Southeastern violinist to compete in national competition
Contact: Christina Chapple
2/2/07
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HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University violinist Milena Rusanova will compete next month in the national finals of the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competitions.
“This is the first time a Southeastern student has advanced to the national level of MTNA competition,” said David Evenson, head of Southeastern’s Department of Music and Dramatic Arts. “We are delighted for Milena Rusanova and extremely proud of her accomplishment. No one in the department works harder than she does, and we will be cheering her on when she competes for the national prize."
The national competition is scheduled for March 25-26 in Toronto, Canada.
Rusanova, who is from Ruse, Bulgaria, is a graduate student in violin performance in the studio of Yakov Voldman, director of Southeastern’s string program and the Southeastern Chamber Orchestra. She will be accompanied in the competition by pianist Henry Jones, Southeastern assistant professor of music.
Rusanova advanced to the finals by winning the string division in the MTNA Young Artist Competitions on the state and district levels. The district competition, which included student musicians from Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, was held at the University of Oklahoma Jan. 26-28.
Alma Iuliano, a sophomore from Brasov, Romania, also competed after winning the Young Artist Piano division on the state level. She is a student Southeastern music professor Kenneth Boulton.
Rusanova began studying the violin at the age of five at the High School of Arts in Ruse. She completed her bachelor’s degree in violin performance at the Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria. She has participated in masterclasses with Dina Shnaiderman and Devi Erlih and studied chamber music in Austria. In 2001 she won an award for her performance of a Bulgarian piece in an international competition in Sofia.
“I would like to thank Dr. Evenson and the administration at Southeastern for all their assistance and support,” Rusanova said.
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