Stamford Center for the Arts is proud to announce that the first Emerging Young Artist Scholarship ($2,000) will be awarded on Sunday, August 15 to Anna Leunis, age 14, of Darien, a student participating in this summer’s 13th annual Chamber Music Institute for Talented Young Artists conducted by The Lumina String Quartet. The Institute is part of SCA’s Summer Arts Infusion Education Program made possible by Presenting Sponsors RFR Realty and Purdue Pharma, which is open to almost 6,000 of our area’s youth.
"Anna Leunis is a very talented violinist, and as my teacher in Russia used to say, ‘Asya you are a very talented violinist, but talent doesn't play, you must have knowledge.’ Anna who has studied with me for the last three years, has a real thirst for knowledge and works really hard to get it,” said Lumina String Quartet Artistic Director, Asya Meshberg. “She is a real achiever and deserves to be recognized."
Anna, who has been playing the violin since she was three years old, has performed at the Palace Theatre every year for the past three years as part of the Chamber Music Institute. She is an extremely talented musician who has learned and performed many string quartets including works by Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, and Dvorak and will surely continue to grow and achieve in the future.
Along with other members of her class, Anna underwent a highly competitive audition process and will work hard to master all four movements of a major work by a great composer under the guidance of the Lumina String Quartet members. This well deserved scholarship will aid Anna in her endeavors to continue developing her musical talent and further her artistic career.
“We have a long history with Asya Meshberg and the Lumina String Quartet, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this first scholarship to one of their students,” said SCA Executive Director, Elissa Getto. “Supporting arts education is a top priority for us, and the Chamber Music Institute offers a truly wonderful opportunity for young artists.”
This two-week institute will be conducted from August 2nd to the 8th and August 9th to the 15th and will involve 70 local emerging musicians. Each week-long program includes chamber music coaching, private lessons, master classes and scheduled practice and rehearsal time (both alone and as an ensemble). The programs will conclude with concerts held at The Palace on the Sundays following each week during which every student quartet will perform an entire composition. These concerts on August 9th and 15th at 2:30pm will feature seven youthful string quartets playing works by the greatest classical composers.
For more information about the Summer Arts Infusion Education Program, please contact Education Coordinator, Carol Bryan at 203-517-3431 or cbryan@scalive.org. Tickets for the Lumina String Quartet concerts are $10 and may be purchased by calling 203-655-8543.
For additional information (directions, parking) and a full schedule of upcoming events, visit the SCA website at www.scalive.org or call 203-325-4466.
About the Stamford Center for the Arts:
The vision of the Stamford Center for the Arts is to be the regional arts center for exciting entertainment that enhances and enriches the cultural, educational, economic, and social life of the community. The SCA strives to achieve this vision by demonstrating integrity in all work and relationships, providing service and quality in all activities, fostering and promoting diversity of thought, ideas and culture, providing stewardship for the Stamford Arts community, emphasizing outreach in our community, and offering creativity in all endeavors. Major funding provided by the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
