Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation announces 2024 music contest winners

SANTA BARBARA, California – Six young musicians took home thousands of dollars in scholarships Sunday, April 28, after competing in the annual music contest organized by the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation.

A professional panel of judges selected first and second place winners in the adult instrumentalist, junior instrumentalist and vocalist categories. Eleven finalists performed at the event. Awards ranged from $500 to $6,000 and totaled $26,000 overall. The contest took place at Music Academy of the West in Montecito.

This year’s vocal division winner is Ava Zimmel, 22, a soprano and junior at Westmont College. Second prize goes to Xeni Tziouvaras, 29, a mezzo-soprano and freelance vocalist embarking on an international opera career following graduation from the Manhattan School of Music.

The 2024 adult instrumentalist winner is Tiffany Yin, 23, a pianist and recent graduate of UCSB’s Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance program. She will begin a Master of Music in Piano Performance at UCSB in the fall.

Second prize in the adult instrumentalist division goes to Cam Audras, 25, a violist and recent graduate of the Master of Music in Viola Performance program at UCSB. Audras is a freelance violist and principal violist for several area orchestras and ensembles.

First prize in the junior instrumentalist category goes to Henry Woodruff, 16, a violist and student at the Colburn Music Academy in Los Angeles. In second place is Joey Malvinni, 16, a classical guitarist and a junior at Dos Pueblos High School.

Honorable mentions go to the remaining contest performers: tenor Lorenzo Johnson, Jr., 27; pianist Noelle Hadsall, 15; pianist Leon Guo, 15; pianist Jiyoo Kim-Jung, 15; and pianist Matvey Ioffe, 15.

The Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support students of the performing arts in the Santa Barbara community. Scholarship winners are encouraged to use the funds to develop their musical careers, such as by paying for music lessons, music school tuition, summer music programs, or instrument improvement.