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On the Betty Gray Memorial Honors & Awards Concert Friday, June 3rd at 7:15 we'll be acknoledging these fine young musicians who've been a part of CMC for many years.

Nathaniel Austin has been studying music for fourteen years, twelve of those in violin & viola with Cynthia Scott at CMC, and most recently with Bill Hunt. Nathaniel’s also taken advantage of CMC’s music skills, orchestra, and fiddling classes. He took 4th place at the 2007 Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl, he's a 3-time participant in the Oregon Suzuki Institute’s student Honors recital, and he was co-winner of the 2008 Marian Swartz merit Scholarship Award at CMC. Theatre, sports such as biking, and exploring new genres of music divides his time. A graduate of Grant High School, Nathaniel plans to attend Clackamas Community College’s Music Technology Program in the fall. Nathaniel plays a full recital on Saturday, June 11 at 12:30 pm.

Lucas Biespiel started at CMC in January of 1998 in general music classes with Shera Sinell, then violin with Cynthia Scott and orchestra with John Hubbard, and a recording workshop with Michael Walsh, plus Oregon Suzuki Instituted every year since he was 5. He’s also played in Portland Youth Philharmonic’s Conservatory Orchestra and Young Strings Ensemble. Luke’s developed another side to his musical personality, studying jazz violin with Eddie Parente, forming a band called the Backyard Blues Boys, producing five CDs of original songs (one is available on iTunes), and performing at the Waterfront Blues Festival in 2009 and 2011. He’s been at Cleveland High School as an International Baccalaureate student, but also busy as a 4-year letterman in soccer & named to an all-PIL list. Lukas will be attending Berklee College of Music in Boston in the fall. Lucas performas at CMC on Friday, June 3 at 7:15 pm.

Jason Evans has taken cello lessons at CMC with John Hubbard for the past five years, and with Kathie Reed for eight years before that (five years at CMC). Principal cellist of the MYS Symphony Orchestra for select performances, Jason is also a full International Baccalaureate student at Lincoln High School. He enjoys international travel, and will move to Ohio in the fall to attend the College of Wooster, minoring in music performance.

Noel Oishi started violin at CMC at age nine first with Christine Goodner and them with Andy Emert, having already studied guitar here with Steve Adams and continuing it on his own. At LaSalle High School he’s enjoyed studying German, acting, and playing violin in their production of Pirates of Penzance. University of Portland welcomes Noel as a freshman to contine his studies in music, acting, languages and math.

Alexa Rakoski has been a regular at CMC since 1999, in choir, chamber groups, music skills, and violin with Rachel Lambert, Jackie Schmidt and most recently Justin Mackewich. At Camas High School Magnet Program for Math, Science and Technology she’s a National Merit Finalist, National Honor Society member and a Varsity Swim Team competitor. On violin she’s won the Marian Swartz Award at CMC and the James Eoff Award during her four-year tenure in the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Alexa has also been doing an internship research project in thanatology (a type of end-of-life care that uses music to relieve pain) that involved working at the VA Medical Center and Kaiser Sunnyside. She’s set for attending the University of Notre Dame in their Glynn Family Honors Program. Alexa Rakoski plays on Saturday, June 4 at 1:30.

See our calendar of events for concert listings.