56th Annual Salute to Youth

On September 22, 2015, there was the 56th annual Salute to Youth concert.  With a total of thirteen performers, it was quite a fun concert to attend.  Salute to Youth is a concerto competition for kids ages 8-22.  Anywhere from five to ten performers are chosen to play with the Utah Symphony and can play any instrument.  

In order to make it to the live audition, you have to send in a CD recording of your piece and then the judges decide if they want to hear your piece live.  There are always many competitors and it is a very tough competition to win.  The live audition is behind a screen and there a about five judges who give you comments on your playing.  The screen is to make the competition as fair as possible and the judges know your age.    

I competed in Salute to Youth for four years before I was finally picked in 2014 for the 55th Annual Salute to Youth.  I was so excited to finally be able to play Chopin piano concerto no. 2 with the Utah Symphony.  It was one of the greatest moments in my life.  It took many hours of practicing each day and multiple lessons a week to be prepared enough to compete, then be picked.  There were only seven performers the year that I played.  55th Annual Salute to Youth Performace.   

Me playing in 2014
55th Annual Salute to Youth

This year, I couldn't compete since I won last year.  Instead I went to go support some of my friends who were chosen to play this year.  I had seven friends who performed amazingly.  There were two ensemble groups.  One was a violin quartet consisting of McCall Anderson, Will Yavornitzky, Erika Hubbard, and Jeremy Lewis.  They played Vivaldi's four violin concerto and sounded amazing.  The second group played Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola.  Rachel Call played violin and Madison Marshall played viola.  56th Annual Salute to Youth Performance

56th Annual Salute to Youth

The Vivaldi Four Violin Quartet, left to right: Jeremy Lewis, McCall Anderson, Erika Hubbard, and Will Yavornitzky.

Soonyoung Kwon
56th Annual Salute to Youth Performance

Rachel Call and Madison Marshall
56th Annual Salute to Youth Performance

I always find it really fun to go and support your friends performing in a concert.  I know it’s nice to have all of your friends to come watch you play.  I know all of the handwork that was put into being able to play at that level with the Utah Symphony.  I heard them rehearsing all the time, and usually there was always something they could fix.  The finally result was really amazing though.  

There is usually a reception after the performance that people can attend.  All the performers were given gigantic posters with their face on it, presented by people from the Deseret News.  Deseret news also sponsored the reception, took pictures, and wrote an article about the performers and their performances.    

This year, the Utah Symphony got a new assistant conductor who made her debut with the Utah Symphony conducting the 2015 Salute to Youth performance.  I didn’t actually get to meet her, but everybody says that she is really nice.

If I choose to compete next year and get picked, I know I will be really happy because big performances like this are so much fun to play in.  Being with your friends and other performers backstage was one of the most fun parts.  The dressing and practice rooms had those fancy mirrors with lightbulbs all around them so you could check your make-up and hair.  I would love to be able to perform again sometime with the Utah Symphony in Salute to Youth.