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West G class officers lead 'Senior Soiree'
(by Sue Hoffman - November 30, 2011)
West G class officers lead 'Senior Soiree'
By SUE HOFFMAN
At 17, Arianna Korting, a senior at West Geauga High School, has performed on piano throughout the world. She has played in recitals and with orchestras, on radio and television, winning top prizes in regional, national and international competitions.
While she continues to capture some of the world's most prestigious honors, she often focuses on using her talents to help her school and others.
Right now, Arianna, who is treasurer of the senior class, and other class officers, are spearheading "Senior Soiree," a fundraising concert for the class of 2012. The concert will be held at Mayfield Church at 7 p.m. Dec. 9.
The church is located at the corner of Mayfield and Caves roads in Chester. Tickets are $5.00 at the door, and refreshments will be available.
"All proceeds will go to the senior class to help fund our prom and graduation," Arianna said.
Arianna will perform during the entire second half of the concert. Her three pieces will include Beethoven's Sonata, Opus 10 No. 3 in D major, Chopin's "Barcarolle," and Liszt's "Rhapsodie Espagnole."
Performing during the first half of the concert are small ensembles from the high school band, as well as Class Act, a vocal group from the school choir. Class Act is also performing at the church Dec. 8.
"We'll have a variety of musical performers," said Arianna, who's a member of West Geauga's National Honor Society, Interact Club and jazz band. "It will be an enjoyable evening for students, families and friends."
Arianna said she has always enjoyed organizing concerts benefiting a good cause. "I decided to do it for the senior class." She quickly added, "I couldn't have done it without help from the other class officers."
Previously, Arianna organized a concert for disaster relief called "Love Notes for the World," which raised more than $2,500 for Doctors without Borders, and she has participated in other benefit concerts at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she is a scholarship student of Gerardo Teissonniere.
Arianna, who made her debut as a soloist with an orchestra at the age of 7, has shared her musical talents in other ways. She started the Animato Project, an interactive program of classical music for elementary school children in the West Geauga School District. "Animato," in musical notation, means "lively" or "energetic," she said.
"I targeted fourth-graders to get them interested in classical music," she said. "The music is timeless. It's been around for centuries. I showed them you can do so many things with classical instruments."
She said she hopes the program continues after she graduates. "We need young listeners."
Arianna has won numerous first prizes in competitions over the years, including the fifth Julia Crane International Piano Competition, Bradshaw and Buono International Piano competition, the Dubois Piano Competition, Duquesne Young Artists National Piano Competition, the Solon Philharmonic Orchestra Young Artists Competition and many others.
She was selected to perform in opening ceremonies for the Cleveland Institute of Music's Mixon Hall, at Blossom Music Center, in Jordan Hall at the New England Conservatory in Boston as well as the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. She performed for broadcasts of National Public Radio's "From the Top," Carnegie Hall in New York City, at the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival in Cambridge, England, the Canadian Embassy in Prague and in Manila, Philippines.
A member of the junior jury in the 2009 and 2011 Cleveland International Piano Competition, she is also an avid chamber musician. She was a member of the Zingaro Quartet, which had won several competitions and was named 2009-10 Rembrandt Young Artists in Chicago.
Arianna, who speaks three foreign languages, including German, French and Chinese, was recently named a 2011 Davidson Fellow by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development. She was one of only 18 young people under the age of 18 in the country to receive this award. Her achievement has been recognized by the U.S. Senate and was entered into the Congressional record on Oct. 6, 2011.
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