Astral Artists, the Philadelphia-based “career bridge” organization for gifted young musicians, has selected eight winners of its 2009 National Auditions, following a four-day audition period in January. Winners are violinist Benjamin Beilman (19), baritone Jonathan Beyer (27), the Biava Quartet, bassoonist Harrison Hollingsworth (22), cellist Hee-Young Lim (21), pianists Alexandra Moutouzkine (28) and Ilya Poletaev (28), and soprano Yulia van Doren (25). Auditions winners receive professional career development guidance; Philadelphia and New York City debuts; auditions for major presenters, managers, and conductors; and the opportunity to perform world premieres of Astral-commissioned works. In addition, Beilman also was named winner of the $5,000 Milka/Astral Violin Prize, financed by the Princeton-based Markow Totevy Foundation; the prize underwrites participation in one or more international competitions, with the remainder set aside for professional career development. Astral, founded in 1992, runs a concert series with the Camden-based orchestra Symphony in C, and its artists perform at a variety of community settings including schools and adult-care facilities.
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