April 26, 2002

Contact: Vickie Hamilton-Smith, School of Fine Arts, (785) 864-9742.

KU violinist wins Springfield young artists' competition

LAWRENCE -- Violinist Aleksandr Snytkin, a University of Kansas graduate student from Lithuania, tied for first place in the Springfield Symphony's Sixth Annual Hellam Young Artists' Competition, held in Ellis Hall at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo., on April 21.

Snytkin's prize included $2,500 and an opportunity to perform in concert with the Springfield Symphony, scheduled for April 26, 2003. Snytkin shared his first-place honors with a student from The Juilliard School in New York City. More than 20 students participated in the competition, which offered five prizes ranging from $500 to $2,500.

Snytkin performed Brahms' "Violin Concerto in D-major op.77" and was accompanied by pianist Melanie Hadley, KU sophomore from Springfield, Mo. Snytkin and Hadley have worked together throughout the semester and will compete together on May 3 during the Naftzger competition in Wichita. Snytkin and Hadley will perform three pieces.

The competition was a first for Snytkin in the United States, though he has performed in six competitions in Europe. Snytkin studies violin with Ben Sayevich, associate professor of music and dance at KU.

Hadley was named young artist of the year by the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis and won the $2,000 first prize in the National Society of Arts and Letters Piano Competition, both in December 2001. She is a student of Jack Winerock, professor of music and dance at KU.

For more information, please contact Vickie Hamilton-Smith at (785) 864-9742.