Lucie Ticho, SO cello, has been selected as a National Finalist in the 2011 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Junior Strings Competition. Lucie recently won the East Central Division Junior Strings Competition and will compete in the national finals in March. Read below to find out more about the MTNA competition and Lucie's accomplishments.
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Area Cellist Advances to Finals of National Music Competition

Hinsdale, Illinois, January 8, 2011 – Lucie Ticho, age 13, of Hinsdale, Illinois will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in March to compete as a National Finalist in the 2011 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Junior Strings Competition.

Ticho, daughter of Ben and Kathy Ticho, earned this opportunity after winning the East Central Division Junior Strings Competition held over the weekend at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.  A 7th grader at The Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove, Ticho has been studying cello for over ten years and is a student of Tanya Carey in Glen Ellyn.  Ticho is also a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras' (CYSO) Symphony Orchestra, the CYSO Encore Chamber Orchestra, as well as a string quartet and piano trio ensemble.

The MTNA Junior Strings National Competition will take place on March 26 during the organization’s national conference in Milwaukee.  The winner of this competition receives a cash prize and will perform in a winner’s concert during the conference.  Each participant in the Finals is expected to perform up to 20 minutes of solo music, representing two contrasting musical time periods.

The three-tiered MTNA competitions begin at the state level.  Winners of each State Competition advance to the Divisional Competition.  Division winners then proceed to the National Competition Finals.  Ticho will be representing Illinois and the entire East Central Division in the Junior (ages 11-14) Strings Competition Finals.

To receive more information about the MTNA National Competitions, including competition rules and applications, please contact MTNA national headquarters at (888) 512-5278, mtnanet@mtna.org or visit the website at www.mtna.org.

Music Teachers National Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of 24,000 independent and collegiate music teachers committed to advancing the value of music study and music making and to supporting the professionalism of music teachers.  Founded in 1876, MTNA is the oldest professional music association in the United States.