Charles Seo, a cello player for less than five years, was named the Grand Prize
winner of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra
’s 10th Annual Young Artist Concerto Competition held in January. In addition to
a $500 cash prize, Seo had the honor of performing with the orchestra at its
Feb. 21 concert at the Stafford Centre.
Honorable mentions were awarded to Erik Lawrence, a 17-year-old pianist, and
Erik Wheeler, a 15-year-old cellist, both of Houston.
Seo is an eighth-grader at Memorial Middle School in Spring Branch ISD and
principal cellist for the Houston Youth Symphony. He has also been the
principal cellist in the UIL Region 23 Orchestra all three years he has been in
middle school.
Lawrence is home-schooled and was a finalist in the 2007 and 2008 World Piano
Pedagogy Conference competitions. Wheeler attends HISD
’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and has performed with the
Houston Civic Symphony as Junior Division winner of its Young Artist
’s Competition.
The all-day FBSO Concerto Competition, supported by Sherman Clay Piano and the
National Endowment for the Arts, attracted dozens of talented musicians, age 18
and younger, from across the state.
“Our distinguished judges said it was difficult to choose a winner because of the
extraordinary musical talent our contestants possess,
” said Griff Miller, FBSO member and concerto competition chairperson.
FBSO 10th Annual Young Artist
Concerto Competition Winners
Cello player earns top spot
Charles Seo, grand prize winner • Erik Lawrence, honorable mention • Erik Wheeler, honorable mention
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