VSA arts of Massachusetts invites you to a reception honoring

VSA arts Young Soloist Award Massachusetts Winners
Yoo Jin Noh and Laura Sousa

February 4th, 2008 at 6pm
Williams Hall
New England Conservatory
290 Huntington Avenue,
Boston, MA 02115

There will be light refreshments and
a performance.

RSVP (617)350-7713 (voice)
(617)350-6836 (TTY)
Email: kati@vsamass.org

Yoo Jin Noh, a student pianist at the New England Conservatory, and Laura Sousa, a student violinist at Vassar College, are the winners of the VSA arts of Massachusetts Young Soloist Competition and are now in the running for the VSA arts International Young Soloist Award. Through the award, VSA arts annually recognizes outstanding young musicians with disabilities and supports and encourages them in their pursuit of a career. A committee of distinguished music professionals selects the award recipients who receive $5,000 and the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

As a person who is blind, Yoo Jin Noh, says that she can, "communicate with others through music . . . something deeper, something that spoken words may not always express." Now a freshman at the New England Conservatory, Yoo Jin learned to play piano as a young child in Korea by listening to a piece over and over until she became, "sensitive to every note and rhythm." In the United States she learned how to read Braille music and gained a different perspective about performing music. Yoo Jin admits, "Even though it was stressful to read music while memorizing it, I learned to discover what the composer tries to convey in his or her music rather than taking the performer's idea."

Laura Sousa became inspired to study the violin while watching Itzhak Perlman on Sesame Street. Laura confesses, "Even as a preschooler, I was able to relate to his physical struggles; I , myself, having Spina Bifida, became emotionally moved by his performance." Laura, now a music major at Vassar College, was a member of the New England Conservatory's Preparatory School and Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. She has performed in eight different countries and loves to share her music with the world.

Community members are invited to join us in honoring these two young musicians. The reception will be followed by a short performance from pianist, Yoo Jin Noh and violinist, Laura Sousa.

For information
Contact: kati@vsamass.org
Phone: (617)350-7713
TTY: (617)350-6836