The 2017 Arthur Poister Scholarship Competition in Organ Playing took place April 1 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Syracuse, New York.
First Prize was awarded to Yunjung Lee of South Korea, a performance diploma student at Southern Methodist University. Lee will play a winner’s recital in the autumn in Setnor Auditorium at Syracuse University. Second Prize was awarded to Alcee Chriss, III, a Doctor of Musical Arts degree candidate at McGill University and a member of The Diapason’s 20 Under 30 Class of 2016. His “Rising Star” recital will be scheduled in the Malmgren Concert Series at Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University, in the spring of 2018. T
he four additional contestants who performed in the finals were: Tyler Boehmer, a Master of Music degree candidate at the University of Kansas; Nathaniel Gumbs, a Doctor of Musical Arts degree candidate at the Eastman School of Music and a member of The Diapason’s 20 Under 30 Class of 2017; Josiah Hamill, a Master of Music degree candidate at Yale University; and Janet Yieh, also a Master of Music degree candidate at Yale University and a member of The Diapason’s 20 Under 30 Class of 2017. The judges for the final round were Judy Congdon, Frederick Hohman, and William Neil.
Arthur Poister Competition participants, back row, left to right: Tyler Boehmer, Nathaniel Gumbs, Alcee Chriss, Josiah Hamill; front row, left to right: William Neil, Yunjung Lee, Janet Yieh, Judy Congdon, and Frederick Hohman
