN, Brinkley

Division Winners

Maddie Bowden/VOICE, Jonesboro, AR

Junior Prize Winner

Hannah Todd/VIOLIN, Mountain Home, AR

___________

2009

Grand Prize Winners

Anna Kang/VIOLIN, Memphis, TN

Chaz Allen/PIANO, Springdale, AR

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

William Overcash/VIOLIN, Brinkley, AR

Division Winners

Christian Carichner/TUBA, Conway, AR

Stephanie Costognia/FLUTE, Bradely, IL

La Marcus Miller/BARITONE, Dallas, TX

___________

2008

Grand Prize Winners

Yi Wu/PIANO, Little Rock, AR

Grant Harbison/TRUMPET, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Anna King/VIOLIN, Memphis, TN

Jonathan Shields/TENOR, Jonesboro AR

Richard Lup/FLUTE, Glendale Heights, IL

___________

2007

Grand Prize Winners

Tara Mueller/VIOLIN, Fayetteville

Luca Strazullo/PIANO, Jonesboro, AR

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Chris Overcash/VIOLA, Brinkley, AR

Division Winners

Kofi Martin/CLARINET, Joensboro, AR

Aaron Metzger/TRUMPET, Pittsburg, KS

Jonathan Shields/TENOR, Jonesboro AR

___________

2006

Grand Prize Winners

Rachel Lin/VIOLIN, Germantown, TN

Brendan White/PIANO, Jackson, TN

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Nickolas Alsup/PIANO, Harrisburg, AR

Division Winners

Jonathan Shields/TENOR, Jonesboro AR

Daniel Harrelson/TROMBONE, Jonesboro, AR

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2005

Grand Prize Winners

Erica Leung/PIANO, Trenton, Tn

Angelika Machnik/CELLO, Oklahoma CIty, OK

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Garrett Overcash/VIOLIN, Brinkley, AR

Division Winners

Daniel Harrelson/TROMBONE, Jonesboro, AR

Cassie Black/SOPRANO, Jonesboro, AR

Roman Ruiz/CLARINET, Russellville, AR

___________

2004

Grand Prize Winners

Linnaea Brophy/VIOLIN, Bartlett, TN

Kevin Brewer/PIANO, Arkadelphia, AR

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Kofi martin/CLARINET, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Tony Garcia/TROMBONE, Searcy, AR

Mindy Pounders/SOPRANO, Cleveland, MS

___________

2002

Grand Prize Winners

Daniel Liu/VIOLIN, Conway

Dawson Hull/PIANO, Jackson, TN

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Marty Bishop/TRUMPET, Jeonsboro, AR

Division Winners

Jeremy Blackwood/BARITONE, Jonesboro, AR

Michelle Zebrowitz/SAXOPHONE, Memphis, TN

Junior Prize Winner

Linnaea Brophy/VIOLIN, Bartlett, TN

___________

2000

Grand Prize Winners

Danling Gao/PIANO, Jonesboro, AR

Laura Colgate/VIOLIN, Memphis, Tn

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Jana Young/PIANO, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Jerry Hou/TROMBONE, Jonesboro, AR

Emily Smith/BASSOON, Searcy, AR

___________

1999

Grand Prize Winners

Maeve Brophy/PIANO, Memphis, TN

Adam Pendleton/SAXOPHONE, Macomb, IL

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Emily Rodgers/SOPRANO, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Harmony Fortson/SOPRANO, Jonesboro, AR

Michael Lorman/TROMBONE, Hattiesburg, MS

Laura Colgate/VIOLIN, Cordova, TN

___________

1998

Grand Prize Winners

David Kim/VIOLIN, Memphis, Tn

Ynu Zang/PIANO, Memphis, TN

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Eric Skaug/VIOLIN, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Nathan Wentworth/BAARITONE, Memphis, Tn

Jeremy Gott/SAXOPHONE, Hattisburg, MS

Scott Tignor/TUBA, Jonesboro, AR

___________

1996

Grand Prize Winners

Ivan Laley/CELLO, Conway

Dia Sawyer/SOPRANO, Jonesboro, AR

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Philip Ross/OBOE, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Ivanka Driankova/PIANO, Conway, AR

Clay east/TROMBONE, Oxford, MS

Angela Rhodes/FLUTE, Magnolia, TN

___________

1995

Grand Prize Winners

Katerina Zeitseva/PIANO, Conway, AR

Nikola Takov/VIOLIN, Conway, AR

Neale King Bartee Award Winner

Amanda Bone/FLUTE, Jonesboro, AR

Division Winners

Lacy Tilton/MEZZO SOPRANO, Jonesboro, AR

Dionne Hansen/FLUTE, Memphis, TN

Tryrone Block/TROMBONE, Monticello, TN

___________

1994

Grand Prize Winners

Karen Tchougarian/PIANO, Conway, AR

Borislava Iltcheva/VIOLIN, Conway, AR

Division Winners

Jason Marus/BARITONE, Fayetteville, AR

Andrew Gott/BASSOON, Bolivar, MO

___________

1993

Rossitza Jekova/VIOLIN, Conway, AR

Tony Kitai/CELLO, Germantown, TN

Kiril Zahariev/PIANO, Conway, AR

___________

1992

Aroussiak Baltaian/VIOLIN, Conway AR

Ying Li/FLUTE, Cookeville, Tn

Layne Baxter/PIANO, Memphis, TN

___________

1991

Dale Peppers/BARITONE, Jonesboro, AR

David Herring/TROMBONE, Arkadelphia, AR

Stephen Field/PIANO, Memphis, TN

___________

1990

Teri Chastain/SOPRANO, Brookland, AR

David Sanderson/TRUMPET, Jonesboro, AR

Michael Harrison/PIANO, Batesville, AR

___________

1989

Joanna Cotten/SOPRANO, Forrest City, AR

Mary Kay Wooley/OBOE, Hattiesburg, MS

Michael Harrison/PIANO, Batesville, AR

___________

1988

Andrew Skoog/TENOR, Jonesboro, AR

Brent Woods/CELLO, Fayetteville, AR

Jon Hynes/PIANO, Fayetteville, AR