Marc Reese, Carina Inoue, Lisa Leonard and Roberto Henriquez
The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum was “Alive with the Sound of Music!” A dazzling event recently hosted by the National Society of Arts & Letters of Florida raised over $47,000 to support the Boca Raton-based nonprofit’s mission of supporting local emerging performing and visual artists.
The Star Maker Awards showcased a brilliant array of young musicians and visual artists who were recipients of the organization’s scholarships or competition winners. Another evening highlight was the inspiring presentations of Lifetime Achievement Awards to both Broadway star Avery Sommers and piano virtuoso Lisa Leonard.
“The theme of the evening, ‘Alive with the Sound of Music!’, was certainly befitting,” stated Dr. Ron Rubin, event co-chair. “Our guests were truly transported by the rapturous performances of our scholarship and competition winners.”
This year’s performers included Eliza Willet, scholarship winner in Strings from Lynn Conservatory of Music; Yance Zhang, First Place Piano Competition winner from Lynn Conservatory of Music; Marnel Jean, scholarship winner in Brass from the New World School of the Arts; Katherine Riley, scholarship winner in Woodwinds from Lynn Conservatory of Music; Emily Finke, Voice scholarship winner from the Frost School of Music; Sergei Skobin, scholarship winner in Piano from Lynn Conservatory of Music; and Yherzon Chura Ruiz, scholarship winner in guitar from Florida Atlantic University. Other students who are awaiting National Competition results were also in attendance including visual artists Jennifer Turner from Dillard High School and Caroline Josephine Crawford, from the University of Florida. Their dramatic paintings were on display and garnered much praise.
For more information, visit nsalflorida.org.