Amore String Quartet earns third place at MTNA
calendar icon19 Mar 2019 user iconBy Brian G Reetz
The Amore String Quartet has returned from earning third place at the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Competition-Chamber Music String. The Quartet includes undergrads Claudia Holm, An Tran, Travis Taylor and Riley Beranek.
In preparation for the competition, the Amore String Quartet increased its rehearsal time to four or five days a week. They also invited friends to a mock performance to simulate the competition environment.
“We had a rather stressful trip to Spokane,” Tran said. “We had to get up at 4 a.m. to catch a flight at 6:30, which we almost missed. Once we landed in Seattle, we had to drive four and a half hours to Spokane, and we ended our day with a late rehearsal at the venue. We’re grateful that everything worked out.”
There were seven competitors in the Chamber Music String competition. First place was awarded to the Oak Piano Trio from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and second place was awarded to the Lilac String Quartet from the Eastman School of Music.
“I am very grateful for the experience and feedback we received at the competition,” Holm said. “The level of competition was very high, so having our hard work recognized is extremely rewarding.”
Beranek added, “I enjoyed my experience in Spokane. I’m happy with our performance and getting third place was just icing on the cake. The conference was valuable and I took a lot of useful information of it.”
Taylor said, “We were really excited when we found out the results, and I feel that a competitive competition at a national conference like this will help me in all of my future performing and teaching endeavors."
Tran added, “I am very happy about the results of the competition. Whether or not we would have placed, our performance was one of our best performances, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to perform and receive feedback from the judges.”
They added that they are grateful for the opportunity to represent the Glenn Korff School of Music at a national level. They would like to thank the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the Glenn Korff School of Music for helping fund their trip, as well as their coaches -- Karen Becker and Jonah Sirota -- for guiding them through the competition judges. They would also like to thank all of their former coaches, as well as, friends, family, and faculty members who have supported them throughout their quartet journey.