News & Press Releases

Third Annual GAMAC Concerto Competition

Anderson, SC——On January 5, 2008, Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium (GAMAC) Artistic Director Alex Spainhour announced clarinetist Andrew Jacobi as the winner of the 3rd Annual Bernhardt House of Violins and GAMAC Concerto Competition. A resident of Clemson, SC, Mr. Jacobi will perform Claude Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsody with the GAMAC Orchestra and receive a $500 cash prize at GAMAC’s Celebration of Youth performance on Friday, February 15, 2008 at 8p.m. at the Rainey Fine Arts Center at Anderson University.
Sponsored by Bernhardt’s House of Violins, the GAMAC Concerto Competition is open to young South Carolina instrumentalists ages 15 to 22 in Anderson, Abbeville, Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg and Cherokee counties. Each contestant is required to perform one movement of a concerto or solo work that utilizes orchestral accompaniment for a panel of judges. This year’s panel included Dr. Vivian Hamilton, Mr. Jack Cohan, Mrs. Leslie Warlick, Mrs. Angie Jones and Mr. Frank Watson. Auditions were held on January 5 at Anderson University. A total of 35 contestants representing all seven Upstate counties participated, marking the largest number of participants since the competition’s inception in 2005. Five finalists were chosen to perform a second time on January 5 with Mr. Jacobi chosen as the winner. “Each one of these performers did an outstanding job. It was a very tough decision for the judges,” said Alex Spainhour. The remaining four finalists; Audrey Cook (cello), Maggie Gould (violin), David Kiser (piano) and Daniel Overly (piano) were each awarded $100 for their outstanding work.
At age 17, Andrew Jacobi is a student at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities where he studies with Dr. Kyra Zhang. Competition judge and GAMAC Orchestra bassoonist Frank Watson noted that, “He performs with a level of expression and poise that is quite impressive for such a young musician.”
Tickets to hear Mr. Jacobi’s performance with the GAMAC Orchestra on Friday, February 15, 2008 may be purchased by calling (864) 231-6147.

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