Six young musicians honored at NIU show

Six young musicians performed at the annual Honors Recital at Northern Illinois University on Feb. 7. They were the recipients of a talent scholarship awarded by the NIU Community School of the Arts after a rigorous audition held earlier in the month. The students each received a prize of $250.

Ranging in age from 8 to 15, they come from DeKalb, Sycamore, Malta and Rockford, and performed works by Monti, Clementi, Tchaikovsky and Huber.

At the elementary level, the awards went to violinist Sydney Chang, a fifth-grade student at Holy Family Catholic School in Rockford, and to pianist Celia Carpenter, a third-grade student at South Prairie Elementary School in Sycamore. Chang is the daughter of John and Susan Chang. Carpenter is the daughter of Phil and Madaline Carpenter.

At the junior level, the winners were violinist Chadwick Eulentrop, a seventh-grade home-schooled student from Malta, and to violinist Jeong-Ook Soh, a seventh-grade student at Clinton Rosette Middle School in DeKalb.

Eulentrop is the son of Jerry and Wendy Eulentrop. Soh is the son of Hyun-Soo Kim and Inchul Soh.

At the senior level, the awards went to trombonist Brett Balika, a 10th-grade student at DeKalb High School, and to violinist Corinne Ruff, a 10th-grade student at Sycamore High School. Balika is the son of Dave and Shirley Balika. Ruff is the daughter of Phil and Jenny Ruff.

The money for these awards comes from the community school’s scholarship fund. Since 1993, more than 500 scholarships have been awarded to area students to pursue the arts.

The NIU Community School of the Arts offers lessons, classes and ensembles in music, art and theater.

For more information, visit www.niu.edu/extprograms or call Renee Page at 815-753-1450.