Casting Call

YoungArts is planning multiple alumni performances this Fall and Winter in Los Angeles (including a Warner Bros. performance opportunity), Miami and other major cities. The casting call is open to ALL alumni.

Read more for submission guidelines and to apply

Gallery Winner Selected

Congratulations to Iliya Mirochnik, 2006 YoungArts Winner in Visual Arts, whose mural recently was chosen for the outside wall of the Flomenhaft Gallery, located in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.

The competition, a collaboration of YoungArts and the Flomenhaft Gallery, was judged by Eleanor Heartney, independent art critic and contributing editor to Art in America magazine, and Eleanor Flomenhaft, owner and director of the Flomenhaft Gallery.

Iliya received a $500 award during a September 15 reception at the gallery, located at 547 W. 27th Street, New York.

Read more
 

Behind the Scenes

Don’t want to wait until the next newsletter to learn the latest news about YoungArts programs, events and alumni? Simply follow us on Twitter or “Like” us on Facebook.

And while you’re on Facebook, click on our “BandPage” to listen to music performed by the outstanding alumni of YoungArts and find out where you can catch them “live” next.

Niia Bertino, 2005 YoungArts Winner in Voice

Not too many up and coming singers can say they have worked with such musical stars as Wyclef Jean, Akon, Lil’ Wayne or Lady Gaga. But Niia Bertino can. Since participating in YoungArts six years ago, the 23-year-old has been featured with each of these artists.

“The most important thing I learned from YoungArts was how many other extremely talented people there are in the world,” said Niia. “You can never stop improving and there will always be competition. Being true to yourself and continuing to be open to learn from others, especially your peers, is vital in every creative field.”

As a singer, Niia was recognized at a young age by YoungArts as one of the top jazz singers in the U.S. She is best known for her feature on the 2007 hit single, Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill), with Wyclef, Akon and Lil' Wayne, which was certified Platinum by the RIAA and peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Currently, Niia is working on her debut album, which explores a darker side of electronic pop music, slated for release later this year.

Read our interview

	+James Campolongo, 2000 YoungArts Winner in Cinematic Arts has been writing for the USA Network show White Collar since its inception. He was a head writer for the popular web-series LonelyGirl15 and was a winner of the Warner Bros. Writers Workshop for television. James has received awards in filmmaking from the New Jersey State Governor’s Office. Read more
	+Josh Groban, 1999 YoungArts Winner in Theater has been cast as the brother of Ed Helm's character in the long-running NBC comedy series, The Office. Read more

	+Molly Joyce, 2010 YoungArts Winner in Music, recently won the Bowdoin International Music Festival's Composer Competition. Read more
	+Jennifer Koh, 1994 YoungArts Winner in Music and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, will perform Bach's Complete Solo Violin Works at the Academy of Arts and Letters presented by the Miller Theatre on October 23, 2011 in New York City. Read more
	+Wendell Pierce, 1981 YoungArts Winner in Theater and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, best known as Detective Bunk Moreland on the HBO drama, The Wire, can now be seen on HBO as New Orleans trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme. Other current acting roles include Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. He also is in pre-production for B.B. King and I, a film about the great jazz performer. Read more

Happy Anniversary, YoungArts

Since 1981, YoungArts, the core program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA), has honored over 16,000 artists with more than $6 million in monetary awards and nearly $84 million in college scholarship opportunities.

In honor of the 30th anniversary of our founding by the late Ted Arison, and his wife Lin, we will pay tribute here monthly to alumni from every class who have embraced the Arison’s mission to identify emerging artists and assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development:
 

2003 – Chris Young, YoungArts Winner in Voice and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, is gathering acclaim as a country music singer-songwriter recording under the RCA label. Two songs released this year, Voices and Tomorrow, have reached the top of the charts. For the second consecutive year, the Country Music Awards has nominated Chris as New Artist of the Year.

2004 – Joseph Wiggan, YoungArts Winner in Dance and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, lives in Montreal and performs with Cirque du Soleil. Last year he performed at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Playboy Jazz Festival, and participated in the annual L.A. Tap Festival at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy.

YoungArts 2012 Registration is open until October 14. Learn how you can benefit from our program.

2011 YoungArts Week Performance DVDs. Relive every moment! Order now

Help us continue to invest in a future rich in culture…by investing in the future generation of talented young artists. Learn how

Have a question about our program or events? Call (305) 377-1140 or email us at communication@youngarts.org

// THROUGH OCTOBER 14, 2011
YoungArts 2012 Registration

// NOVEMBER 5, 2011, 6:00 p.m.
Sleepless Night
21^st Street Bandshell, Miami Beach – Emmett Cohen, 2009 YoungArts Winner in Jazz, will perform with his Jazz Trio.

// NOVEMBER 9, 2011
Inaugural Alumni Art Auction
New York City.

// JANUARY 9-13, 2011
YoungArts Week 2012
Multiple locations throughout Miami.

// JANUARY 14, 2012
An Affair of the Arts Performance and Gala
Gusman Center for the Performing Arts and J.W. Marriott Marquis.

The Arts Matter

Dear Friends, 

Earlier this month, during the memorial service commemorating the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center, one could not help but be moved by the raw emotion of the families and friends whose lives were forever altered on this terrible day.

Looking out on the newly opened plaza, with its bold but simple design, one thing is immediately clear: an artist created this powerful landscape. Indeed, artistic expressions surrounded and touched every emotion connected to this historic event.

I am especially proud of four YoungArts alumni whose musical gifts contributed to the ceremony in New York City and at a commemorative program in Paris. Benjamin Pila, 2002 YoungArts Winner in Music and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, played classical guitar at the National September 11 Memorial. And, at the official commemoration ceremonies in France, Grace Weber, 2006 YoungArts Winner in Voice and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Julian Pollack, 2006 YoungArts Winner in Jazz, and Blaine Krauss, 2010 YoungArts Winner in Theater and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, performed for The French Will Never Forget Association.

Ben provided our readers with a personal reflection of his experience:

Just before the ceremony, Mayor Bloomberg addressed all of the musicians and told us how important our contribution to the ceremony was; that we bring a glimmer of hope to those affected by the events of 9/11.

The arts matter because they allow us to communicate and feel beyond the boundaries of everyday life. They have the ability to soothe, provoke, and inspire. They explore the emotional dimensions of experience like nothing else can.

Even when something as terrible as 9/11 happens, the arts are there to communicate emotion in beautiful, haunting, and inspiring ways.

As our registration period comes to a close next month, please take one more moment to think of a talented 17- or 18-year-old whose artistic gifts should be nurtured…and then tell them about the YoungArts program. The world is counting on them.

Sincerely,

Paul T. Lehr
Executive Director

Sponsor Spotlight

Thank You for Your Support

We salute Pomellato for partnering with YoungArts to celebrate the annual Fashion’s Night Out this month. As celebrations unfolded nationwide, Pomellato hosted YoungArts at Bal Harbour Shops for an elegant evening of shopping for a good cause in the spirit of art and design. Emmett Cohen, 2009 YoungArts Winner in Jazz, provided musical entertainment for shoppers with his Emmett Cohen Trio, and a portion of proceeds benefits YoungArts programming.
 
Pomellato values creativity, innovation and artistic craftsmanship, and we recognize their support of the program and our young artists and alumni.