The Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition was judged by a panel comprised of members from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Southwest Chamber Music under the chairmanship of Mitchell Newman, Los Angeles Philharmonic first violinist.
Other members of the panel were: Peter Stumpf, Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal, cello; Beth Cook-Shen, Los Angeles Philharmonic second horn; James Miller, Los Angeles Philharmonic Associate Principal, trombone; Lorin Levee, Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal, clarinet; Larry Kaplan, Southwest Chamber Music, flute; and Roland Kato, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Principal, viola.
It was the judges' task to select first and second prize recipients in each of the competition categories, as well as to recognize musicians for receipt of the Jack Smith Memorial Award for Most Promising Talent and the Barbara Ehrlich Memorial Award for Outstanding Showcase Regional Musician.
The "Grand Prize" award was also given to one of the contestants for "Exceptional Talent". Before giving out the awards, the Head Judge, Mitchell Newman, thanked PSHA for "making what could have been a difficult process, a wonderful experience."
The Grand Prize award of $6,000 was presented to Ilana Setapen for her exceptional talent on the violin. Setapen received her bachelor of music degree from USC and is currently a student of violin performance at the Colburn Conservatory. She has received the Bronze Medal in the Irving M. Klein String Competition and served as co-concertmaster of the American Youth Symphony since 2003.
