MEMPHIS, TENN., May 14, 2018 – Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC) has reconized two oustanding local high school students as Pu-Qi Jiang Excellence in Music winners for the first time in the history of the award. Named in honor of the Germantown Youth Symphony Orchestra’s (GYSO) founding music director and conductor, the annual scholarship is awarded to a rising senior student who displays excellence in talent, musicianship, attendance, dedication, ability to work with an ensemble, and overall personality and attitude.

“We are incredibly proud of our youth symphony orchestra members and their commitment to being positive role models in the orchestra and the community,” said Emily Hefley, Programming Manager at Germantown Performing Arts Center. “There are so many amazing young people in the group. We were honored to be able to recognize two winners this year instead of just one.”

The 2018 award winners represent the best and brightest of the Germantown Youth Symphony Orchestra:

• Jeffrey Huddleston II attends Overton High School and was the youngest member to join the youth symphony at the age of 10. Huddleston is always fully prepared for rehearsals and frequently asks the music director for suggested practices in extended techniques: from developing his ear and perfect pitch, to help on solos, or helpful scales to use while soloing over a jazz chart.
• Ginny Paige Velasquez attends Faith Heritage Academy and is frequently selected to represent the Youth Symphony in civic engagements because of her poise and grace. Velasquez consistently demonstrates dedication, musicianship, and talent, both in and out of rehearsals. She is responsible and always helpful, often staying after rehearsal to help clean up or perform other needed tasks.

Photo: (from left to right): Ginny Paige Velasquez, Jonathan Schallert (Music Director), Jeffrey Huddleston II

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5kplfem8x7gixt8/PuQi%20Jiang%20Excellence%20in%20Music%20Winners.jpg?dl=0

Germantown Performing Arts Center can be found online at:

https://www.gpacweb.com/

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About the Germantown Youth Symphony:

The GPAC Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO) is a full orchestra consisting of strings, winds, brass, percussion, harp, and keyboard. Admitted by audition, GYSO musicians are advanced student musicians who participate in weekly orchestra rehearsals, sectional rehearsals and weekly music appreciation class. In 2015-2016, GYSO will have the unique opportunity to participate with GPAC’s resident orchestra, IRIS Orchestra for special master classes with soloists and orchestra members.

About Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC):

The Germantown Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)3 organization providing art performances and art education in the heart of Shelby County, Tennessee serving the Greater Metro Memphis Area of over a million people.  The Mission of the Germantown Performing Arts Center is to serve the community by presenting the highest quality artistic endeavors to educate, engage, enrich and transform.

The GPAC theater is an acoustically perfect, 864 seat venue featuring a sprung pine stage, an intimate black box theater, an elegant patron lounge, eight spacious dressing rooms and a large lobby for entertaining and assembling. Ray Charles set the bar high when he opened GPAC in 1994, immediately defining the space as a place where excellence is the norm and where the world can come to perform.  Season after season, GPAC has applauded an array of artists with extraordinary talents and showcased the broadest range of performances and art forms. GPAC presents world-renowned performing artists in a variety of genres, year-round educational activities for all ages including the GPAC Youth Symphony Orchestra, rotating visual art exhibits and many community events welcoming over 100,000 visitors annually. The organization benefits from the infrastructure of a professional organization that possesses a clear direction, strong financial health, seasoned professional staff and a dedicated board of directors. For more information visit: https://www.gpacweb.com