The Overture Awards is a program that recognizes and rewards excellence in the arts among Greater Cincinnati students in grades 9-12. Its mission is to encourage arts education as an integral part of a student’s academic experience and to create an environment that encourages training in, and appreciation of, the arts.
The Overture Awards Competition is the area’s largest solo arts competition and offers awards in six artistic disciplines: Creative writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, Vocal Music.
Evelyn has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember, spending all of her free time reading books and crafting stories that combine her passion for fantasy and mental health. With goals of becoming a clinical psychologist and author, she hopes that all of her tales provides three important things: perspective, critiques of society's largest problems, and escape from the exhausting rhythms of every day.
Abbey is a passionate writer, musician, and photographer. She won the Mount St. Joseph poetry award in 2024 for her creative work. She loves singing and plays guitar as part of an ensemble, using music as a form of self-expression. Abbey also gives back by volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and working at her school’s coffee shop.
Jai's first stories were scribbles on pieces of paper that only she could decipher. Since then, she’s found joy in being able to express herself across a variety of literary genres. Jai, a consistent honors student, lives by the famous Toni Morrison quote: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” As the reigning Miss Black Teen Cincinnati, her mission is to highlight the importance of literacy and promote a culture that embraces lifelong learning.
Asher has been writing since he was in 4th grade. He has won multiple awards from the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition and writes poetry in his spare time.
Just Off Broadway
Nora is a dance major, in her 11th year at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. She began dancing at 2.5, and continues studying many genres of dance. Nora enjoys performing in ballets and musicals. She hopes to share her love for the arts for many years.
College Conservatory of Music- Prep Ballet Department and Planet Dance
Abigail is a dedicated dancer with 15 years of training and a strong passion for pursuing dance as a career. During this time she has won many awards, titles, and honors. She has attended prestigious summer intensives, often on scholarship, and has performed twice as a pre-professional dancer with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, including at their 30th Anniversary Gala. Abigail is a senior soloist with Exhale Dance Tribe, a resident company at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, and also trains intensively at the College Conservatory Preparatory Department.
Maanasa Yarlagadda is a Bharatanatyam dancer who has been training for 10 years, earning several regional and national awards. She has performed at the 2024 Paralympics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and various community venues. She hopes to pursue medical sciences in the future. Outside of dance, Maanasa enjoys reading, crocheting, and volunteering as a tutor at a local nonprofit.
Strive Dance Collective
Audrey has been dancing since the age of 3. She has won numerous different awards, including receiving a perfect score on her solo and being an Overture 2024 finalist. She plans to attend college for nursing and become a travel nurse.
Studies with Jeremy Collins
Beckett has studied classical guitar since he was five. In 2017 Beckett played in an ensemble that premiered Andrew York’s Singularity at Carnegie Hall. In 2018, at age 9, he was the youngest-ever member of the Guitar Foundation of America's (GFA) Youth Orchestra. In 2023 he was selected to GFA’s Mentorship Program and had a Colombian cumbia commissioned for him by Colombian guitarist-composer Carlos Bedoya, which Beckett performed at the opening ceremony of the 2023 GFA Convention. Beckett was recently named an NPR From the Top Fellow.
Hong Chen Violin Studio
Vivian Chang started violin study at age four. She is concertmaster of Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, assistant concertmaster of Ohio’s All-State orchestra, and violinist of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra NYO2. Vivian has won National Public Radio’s From The Top Finalist, to be featured by FTT’s Daily Joy program.
Studies with Dr. Sarah Kim
Sonya Moomaw, a cellist of ten years, has won competitions including placing 2nd in the National Sphinx Competition, 1st in MTNA Junior Strings, and 1st in the Cleveland Cello Society Junior Division. She has soloed with orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony, Sphinx Symphony, New Albany Symphony, and Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony.
Studies with Joel Smirnoff
Angela has been playing the violin for ten years. She is the assistant concertmaster at the CSYO Philharmonic Orchestra and was one of the finalists in the CSYO Concerto Competition. Angela is the state winner of MTNA Competition and Buckeye Audition. She played as a soloist with Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra as the winner of the 2024 competition. Outside of music, Angela loves astronomy, creative writing, and photography, and is an active member of her school's Science Olympiad Team.
Jake has been involved in theater for 6 years performing in 12 shows with his school, Anderson Performing Arts, Inc and C.A.S.T. He competes with his school's Forensic Team in Duo Improvisation and Humorous Interpretation and also enjoys playing piano. He plans to pursue a theater degree after high school .
Clarissa has been studying theatre for more than 8 years now. Clarissa Is pursuing Musical Theatre in college and is in the process of auditioning. She has trained at CCM's Preparatory for two years and often performs on Aves Theatre's stage or Kings Island. She is preparing to portray Donna in "Mamma Mia" this spring.
Musical Arts Center
Jai’Den has been a part of musical theatre since he was 7. He studies voice with Mr. Karl Resnick and loves the mentorship and guidance he has given. Jai’Den won the Best Overall Performance award at the 2024 SHS Variety Show. He has been in many shows with Aves Theatre, including Willy Wonka Jr. (Charlie), Footloose: Youth Edition (Ren), Freaky Friday (Ensemble), Guys and Dolls (Sky), the current production of Between The Lines (Prince Oliver/Edgar), and the upcoming Mamma Mia! (Ensemble). He plans to major in Musical Theatre after graduation.
Studies with Karl Resnik
Natalie has been passionate about theater since stepping on stage for the first time in the third grade. Now, she performs with Ursuline Academy as well as The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, and she studies voice with Karl Resnik. Additionally, she attends the Junior Theater Festival every year and she is part of the Young Artist Preparatory Program for young opera singers.
Allison has been creating art for six years now and specifically fine-tuning my main media of alcohol marker and colored pencil for the past year. I have earned a national award from Scholastic as well as 5 gold keys for a portfolio and additional works. I plan on going to college to pursue Mechanical Engineering in the fall.
Nathan has been an artist his whole life, practicing sculpture, photography, and illustration, among other mediums. He has won 24 Scholastic Art Awards, including two Gold Key portfolios, achieved a perfect score on his AP 3D Art and Design Portfolio, and has been featured in several art shows around the city. Nathan hopes to go to college to study fine arts.
Faith has been doodling her way into becoming an artist since childhood. She has sharpened her skills through competing in events like the Scholastic Art Awards and Ohio Governors, experimenting with an assortment of colorful mediums. Faith is committed to her goal of working as an animator, surprising the world with her chaotic nature. She hopes to inspire others to push their boundaries of creativity, just like her teachers have inspired her.
Andrew's passion for photography started when his father first gave him a camera. He has received a Gold Key for a photo and a Silver Key for his portfolio in the 2025 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. In addition to photography, Andrew has played the violin for over seven years and hopes to continue in college. His dream is to photograph the UEFA Champions League, the highest level of professional soccer in the world, which is located in Europe.
Studies with Xan Jeffery
Eden is a senior at Turpin High school, she has been doing musical theatre since elementary school, she loves to sing and act and do musical performances outside of school. She plans to major in musical theatre in college!
Studies with Malathy Vijay
Ishanvi Karthikeyan has been singing Carnatic music for over 12 years and has won several regional and national Carnatic music competitions. She also plays both the Carnatic and Western violin and is the concertmaster of the Butler Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In her free time, Ishanvi enjoys baking and drawing.
Studies with Stacey Sands
Devi Kool has been singing and performing since she was just seven years old, and has been taking voice lessons for five years. She has always had a great love of theatre and has participated in fifteen shows, with her most recent being Footloose where she played Rusty. She also loves to read and write, and hopes to go to college to study journalism with a minor in theatre.
Studies with Musical Arts Center
William Wittekind has been practicing classical music since the 6th grade. He is a bass-baritone, and has participated in numerous vocal competitions. William’s accomplishments include being a semi-finalist is the Overture Awards in the prior year and an Honorable Mention at Schmidt Vocal Competition. His performances include being in the feature choir for a performance at Carnegie Hall.
