The annual David Hochstein Recital Competition recognizes outstanding musicianship and performance skills of advanced student musicians in grades 10-12 who reside in the nine-county region surrounding Greater Rochester. The students who win this competition perform at a recital at Hochstein each spring.
This year’s winners are oboist Riesa Cassano, cellist Benjamin Doane, and pianist Jonathan Madden.
They were recorded in concert on April 19, 2016 by Carl Pultz of Alembic Productions. You can hear this concert on the radio on Wednesday November 23rd, at noon (and again at 10pm) as Live from Hochstein takes a break for the Thanksgiving week holiday.
Jonathan Madden of Fairport in the piano category
Jonathan is a senior at Fairport High School and studies classical piano with Brian Preston and cello with Joan Kinsella. He is the pricipal cellist for Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Apprentice for the ensemble.
Benjamin Doane (cello) of Rochester in the strings category
Benjamin has been learning the cello since the age of six, first at the Kanack School with Katie Fittipaldi and currently with Rosemary Elliot and Steven Doane. He is currently co-principal cellist of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.
Riesa Cassano (oboe) of Pittsford in the winds, percussion and harp category
Reisa is a junior at Pittsford Mendon High School and has been studying the oboe privately with Emily Agnew for the past six years. Currently she is the principal oboe and English horn player in the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra.
