College of Visual and Performing Arts | Music | Music Degrees and Programs | Music Programs | Student Artist Competition
Student Artist Competition
Announcing the 2026 Winners
Dylan Royal
First Prize (tie)
Student of Dr. Robert Young
Glazounov – Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra in E-flat Major, op. 109
Dylan Royal is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he holds a graduate assistantship and studies with Dr. Robert Young. An active performer throughout the United States, Dylan has made numerous professional appearances, namely being a soloist with the James Madison University Symphony Orchestra as the 2025 winner of the universities’ concerto competition.
Dylan is the founder of the All-Black saxophone quartet Øra nØir, which has garnered international recognition, being selected to perform at the International Saxophone Symposium. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from James Madison University, where he studied saxophone with Prof. David Pope.
Siana Wong
First Prize (tie)
Student of Dr. Fabián López
Sibelius – Violin Concerto in D minor, op. 47
Siana Wong is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, with Malaysian heritage. Before attending college she was a member of the Greensboro and Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras, winning their concerto competition and performing as a soloist with them. She pursued her Bachelor of Music degree at UNC Chapel Hill under the tutelage of Nicholas DiEugenio, as well as a BA in biology. During her time at Chapel Hill, Siana was also a winner of the concerto competition. Siana is an avid chamber music performer in and out of her home state of NC, including performances with EMF and UNCG faculty. Siana spent many summers at the Luby Violin Symposium at Chapel Hill, having the opportunity to learn from first-class violinists from around the globe. She has also attended the Instrumental Program of Chautauqua Institution and participated in master classes with Ana Luque, Shannon Thomas and others.
Siana is a member of Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Western Piedmont Symphony, and she has recently been appointed Associate Concertmaster of Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her performing career, she enjoys teaching in her private studio.
Currently, Siana is extending her studies at UNCG, pursuing a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Performance Studies with Dr. Fabián López.
She plays on a Wojciech Topa violin from 2017.
Joeli Schilling
Third Prize
Student of Dr. Erika Boysen
Pucket – The Shadow of Sirius
Joeli Schilling is a Greensboro-based flutist and music educator pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Flute Performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she studies with Dr. Erika Boysen and serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. She holds a Master’s degree in Flute Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Joeli maintains a diverse career as a performer and educator, with performances, teaching, and conference presentations throughout the United States and Europe. She is the first prize winner of the Raleigh Area Flute Association Young Artist Competition, second prize winner of the Colorado Flute Association Young Artist Competition, third prize winner of the South Carolina Flute Society Young Artist Competition, and a winner of the National Flute Association’s 2024 Masterclass Performers Competition.
An avid advocate for new music, Joeli frequently collaborates with emerging composers, including Austin Perry, whose flute sonata Sepulchre by the Sea was written for and premiered by Schilling in 2023. She has also premiered Perry’s wind quintet Adipocere at the Texas Music Educators Association and Annika Socolofsky’s quintet 7 Signs You’re Living in a Capitalist Hellscape.
As a passionate pedagogue, Joeli has taught at the Boulder Symphony Music Academy, maintains an active private studio, and previously served on the Colorado Flute Association Board. She currently serves as the assistant exhibitor concert and showcase coordinator for the National Flute Association. Joeli has attended festivals including Brevard Music Center, Texas Summer Flute Symposium, and the Raffaele Trevisani Flute Course and has performed in masterclasses for artists such as Amy Porter, Mark Sparks, Alexa Still, and Susan Milan. Joeli’s primary teachers include Erika Boysen, Christina Jennings, Lisa Garner Santa, Spencer Hartman, and Julee Kim Walker.
About the Competition
The UNCG School of Music Student Artist Competition showcases outstanding student performers each year and offers the chance to appear as a soloist with the University Symphony Orchestra or the Wind Ensemble. Preliminary auditions are held in December, followed by a final round in January. Two students are typically selected, earning performance opportunities on concerts presented between the upcoming spring and fall semesters.
Auditioning
The competition will occur in two rounds:
- A Preliminary Round is scheduled and administered by each performance area (keyboard, voice, woodwind, brass, percussion, and string). Students should consult their studio teacher or area coordinator for specific audition guidelines and requirements.
- A Final Round is scheduled and administered by the conducting area. Up to 15 performers—selected from the preliminary rounds—will advance to compete. The final round is open to the public.
Philosophy and Format
The philosophy of the Student Artist Competition is:
- To provide students the opportunity to perform as soloists with orchestra in full or partial concerti, arias, or other short works on regularly scheduled concerts of the University Symphony Orchestra.
- To showcase exceptional School of Music students to the public.
The competition will occur in two rounds:
- A Preliminary Round is scheduled and administered by each performance area (keyboard, voice, woodwind, brass, percussion, and string). Students should consult their studio teacher or area coordinator for specific audition guidelines and requirements.
- A Final Round is scheduled and administered by the conducting area. Up to 15 performers—selected from the preliminary rounds—will advance to compete. The final round is open to the public.
Preliminary Round
- Preliminary auditions are scheduled by each performance area (keyboard, voice, woodwind, brass/percussion, string) and must be completed no later than the end of the fall term.
- Memorization requirements are determined by each individual area.
- Performance proficiency requirements are set independently by each area.
- Each area may advance no more than three students to the final round:
- 3 Keyboard
- 3 Voice
- 3 Woodwind
- 3 Brass and Percussion
- 3 Strings
- The format of the preliminary audition and the criteria for advancing students are determined by each area.
- Each area may also choose whether to balance graduate and undergraduate representation in the final round.
- All repertoire must be approved by the conductor (Dr. Kim or Dr. Caldwell) before students enter the preliminary round.
FINAL ROUND
- Tuesday, January 20, 2026, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Tew Recital Hall
- Advertised and open to the public
- Students will perform for up to 15 minutes in order to present complete works or movements, or samples of multiple movements.
- Limited to a total of 15 participating students, representing their respective areas.
Final Round Guidelines, Rules, and Information
- The audition order will be determined at random. Finalists must remain available for the full audition block. Exceptions may be granted only in cases of extenuating circumstances. Any special time requests must be communicated to the conductor by the application deadline.
- If an orchestral score is available in the UNCG Music Library, it should be provided for the audition committee.
- Performers and accompanists must arrive at the audition site at least 15 minutes before their scheduled time. Appropriate performance attire is expected.
- If a soloist or accompanist arrives late, the audition will be canceled and the next performer will be called. Rescheduling is at the discretion of the audition committee.
- If the selected work exceeds the allotted audition time, the finalist may choose to perform a complete section of the piece or selected excerpts that represent the full work.
- Vocalists may choose repertoire from either concert literature suitable for orchestra or operatic arias. Repertoire selection should be made in consultation with the studio professor.
- A student may earn a performance opportunity through this competition only once during their career at UNCG.
- An impartial committee will evaluate the finalists. The conductor of the Symphony Orchestra will serve as an advisor to the committee.
Repertoire Selection
All repertoire must be approved by the conductor (Dr. Kim or Dr. Caldwell) before students enter the preliminary round. If a student wins a performance slot with a work that is impractical for the Symphony Orchestra or Wind Ensemble to perform, or a work the orchestra has performed within the past three years, the student may be asked to prepare an alternate piece. Due to programming considerations, winners may also be asked to perform more or less of their selected work, such as a single movement of a multi‑movement piece. Repertoire may not exceed twenty minutes in duration. The conductor for the performance may or may not be the faculty conductor of the orchestra. Final programming decisions will be made by the conductor in consultation with the student and the studio teacher.
Performance Scheduling
A total of two winners will be selected from the Final Round. To maximize the educational experience for both the competition winners and the students participating in the Symphony Orchestra or Wind Ensemble, one performance will be scheduled in the spring and the other in the fall. Graduating students will receive scheduling preference for the April concert.
Orchestra Rehearsals
Monday and Wednesday: 2:00–3:40 p.m., Room 111
2025
Calvin Godfrey
Stekke – Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra
Student of Dr. Garrett Klein
Taylor Stirm, clarinet
McAllister – Black Dog
Student of Dr. Anthony Taylor and Dr. Luke Ellard
Cori Trenczer, cello
Haydn – Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major, Hob. VIIb/2, op. 101
Student of Dr. Alexander Ezerman
2024
Angela Moretti, bassoon
Weber – Concerto for Bassoon in F Major, op. 75
Student of Dr. Michael Burns
Daisy Schoen, soprano
Stravinsky – No Word from Tom
Student of Dr. Robert Wells
Jayon Felizarta, violin
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 77
Student of Dr. Fabián Lopez
2023
Daniel Garcia, clarinet
Nielsen – Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, op. 57
Student of Drs. Anthony Taylor and Andy Hudson
Tyler Reece, double bass
Martin – Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra
Student of Prof. Craig Brown
2022
Lucas Gianini, clarinet
Zare – Bennu’s Fire
Student of Drs. Anthony Taylor and Andy Hudson
Clare Griffin, soprano
Handel – “Da tempeste il legno infranto” from Giulio Cesare
Student of Dr. Carla LeFevre
Kyrese Washington
Nielsen – Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, FS 119
Student of Dr. Erika Boysen
2020
Suzanne Polak, piano
Shostakovich – Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major, op. 102
Student of Dr. James Douglass
Sydney Scherer, flute
Daugherty – Trail of Tears
Student of Dr. Erika Boysen
2019
Lilla Keith, soprano
Debussy – “Azaël! Azaël! Pourquoi m’as-tu quitte” from L’enfant prodigue
Student of Dr. Carla LeFevre
Akiko Yamazaki, piano
Saint-Saëns – Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
Student of Dr. John Salmon
2018
Alex Whitehead, clarinet
Debussy – Premiere Rhapsodie
Student of Dr. Anthony Taylor
Jacob Warren, saxophone
Creston – Concerto for Alto Saxophone
Student of Dr. Steven Stusek
2017
Ekin Ustunel, piano (MM)
Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, mvt. 1
Student of Dr. Andrew Willis
Isaac Pyatt, marimba (junior)
Abe – Prism Rhapsody
Student of Dr. Eric Willie
2016
Elena Flores, soprano (MM)
Grand Prize Winner
Donizetti – “O Luce di Quest’anima” from Linda di Chamoanix
Student of Prof. Clara O’Brien
Emily Loboda, saxophone (DMA)
Creston – Concerto for Alto Saxophone
Student of Dr. Steven Stusek
Colin McDearman, piano (MM)
Mendelssohn – Capriccio Brillant
Student of Dr. Andrew Willis
2015
Kelsey Paquin, clarinet (MM)
Grand Prize Winner
McAllister – Black Dog
Student of Dr. Anthony Taylor and Dr. Kelly Burke
Lydia Pion, soprano (senior)
Dvorák – “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka
Student of Clara O’Brien
Mengfei Xu, piano (DMA)
Rachmaninoff – Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini
Student of Dr. Andrew Willis
2014
William Hueholt, piano (sophomore)
Grand Prize Winner
Prokofiev – Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, op. 16
Student of Dr. Joseph DiPiazza
Justin Worley, tuba (DMA)
Strauss – Concerto No. 1 in E-flat, op. 11
Student of Dr. Dennis AsKew
Jessica Johnson, mezzo-soprano (MM)
Ravel – “Asie” from Shéhérazade
Student of Dr. Robert Bracey
2013
Mark Cramer, clarinet (DMA)
Grand Prize Winner
Debussy – Premiere Rhapsodie
student of Dr. Anthony Taylor
Jeremy Harris, piano (senior)
Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Mvt. I
Student of Dr. John Salmon
Jourdan Laine Howell, soprano (MM)
Weber – “Eist traumte menier sel’gen Base” from Der Freischutz
student of Dr. Robert Wells
2012
Anna Darnell, clarinet (junior)
Grand Prize Winner
Ticheli – Clarinet Concerto
Student of Dr. Anthony Taylor
Xin Gao, saxophone (DMA)
Peck – The Upward Stream
Student of Dr. Steven Stusek
Ryan Silvestri, violin (MM)
Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto
Student of Prof. Marjorie Bagley
2011
Jason Wallace, saxophone (DMA)
Grand Prize Winner
Williams – Escapades for Saxophone and Orchestra
Student of Dr. Steven Stusek
Michelle Ayres, soprano (DMA)
Beethoven – “Ah! Perfido”
Student of Prof. Clara O’Brien
Stephanie Greco, violin (MM)
Shostakovich – Violin Concerto
Student of Prof. Marjorie Bagley
2010
Wei Jiao, piano – (DMA)
Grand Prize Winner
Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 1
Student of Dr. Andrew Willis
Joann Martinson, soprano (MM)
Bernstein – “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide
Student of Dr. Robert Bracey
Julie Smith, flute (MM)
Nielsen – Flute Concerto
Student of Dr. Deborah Egekvist
Cicilia Yudha, piano (DMA)
Ravel – Piano Concerto in G
Student of Dr. John Salmon