RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2007
ORGANIZATION: Co-op Press
ADDRESS: P.O. Box 204 Wrightsville, PA 17368-0204
EMAIL: cooppress@comcast.net
CONTACT PERSON: Anita Brandon

Co-op Press is pleased to announce that Katherine Young, Naomi Gray, and Marguerite Lynn William’s recording of Sy Brandon’s “Meditation and Dance” for oboe, cello and harp was selected by our judges to receive the first prize of $700.00 and a release on an Emeritus Recordings CD in its 2007 Recording Competition. The second prize of $300 and a release on an Emeritus Recordings CD was awarded to Abigail Kegel Walsh and Jared Elder for their recording of Sy Brandon’s “Three Preludes” for flute and guitar.

Katherine Young was appointed principal oboe of the Florida Orchestra in March 2007.  She previously completed a fellowship with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida, where she served as principal oboe on numerous occasions and during residencies at the Accademia de Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy, and New York's Carnegie Hall. Katherine has served as a guest principal oboe in the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the San Diego Symphony.  She has performed in the music festivals of Tanglewood, Spoleto USA, Banff, Music in the Mountains in Durango, Colorado, and with the National Repertory Orchestra. Katherine serves on the faculty at the University of Tampa and at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in western Michigan. 

Cellist Naomi Gray is currently a member of the New World Symphony. Recently Ms. Gray led the cello section of the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra under the direction of Valery Gergiev. She has also performed with the Lancaster Symphony, and the National Repertory Orchestra, with whom she was a featured soloist.  In the recent past she has played under the batons of Roger Norrington, Kent Nagano, Carl St. Clair, and the late Sergiu Commissiona. Besides performing solo recitals in the Chicago area, Ms. Gray has performed in master classes for Yo-Yo Ma and Bernard Greenhouse.  Recently, Ms. Gray performed Michael Tilson Thomas’ Notturno with Paula Robison and members of the New World Symphony.  She has also joined members of the orchestra in chamber music recitals around the Umbria region of Italy.

Harpist Marguerite Lynn Williams has concertized throughout the United States, Europe and Asia as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra member in such venues as Carnegie Hall (New York), Shostakovich Hall (St. Petersburg, Russia) and Symphony Center (Chicago).  Ms. Williams has won prizes in numerous competitions including First Prize of the Anne Adams National Competition sponsored by the American Harp Society in both 1998 and 1999; the National Endowment of the Arts Artist Recognition Talent Search (1997), the National Federation of Music Clubs (1997), the American Opera Society (2003) and Sigma Alpha Iota (2001).   

Among other solo engagements, Marguerite Williams has been featured as soloist with the New World Symphony (2007), Roosevelt University Chamber Orchestra (2001); has premiered numerous compositions including Augusta Read Thomas’ …The Soul is Light… for harp, oboe and violin in 2007; and is under high demand for her performances of contemporary music including Berio’s “Circles” for voice, harp and two percussionists.  Recent performances have included collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Flemming, Maxim Vengerov, Kanye West and appearances as royal entertainment for H.I.H. Princess Thi-Nga of Vietnam.  

An experienced orchestra musician, Ms. Williams has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Ravinia Festival Orchestra and San Diego Symphony.  She is currently principal harpist for the New World Symphony (Miami, FL) and the Colorado Music Festival (Boulder, CO).  Ms. Williams is currently on faculty at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami.

Connecticut based flutist Abigail Kegel Walsh is currently on the flute faculty of the Hartt School as an adjunct instructor, as well as the Vernon Music and Arts Center.  She is a member of Performance 20/20, an innovative chamber music program at the Hartt School. An Iowa native, Abby held the Principal Flute position with the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra and the Oskaloosa Symphony Orchestra from 2003-2006, and served as the wind contractor for both.   She has also performed with the Dubuque Symphony, Cedar Rapids Symphony, and Iowa's Center for New Music (all IA).  Abby has served on the faculty of The University of Iowa, West Music Conservatory, and been a faculty artist for the Five Seasons Chamber Music Festival.  She has won The National Flute Association's 2004 Masterclass Performers Competition, the Iowa City Music Study Club Competition, The University of Iowa Chamber Music Competition, and has been a finalist in the Chicago Flute Club's Piccolo Artist Competition, and The University of Iowa's Concerto Competition. 
 
Jared Elder, classical guitarist, is currently in his fourth and final year of a dual degree program at the University of Hartford, a B.M. in classical guitar performance at The Hartt School, and a B.A. in psychology. Jared is a member of Performance 20/20, the honors chamber music program at the University of Hartford.  He has performed in master classes for David Russell, The Romeros, Ana Vidovic, William Kanengeiser, Andrew York, The Miami String Quartet, and others.  Other notable appearances include New England Guitar Society's International Guest Guitarist concert series, full-length solo recitals following his sophomore and junior years, and the International Guitar Festival each summer at Hartt.  Jared also enjoys free-lance performances at venues such as the Farmington Valley Arts Center and Miss Porter's School.
 
The 2008 Co-op Press Recording Competition will be for large ensembles. Information can be obtained by visiting http://cooppress.hostrack.net or by writing Co-op Press at P.O. Box 204, Wrightsville, PA 17368-0204.