Monday, July 20, 2015

Lydia Newton: 3rd Prize, Violin, Cat.B | 2015


Lydia Newton is 14 years old, going into ninth grade, and home-schooled. She began violin at 4 at the suggestion of her brother's teacher who observed Lydia humming along throughout the older sibling's lessons. For the past five years, Lydia has been a student of Enen Yu, co-concert mistress of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. Other teachers, over the years, include Jivka Jeleva, Dr. Peter Povey, and Sonja Foster-Allen. Lydia performed twice, in 2009 and 2010, as a “Shining Star” soloist with the Southeastern Louisiana University Chamber Orchestra. In 2010, she was chosen as recipient of the Irving Carr Award for Musical Excellence by the Junior Philharmonic Society of New Orleans. In 2014, Lydia was selected as concert mistress of the senior orchestra at the Alabama All-State Orchestra Festival. She was a winner in the 2015 Lois Pickard Competition. Winner of two Young Artist Concerto Competitions, she recently performed as soloist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the Georgia Philharmonic Orchestra. Lydia enjoys participating in chamber groups, and she often joins the ranks of the University of Mobile string section for musical productions and concerts. Over the years, Lydia has especially relished regularly playing in ensemble with two older siblings, a violinist and a pianist. Lydia also counts it a privilege to be starting to collaborate with two adopted siblings who, more lately, have taken up cello and accordion. For recreation, Lydia's favorite pastimes are reading, drawing, running, and singing with the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus.