Kosciusko County's own Symphony of the Lakes began a new tradition this year: a competition for high school string players throughout Indiana.
The winner will perform with the symphony this fall, plus receive a $1,000 prize and scholarship opportunities at the Grace College School of Music.
Applications for the Indiana Lakes String Competition poured in from all over the state. The entire day of Feb. 14 was set up for all the solo auditions, before a group of judges from the Symphony's personnel.
"There was a great deal of talent at the auditions," said Patrick Kavanaugh, the orchestra's conductor. "But in the end there was a clear winner."
His name was Mikhail Vayman.
This young violinist lives in Muncie with his parents, Anna Vayman, a violin professor at Ball State University, and Leonid Sirotkin, an oboe professor at DePauw University. Now in the ninth grade, Mikhail began playing the violin at the age of 4. He was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and moved to the United States in 2001.
After coming to the United States, Mikhail received a scholarship to study with Professor Kurt Sassmannshaus in the Starling Preparatory String Project at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Mikhail has performed as a soloist with the Starling Orchestra and at the Starling Showcase Series. As a fellowship recipient he has attended Great Wall International Academy in China, where he was featured as a soloist with Starling Chamber Orchestra at the Forbidden City Concert Hall.Mikhail won a first prize at the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Young Artist Competition in November 2006, and performed with Fort Wayne Philharmonic three times in April 2007.
Since September 2007, Mikhail continues his violin studies under Professor Mauricio Fuks in Bloomington.
In June 2008 Mikhail attended Orford Music Festival, Canada, on full scholarship. In February 2009, he became grand prize winner of Indiana Lakes String Competition.
"He is a truly amazing young man," said Kavanaugh. "To be that young and yet to play with such virtuosity and such expression, it's outstanding. I can't wait for our community to hear him perform this fall."
He will play the entire Mendelssohn Violin Concerto this November with the Symphony of the Lakes.
