Lawrence University Pianist Wins State Music Competition

Lawrence University junior Michael Gold earned first-place honors Saturday, Oct. 15 in the 2012 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Wisconsin state competition conducted at Lakeland College. Gold, a piano performance major from Oak Park, Ill., won the young artists (19-26 years of age) piano competition. He advances to the MTNA’s five-state East Central Division competition January 4-6 at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Winners at the division competition advance to the MTNA’s national competition March 9-13 in Anaheim, Calif. Gold is the 12th Lawrence piano student in the past 15 years to win the Wisconsin MTNA piano competition. He is a student in the studio of Catherine Kautsky. Lawrence pianists dominated the competition, which featured a total of 11 students. Besides Gold’s first-place finish, senior Drew Donica earned alternate (second place) honors while senior James Maverick and sophomore Elizabeth Vaughan earned honorable mention recognition. Two other Lawrence musicians will represent Wisconsin at the division competition. Senior saxophonist Phillip Dobernig and freshman pianist Gabriella Makuc advanced in the young artist woodwinds and senior performance (ages 15-18) competitions, respectively, as the only entrants in their categories. The MTNA performance competitions recognize exceptionally talented young artists and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence