The Concert on the Green Young Artist Concerto Competition was a great success in 2011. Over 40 talented vocalists and instrumentalists participated from Clay County music programs! Eight musicians from the senior division and 5 from the junior division competed in the finals on April 4, 2011.

Two 1st place winners were chosen from the senior division who will perform on May 29th at the Concert on the Green in Spring Park in Green Cove Springs. The festivities begin at 4pm and many of the competition finalists will perform during this time. The young artist winners will perform at 8pm accompianied by the renowned Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.

Senior Division Front row (L to R): Callie Procter, Tory Finley, Sandy Feliciano 2nd row (L to R): Steven Flores, Derek Valle, Hannah Hoffman, Marie Smithwick, Jeromy Larson

All of the finalists will present a recital at the Penny Farms Church on May 11, 2011 at 7:00 pm. The public is welcome to come hear these talented Clay County students!

The 2011 Winners are as follows:

Senior Division Winners

The first place vocalist winner was Sandy Feliciano. Sandy is a senior at Fleming Island High School. She is a member of the National Honor Society, AICE program and Fleming Island's Mixed Chorus. Sandy has been recognized as a National Hispanic Scholar, a National Merit Finalist, and as her class salutatorian. She has been singing for five years and can't imagine her life without music. She was a Concert on the Green finalist in 2008 and 2009, and was given Honorable Mention by the Young Arts Scholarship Program in 2010. She hopes to study both Music and Chemistry at the University of South Florida in the fall.

The 2011 1st place instrumentalist prize was awarded to Hannah Hoffman. Hannah is currently a senior at Fleming Island High School. She has been playing the cello since she was six years old and she currently studies with Dr. Nick Curry at UNF. Hannah is currently principal cellist of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. She has studied in master classes with cellists Alisa Weilerstein, Matt Haimovitz, Hans Jorgen Jensen and with the Rastrelli Cello Quartet. Hannah participated in the Brevard Summer Music Festival orchestra in 2009. She plans to attend the University of North Florida and major in music performance.

Marie Smithwick was awarded the 2nd place prize in the Senior Division. Marie is a junior at Fleming Island High School. Marie is active at Fleming Island High School in National Honor Society, Thespians, Chorus, and Desperate Measures (an a cappella ensemble). She recently played the role of Mrs. Wadsworth T. Harcourt in the school's spring musical, "Anything Goes". This year, Marie was chosen as part of the All-State Chorus, the Clay County Chorus, and the Stetson Honor Choir. She is also very involved at her church, Orange Park United Methodist. In college, she plans to pursue a dual degree in opera performance and speech pathology.

The 3rd place award in the Senior Division was awarded to the vocalist Tory Finley. Tory is a junior at St. Johns Country Day School. She has received ratings of "Superior" at both the district and state levels for music performance and has been selected to be a member of the American Choral Directors' Association Honors Choir for the past two years. Tory is an active member in her school's drama department, having most recently starred as Lucy in the production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown". Tory is also a member of the National Honors Society, the Cum Laude Society, and the National Society of High School Scholars.

Junior Division Winners

The 1st place winner in the Junior Division was Morgan Ferrell. Morgan is in the 9th grade at Fleming Island High School where she is enrolled in the AICE program. She has been studying cello with Linda Minke for the past 5 years and is currently the principal cellist with the JSYO Repertory Orchestra.

2nd place was awarded to Marisa Webster who plays trumpet. Marisa is also finishing her 8th grade year at Orange Park Junior High School. 3rd place was awarded to Julian Sanchez who plays saxaphone and is finishing the 9th grade at Orange Park High School.

The Honorable Mention prizes were awarded to Summer Brunelle who is currently in the 9th grade at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and to Kellie Brown who is currently in the 8th grade at Green Cove Springs Junior High School.