Alison Miserendino Wins Young Artist Competition

Published Jan. 15, 2010
By Master Sgt. Melinda M. Burts
The USAF Band

BOLLING AFB, D.C. -- The United States Air Force Band is proud to announce that the winner of its 2010 Colonel George S. Howard Young Artist Competition is euphonium soloist Alison Emily Miserendino of Burke, Va. Miserendino, a senior at Lake Braddock Secondary School, competed with four other finalists from across the nation in a recital on January 7, 2010, at Bolling Air Force Base. Her winning performance with the Concert Band will take place on March 7, 2010, at 3 p.m. as part of the Band's Guest Artist Series at historic Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The Canadian Brass, one of the world's leading brass ensembles, will also be featured on the program.

Alison began studying the euphonium at age 12. She is the principal euphoniumist in her high school symphonic band and was the principal euphoniumist for the 2009 All Virginia Symphonic Band. She has performed with the Capital Wind Symphony, the George Mason University Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, the James Madison University Youth Brass Band, and the Northern Virginia Senior Regional High School Orchestra.

For the past two summers, Alison has studied at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) and has played euphonium in the BUTI Young Artist Wind Ensemble. She also has attended the summer "Music Horizons" program at the Eastman School of Music.

A consistent recipient of "superior" ratings at solo and ensemble festivals, Alison currently studies with Roger Behrend--the former principal euphoniumist with the U.S. Navy Band. She previously studied for five years with Master Sgt. Jennifer D. Cox of The U.S. Air Force Band.

In addition to euphonium, Alison also plays piano and trombone. She plans to pursue a degree in music education and hopes someday to play professionally with one of the military bands in Washington, D.C.

The Colonel George S. Howard Young Artist Competition is an annual competition that began in 1994 and is named for the second commander and conductor of the Air Force Band to honor his many contributions to young musicians. The competition is open to all high school band instrumentalists in grades 9 through 12 who are United States citizens or legal permanent residents. Originally a competition for winds and percussion, it now alternates yearly between brass/percussion and woodwinds--the 2010 competition was open to brass and percussion.

For the preliminary round, a panel of Air Force Band members chooses finalists from taped auditions. This year we received over 30 application tapes. These selected finalists perform in the final round of competition that takes place at Bolling Air Force Base. The winner then appears with the Band during the Guest Artist Series, held each February and March in the nation's capital.

Information about the 2011 competition for woodwinds can be obtained by writing to:
Young Artist Competition
The United States Air Force Band
201 McChord Street
Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C. 20032-0202

Information is also available via phone or email:
Master Sgt. Melinda Burts
(202) 404-8363
youngartist@afncr.af.mil

Alison Miserendino wins USAF Band's Young Artist Competition