Ima Hogg Competition Finalists Announced
Finalists to perform on Saturday, June 2, at Stude Concert Hall
Style Magazine Newswire | 6/1/2018, 11:31 a.m.
HOUSTON (May 31, 2018) – The Houston Symphony announced today the four finalists for the Houston Symphony’s annual Ima Hogg Competition, one of the world’s greatest multi-instrument competitions founded more than four decades ago to honor the memory of Ima Hogg, a co-founder of the Houston Symphony.
Designed to identify and support outstanding young instrumentalists and their pursuit of musical careers, this prestigious competition has helped catapult the careers of hundreds of musicians over the last four decades, many of whom have become renowned soloists, chamber musicians and have earned prestigious posts in orchestras around the world.
The finalists were selected earlier this afternoon from a pool of ten contestants after each one of them performed a pre-selected concerto in front of a live audience and a judging panel at Rice University’s Stude Concert Hall. Among this year’s finalists are Alexander Hersch (cello), Michael Ferri (violin), Ji Su Jung (marimba) and Hyun Jae Lim (violin); all of whom have either completed or are currently pursuing degrees in music from prestigious institutions such as the New England Conservatory, the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, the Yale School of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music.
These four outstanding soloists will face off on Saturday, June 2, for their chance to win the $25,000 Grace Woodson Memorial Award and earn a solo appearance with the Houston Symphony at the Donor and Subscriber Appreciation Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11, at Jones Hall. The Finals Concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, at Stude Concert Hall at Rice University.
For more information, visit houstonsymphony.org.
2018 Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition Finals Concert
7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Daniel Hege, conductor
Stude Concert Hall
Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music
6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005
Tickets from $25
2018 HOUSTON SYMPHONY IMA HOGG COMPETITION FINALISTS
Michael Ferri, 22, violin
Nationality: Italian
Current residence: Houston, Texas
Alexander Hersh, 24, cello
Nationality: American
Current residence: Chicago, Illinois
Ji Su Jung, 25, marimba
Nationality: Korean
Current residence: New Haven, Connecticut
Hyun Jae Lim, 20, violin
Nationality: Korean
Current residence: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2018 HOUSTON SYMPHONY IMA HOGG COMPETITION PRIZES
FIRST PRIZE
The Grace Woodson Memorial Award
$25,000
Solo performance with the Houston Symphony at the Donor and Subscriber Appreciation Concert Wednesday, July 11, 2018.
SECOND PRIZE
The Houston Symphony League Award
Given by the Houston Symphony League in recognition of Jerry Priest, founding chair of the competition and in honor of the Houston Symphony League
$10,000
Solo performance with the Houston Symphony at Miller Outdoor Theatre Saturday, June 30, 2018.
THIRD PRIZE
The Selma Neumann Memorial Award
Presented by the Houston Symphony League Bay Area in memory of Selma Neumann, founding president of the Houston Symphony League Bay Area
$5,000
FOURTH PRIZE
The Jean Whitbread Kucera Award
Given by Lilly and Thurmon Andress in loving memory of Lilly's mother, Jean Whitbread Kucera
$2,500
ARTISTIC ENCOURAGEMENT
The Nancy and Robert Peiser Award for Artistic Encouragement
Given by former Houston Symphony Board President Robert Peiser and his wife Nancy to provide encouragement to one of the finalists – and selected by the musicians of the Houston Symphony
$1,000
AUDIENCE CHOICE
The Herman Shoss Audience Choice Award
Given by Diane and Harry Gendel in loving memory of Diane’s father, Herman Shoss, a former violinist in the Houston Symphony
$1,000