USM Student Wins Concerto Competition
Mesa Shubeck took the top prize at the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO’s) Judith Elser Concerto Competition held April 8 in Lewiston. A Blue Hill native, Schubeck performed the first movement of Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor for a panel of judges live at the Gendron Franco Center. She will perform the same piece as soloist with the MSO during their 2022-23 season and will receive $1000 from the Judith Elser Fund.
Schubeck is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree and studying piano with Professor Laura Kargul. She received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Maine, Orono. In addition, she is a trained singer and teaches piano, voice, and ukulele lessons.
Brian Liu, a student at Bowdoin College, was the competition's runner up with his performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. He is finishing his first year there studying with artist in residence George Lopez.
The other finalists, chosen through an audition process, were: Kate Ishida, violinist, Bowdoin College; Mathieu Moutou, violinist, Bates College; Jonathan Pekdey Prak, pianist, USM.
More about the competition.