Soiree Musicale - Youth Orchestras Finale Concert
SOIREE MUSICALE
Troy Webdell, conductor
Ben Morton, piano*
Kenny Wang, piano*
Gregory Woods, marimba* & student composer
Featuring the 2024 Concerto Competition Winners, and Benjamin Britten’s delightful Soirées Musicales based on themes by Gioachino Rossini.
JUNIOR STRINGS ORCHESTRA
WILLIAMS Star Wars Main Theme
GLASS Truman Sleeps from The Truman Show
HOPKINS Dance of the Red Dragons
YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WOODS Symphony No. 1 in D Minor
Moderato
BACH Violin Concerto in A minor
Allegro moderato
Gregory Woods, marimba*
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major
Allegro
Kenny Wang, piano*
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor
Andantino, allegretto
Ben Morton, piano*
BRITTEN Soirées Musicales (after Rossini)
Marcha
Canzonetta
Tirolesa
Bolero
Tarantella
*2024 Concerto Competition Winners
Listen to our Soiree Musicale - Youth Orchestras Finale Concert playlist on Spotify.
GREGORY WOODS, marimba
Gregory Woods is a percussionist and composer looking to go study media composition. He is currently being taught percussion by his father, Timothy Woods. Previously, he played percussion for the Northwest Indiana Youth Symphony. He has been composing for three years, mostly in the fantasy/orchestral/jazz genres, and he is open to commissions. Outside of composition, he enjoys writing stories, reading, and most of all hanging out with his wonderful parents and siblings, and friends.
KENNY WANG, piano
Born in 2007 and currently a high school junior in Fort Wayne, IN, Kenny Wang has studied piano since he discovered his interest at age 5.
He currently studies with Dr. Hamilton Tescarollo and owes much credit to his former teachers, Ms. Carol Hahn and Ms. Christine Freeman. Kenny’s performing accolades range from winning the MTNA Indiana Junior Piano competition and the Gene Marcus Piano Competition as well as a near-perfect ISSMA State piano solo to recognition in the IMTA Hoosier Auditions and a 2nd place finish in the Carmel Klavier International Competition. He has also performed in masterclasses for tremendous artists such as Dr. Randall Faber, Dr. Kara Huber, Panayis Lyras, Dr. Caroline Hong, Dr. Alexandre Dossin, and Dr. Caio Pagano. He will also be performing with the Symphony of the Lakes and has performed in the PFW Piano Studio Recital, among other performances.
Outside of solo piano, he has performed in the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s Youth Symphony orchestra since 2021 and is currently the principal pianist and assistant principal percussionist.
Aside from performing music, Kenny is very involved in leading a FIRST Indiana robotics team, the FW Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council, and as an Editor-in-Chief for Canterbury’s Untitled Paper.
BEN MORTON, piano
Ben Morton is a senior at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has studied piano for 13 years, nine with Marylee Morton and most recently with Dr. Hamilton Tescarollo. He has participated at state level in both bassoon and piano at the Indiana State School Music Association Solo and Ensemble contest and has been a finalist in the Gene Marcus Piano Competition in both 2020 and 2021. He also won the 2022 Manchester Symphony Orchestra Concerto competition. Ben plays bassoon in the Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra, Homestead Symphony Orchestra and Advanced Wind Ensemble.