FIRST PRIZE
Cal Alexander, Age 15
USA
Score: 96.33
Cal Alexander, 15, has just finished the ninth grade at Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana. Cal began studying the violin at the age of four with Mrs. Angela Russell, and he currently studies with Mrs. Laura Crawford, founder and director of the Centenary Suzuki School. Cal also began to study with Mr. Jan Sloman of the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2017. Cal has performed in masterclasses with several internationally acclaimed concert artists and pedagogues including Jinjoo Cho, Tessa Lark, Francisco Fullana, Martin Beaver, Paul Kantor, Dami Kim, Brian Lewis, and more.
Cal was one of three violin students accepted into the Perlman Music Program this year, and he will have the chance to study with many distinguished musicians. He has attended the Encore Chamber Music Summer Academy in previous years. For the past two years, Cal represented the South-Central Region at the National MTNA Junior Strings Competition. In 2020, he was fortunate to win second place nationally in the Junior Strings Competition after winning an Award of Merit the previous year. Cal has also won the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Competition for two years and had the opportunity to perform with them. This year, Cal won the Grand Prize at the Marjorie Stricklin Emerging Artists Competition. This gave Cal the invitation to perform with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra. He was also recently invited to perform with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, Cal was invited to solo with the Centenary Youth Orchestra, in which he is a co-concertmaster, and the Marshall Symphony Orchestra. He performed at the National Biennial Suzuki Conference in Minnesota in 2018 as well. Cal has also won the Red River Radio Young Artists Competition and was featured on live broadcasts for the past two years.
Cal has toured the United States, Canada, and Brazil acting in three Broadway musicals, ”Billy Elliot,” “A Christmas Story,” and “Matilda” from 2012 through 2015. Aside from playing the violin, Cal likes to participate in Quiz Bowl, Model United Nations, and Student Government. Cal also likes to relax with his dogs and play Ping-Pong.
La Gitana by Fritz Kreisler (3:53)
Tzigane by Maurice Ravel (10:27)
