Each year the talented students of the Glenn Korff School of Music compete for the opportunity to perform a concerto, aria, or other solo work with one of the school’s premiere large ensembles. Repertoire used for this event typically ranges from standard concert and operatic works to lesser-known “showcase” pieces written for legendary performers.
Students that have advanced to the finals in this competition have already won their studio and area rounds through a highly competitive process. The finals are held in a concert-style format, judged by various experts in the field, and multiple winners may be selected from both the undergraduate and graduate categories.
After careful deliberation, the judges have selected the following students as WINNERS of the 2020 competition:
India Enter, cello
Sanda Mašić, flute
Mee-Hwa Roche, viola
Learn more about them:
India Enter was raised in Owatonna, MN, where she began playing the cello at the age of nine. Soon after, she began studying privately with Dr. Betsy Anderson, then Dr. Joseph Rodgers at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Since beginning the cello, India has been involved in orchestral and cello studies outside of school and private lessons. She has participated in local Symphonies and String Orchestras, a couple including Minnesota Youth Symphonies and the Canon Valley Youth Orchestra. India has also performed in masterclasses, attended courses, and had private lessons with prominent cellists such as Richard Aaron, Hans Jenson, Tom Rosenberg, Tanya Remenikova, and Paul Katz. She has also attended several intensive summer festivals including Stringwood, Bravo!, International Cello Institute, and Saint Paul Chamber Music Institute. This summer, India attended the Cincinnati Young Artists’ Summer Cello Academy and Miami Classical Music Festival online, due to COVID-19. A favorite musical setting for India is in chamber ensembles. She has played in various small ensembles, whether that be through the Artaria Chamber Music School, summer festivals, University, or with close friends over break. This fall, India is attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for her third year. She has been working towards a BM in Cello Performance, studying under UNL cello professor, Dr. Karen Becker.
Sanda Mašić earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade, Serbia under professor Miomir Simonović and a Chamber Music Certificate at UW-Milwaukee, where she worked as a graduate teaching assistant under Dr. Jennifer Clippert. She performed throughout Europe and the US and appeared as a soloist with the UWM Symphony Orchestra and String Orchestra„Orfej“. As an orchestral musician, Sanda participated in many orchestral tours incuding a tour of Romania (Piatra Neamt), Italy (Trieste, Milan) and California (Los Angeles), US. Sanda was awarded by The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Republic of Serbia with the „Dositeja“ diploma for special achievements on domestic and international competitions, she was a Laureate at the International Flute Festival in Valjevo 2016, a full scholarship award recipient for The Forum Flute Piano in Luxembourg 2018, the winner of UWM Concerto&Aria Competition 2019 and she participated in many masterclasses, workshops and concerts in Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg and the US. Sanda is currently enrolled as a DMA student and graduate teaching assistant and fellow in class of Dr. John Bailey at the UNL Glenn Korff School Of Music.
Mee-Hwa Roche is from Waterloo, Iowa. She started playing the viola at age 8 studying under Ute Brandenburg, later studying with University of Northern Iowa viola professor Julia Bullard. She played as principal violist in the Northern Iowa Youth Orchestra and the Iowa All State Orchestra, as well as playing in the Verismo chamber music program’s scholarship quartet. Currently, Mee-Hwa is a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance, studying with Clark Potter. She has continued to participate in chamber ensembles, including the Red Lotus Piano Quartet and the La Mar Trio, and currently plays in a string quintet. Mee-Hwa has also played with the UNL Philharmonia and the Trace Chamber Society and continues to play with the UNL Symphony Orchestra.