‘COLORS OF MUSIC’ STUDENT MURAL CONTEST WINNERS!
Local Student Artwork to Be Painted As Community Mural in White Plains
White Plains, NY– The Music Conservatory of Westchester is proud to announce that both Mya Madison Davis, 9th grader at Pelham Memorial High School, and Ciara Sergi, 9th grader at White Plains High School, are winners of the “Colors of Music” Student Mural Contest! Additional finalists were Emma Farley, of New Rochelle, grade 7, Albert Leonard Middle Schoo and Lucy Schwartzreich, of Chappaqua, grade 11, Horace Greeley High School.
Numerous entries were submitted by middle and high school students around Westchester County with the hope that their artwork would be chosen as the basis for a mural to be painted on the Music Conservatory of Westchester’s building on Central Avenue in White Plains. Four finalists were selected by an adjudication panel of art experts and creative community leaders from New York City and Westchester County.
In a tie, based on scores from all eight members of the adjudication panel, both Mya Madison Davis and Ciara Sergi were chosen as winners of the contest. They will collaborate with professional mural artist, Jonathan Villoch, to adapt their winning designs as a large-scale mural representing the theme of “Multi-Cultural Music.” Runners-up in the contest, Emma Farley of New Rochelle, 7th grader at Albert Leonard Middle School and Lucy Schwartzreich, of Chappaqua, 11th grader at Horace Greely High School will attend a mural art workshop over the summer with all four finalists. A new mural will be developed based on the winners’ designs under Jonathan Villoch’s guidance.
“Giving and getting feedback is so important to collaboration and having an open dialogue is essential for artists to communicate productively on any project,” Mr. Villoch said of this once-in-a-lifetime artistic experience.
Finalists in the contest are (in alphabetical order by last name):
- Mya Madison Davis, of Pelham, grade 9, Pelham Memorial High School
- Emma Farley, of New Rochelle, grade 7, Albert Leonard Middle School
- Lucy Schwartzreich, of Chappaqua, grade 11, Horace Greeley High School
- Ciara Sergi, of White Plains, grade 9, White Plains High School
Mya Madison Davis described her winning contest submission titled “Rainbow Rhapsody” as, “The bright colors represent diversity of people. The instruments I used are from all over the world. For example, I included a Djembe which is a drum from Africa. I also included a pan flute which originates from Colombia. I also depicted instruments that would not usually go together like a piano and an electric guitar. An important part of my painting is the silhouette of the conductor’s arms because it shows everyone from all different cultural backgrounds coming together, united in one harmony, all with a common goal.”
Ciara Sergi described her worldly entry titled “Musical Pangea”: I drew the characteristic instruments from each of the continents as a product of their traditional culture, and used their instruments to depict each continent.”
The Music Conservatory of Westchester thanks all of the talented student artist entrants in the “Colors of Music” Student Mural Contest for their exceptional creative ideas, colors, mediums, and musical and multi-cultural elements that were demonstrated to illustrate the theme.
“Each artist brought his or her creative point of view. Some artists were quite literal in their interpretation; others took the theme to another level of graphic abstraction and conceptualization,” Lynn Honeysett, former Executive Director of the Pelham Art Center said of the art entries submitted by local students for the contest. “I appreciated that all the student artists brought heart and soul to their work.”
Submissions for the “Colors of Music” Student Mural Contest, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, were judged in two rounds by eight panelists with art expertise as well as Westchester County community leaders:
- Margaret Adasko, Curator of Education, Katonah Museum of Art
- Samantha De Tillio, Assistant Curator, Museum of Arts and Design
- Michael Dweck, Treasurer and Board Trustee, Museum of Arts and Design
- Jimmy Fink, Radio Personality and Producer at 107.1 The Peak
- Lynn Honeysett, Former Executive Director of the Pelham Art Center
- Kimberlyn V. McKoy, Gallery Associate, ArtsWestchester
- Amy R. Paulin, Assemblymember for the 88th District
- Jonathan Villoch, Professional Mural Artist, Collaborating Artist for “Colors of Music” Student Mural Contest
Conservatory Executive Director Jean Newton said, “We are very excited to unveil the finished mural, celebrate and share it with the entire community. Music and art brings people together in a way that nothing else can.”
The Music Conservatory of Westchester will celebrate the unveiling of the final mural on Sunday, September 30th, 2018 with a block party on the Conservatory’s grounds. The entire community is invited to enjoy live music, food trucks, and family fun! The Conservatory encourages all students who entered the contest to attend and share in recognizing their fellow students whose creative vision of the vibrant diversity of Westchester County and beyond will be featured as public art for the community.
The Music Conservatory of Westchester was founded in 1929 by a group of community members and renowned artists. Today, the Conservatory provides the extraordinary benefits of music to all in our community, from absolute beginners to advanced artists, with one-on-one instruction, performing ensembles, theory, composition, early childhood classes, lifelong learning for adults, and free community performances, serving 2,900 students each year from 4 months to over 80 years old. As a not-for-profit organization, the Conservatory is dedicated to serving the community and reaching out to those who would not otherwise have access. Our Scholarship Program provides tuition assistance for financially deserving students. The Music Therapy Institute brings music into the lives of 1,900 children and adults with disabilities each year through on-site and outreach programs. Healing Our Heroes offers military veterans a specialized music therapy program to help with recovery after their service. The Conservatory has inspired generations of students, and contributed to a vibrant musical life in the county, the region, and beyond.
Visit musicconservatory.org.
Internationally renowned violinist Ani Kavafian will be the featured artist in An Autumn Afternoon of Music, a benefit concert on Sunday, November 12 at the Music Conservatory of Westchester. String players from the Yale School of Music will join Ms. Kavafian in a performance of Mozart’s C Major Viola Quintet, as well as other selections from the string quartet repertoire.
