2018 - 2019 Winners
Leon Burke III (2011-2013)
Leon Burke III is a native St. Louisan, where he attended Mc Bride High School and John Burroughs School. He holds music degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Kansas. Burke studied as a Fulbright Fellow in Paraguay. Burke has served as Conductor/Music Director of the Lawrence Chamber Players, the Hutchinson Symphony, and the McPherson Symphony. He has been on the faculties of Baker University, Sterling College, Hutchinson Community College, and Webster University. Burke is an active member of Unitarian Universalists Musicians Network (UUMN). He served as a member of the UUA New Hymn Resource Task Force, which was appointed in the Fall of 2003 to create a new congregational hymn resource.
Rose Hasselhorst
First Place Winner
Rose Haselhorst, 18, is a violinist from St. Louis, Missouri. Since joining the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra in 2014, she has served as Co-Concertmaster and Co-Principal of Second Violins. Rose has studied Chamber Music through Webster University Music School's Preparatory Program and played in the CMS orchestras. During recent summers, she has attended the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Meadowmount School of Music, and MPulse Center Stage Strings. She is a student of Joo Kim, and formerly of Joseph Kaminsky. She has won awards from numerous competitions including MTNA-Winner of Missouri Senior Strings Division, Midwest Young Artists Discover Chamber Competition, Southeast Missouri University Orchestra "Rising Star", Velleville Philharmonic "Stars of Tomorrow", Great Composers Competition Series, and the Fabulous Fox Teen Talent Competition. In addition to playing the violin, Rose loves composing and arranging music, as well as swimming and hiking. Rose is our First Place Winner of the Young Artist Competition and will be performing on our February 24th Concert "A French Connection."
Michaela "Micky" Chu
Deborah Fox Guild Winner
Micaela "Micky" Chyu is 12 years old and is a student at Ladue Middle School in St. Louis, MIssouri. She started on the violin at age 6 with Nora Teipen, and is currently studying with Joseph Kaminsky, Erin Schreiber, and Almita Vamos. She is concertmaster of her seventh grade orchestra, and is a first violinist in the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis as part of the Share-the-Stand Program. She also participates in Chamber Music studies as the youngest member of the Preparatory Program at the Community Music School of Webster University. Besides loving the process of creating beautiful sounds on the violin, Micky enjoys singing and playing the ukulele. She also loves animals (dogs especially), drawing, sewing, and reading books. Micaela is our Deborah Fox Guild Winner of the Young Artist Competition and will be performing on our December 8th Concert "In the Nick of Time."
Ethan Mayer
First Place Runner-Up
Ethan Mayer, 17, is a St. Louis, Missouri native and began playing violin at the age of 6. He is currently a junior at Clayton High School in Clayton, Missouri. Ethan is a member of both the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, where is serves as Assistant Concertmaster, and The Community Music School Preparatory Program for Chamber Music. In addition, he has played with the Missouri All State Orchestra for two years. In 2017 he was the winner of the Belleville Philharmonic Concerto Competition and received Honorable Mention at the University of Missouri Concerto Competition. In May of 2017, Ethan was intived to play a solo with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for their "Link UP" Concert and he participated in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. He is an alumnus of the Center Stage for Strings at the University of Michigan (Summer 2017) and Meadowmount School of Music (Summer 2018). He currently studies with Joo Kim of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Ethan is our First Place Runner-Up of the Young Artist Competition and will receive a certificate and cash prize.