Palisades Virtuosi has long championed young artists in Bergen County, New Jersey, the home base of their annual subscription series. In addition to commissioning young composers (among them James Chwalyk, Ryan Francis, Aaron Grad, Sun Bin Kim and Michael D. Parsons), each year since 2007 they have given a Young Artist Recognition Award to a deserving High School music student who has displayed both excellence in music and outstanding leadership skills. The high school is chosen through random draw each year and the winner is chosen by that school's music director. The winner receives a commemorative plaque, an honorarium and the opportunity to perform on a PV Subscription Series Concert.
2023 Young Artist Recognition Award
Leah Renshaw - Ramapo High School
LEAH RENSHAW is a performer originally from Oakland, New Jersey. She began competitively dancing at the age of 7 and found her love of musical theater along the way. Some highlights so far include her performances in Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors, and Matilda. She has also had the honor of working closely with Emmy Award Winning choreographer Al Blackstone on two season-long solo performances. Leah is currently attending Fordham University and is a Division I athlete with the Fordham University dance team. She is very lucky to be in New York City continuing to perform and following her dreams.
2016 Young Artist Recognition Award
Jeffrey Grenier - Ridgefield Memorial High School
Jeffrey Greiner is a Baritone who studies privately with Montclair University's Professor George Spitzer and hopes to one day attend college as a vocal music education major. He is active in many music related extracurricular activities including his school’s select choir, men’s choir, jazz band, marching band, percussion ensemble, and his annual musicals. On one recent competition trip, he was awarded a Jazz Flugelhorn improvisation solo award. He also participates in numerous honors choirs each year including 4 years of Bergen County Choir, 3 years of North Jersey Regional Choir (yet to audition for his 4th year), and finally 3 of 3 years in All-State Choir. On October 22, he placed first for upper High School classical men in the NJ NATS Annual Doris Lenz Festival for High School singers.
Jeffrey performed an aria by Handel to great applause on the recent Palisades Virtuosi concert at the Fair Lawn Community Center theater. We congratulate him and wish him well in his future endeavors!
2015 Young Artist Recognition Award
Gina Lee, oboe - Leonia High School
2014 Young Artist Recognition Award
Joshua LeRose, baritone - Paramus High School
2013 Young Artist Recognition Award
Jacqueline Romeo, soprano - Westwood High School
2012 Young Artist Recognition Award
Noel Gordon, piano - Teaneck High School
2011 Young Artist Recognition Award
Alexandra Urquoia, soprano - Bergen Academies
2010 Young Artist Recognition Award
Emile Hsu, percussion - Northern Highlands High School
2009 Young Artist Recognition Award
Emily Park, piano - Hackensack High School
2008 Young Artist Recognition Award
Alison Steinberg, soprano - Ridgewood High School
2007 Young Artist Recognition Award
Jiyuh Kim, clarinet - Pascack Hills High School
2014 Story Writing Award
Sarah Friedman, freshman - Bergen Academies
An outgrowth of our music-inspired story writing program was the creation of an incredible poem by Sarah Friedman, a freshman at Bergen Academies in Hackensack. She was among the students given "The Spice of the Program" by Ben Model to hear. The poem she wrote from hearing that piece, "One Summer Day", was read by Rob McClure at our March 1 concert and it brought down the house. You may read the poem HERE. She was later presented with this plaque in honor of her efforts.
PV has also developed a story writing workshop for elementary school age children. In 2005 a 5th and a 6th grade student were each awarded a story-writing prize for their stories inspired by the final movement of Bohuslav Martinu's "Trio for Flute, Cello & Piano" on our "Stories in Music" program. Narrated by Bob McGrath in the concert it was a thrill for the youngsters. PV then brought the program to several area schools and using one of their commissioned works, "The Spice of the Program" by Ben Model met with great success with dozens of children writing stories inspired by music! (See School Programs.)
Constance DeFeis - Grade 6 Grant School, Ridgefield Park and Brendan Conway - Grade 5 - Lincoln School, Ridgefield Park with Bob McGrath, Sesame Street - March 12, 2005