Talented Sisters Both Winners in Youth Composition Competition
Youth Composition Competition Students Also Top Students in School
Helena Abney-McPeek
from Illinois won 3rd place in the Senior Composition Competition with "May 14". She entered Parts I and II separately due to their length. Both Parts I and II were equally excellent, and tied for third place! Helena has won awards for the past 2 years.Thanks to Sheet Music Plus for the $25 Gift Certificate
Helena, age 15, started playing Suzuki violin at the age of 4. From the very beginning, she was interested in composing, and wrote several pieces for violin and voice when she was about 5 years old. She is now a high school sophomore. She sings in the a cappella choir at school and plays violin in the Chicago Youth Concert Orchestra. She's involved in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra's Composition Seminar and has composed for her high school's musical. Her other interests include math, computer science, writing and acting.
This is the third year sisters, Fiona and Helena Abney- McPeek from Chicago have entered the Violettes Youth Composition Competition. This year they both received top placement awards! Fiona Abney-McPeek from Illinois won 1st place in the Junior Composition division with "Sunlight".Thanks to Performers Music in Chicago for her $50 Gift Certificate.Currently 13 years old and in 7th grade, Fiona has been involved with music for much of her life. She started playing violin when she was a toddler. Soon after, she began her first compositions, which she played on violin with her family. "Sunlight" is Fiona's first piece for brass. In addition to playing and composing music, Fiona participates in her middle school's Mathcounts, Science Olympiad team and cross country teams. She currently plays in a youth orchestra, sings in the school choir, plays chamber music with her friends and participates in a composition workshop.
