Lawrence University junior Leo Sussman has qualified for the 2014 National Society of Arts and Letters national performing arts competition for woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet) after winning the recent (March 15) three-state regional competition in Champaign, Ill.
A flute performance and physics major from San Francisco, Calif., Sussman earned top honors among 14 finalists from Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa at the regional competition, earning $1,000 for his winning performance. He advances to the NSAL’s national competition May 13-17 at the West Virginia Cultural Center in Charleston, W.V., where he’ll compete for a $10,000 first-place prize.
In winning the regional competition, Sussman performed “Landscape with Birds” by Peteris Vasks, “Ballade” by Frank Martin and “Sonata for Solo Flute in A minor” by CPE Bach. He studies in the flute studio of music professor Erin Lesser.
Lawrence senior Heather Jost, a flute performance and anthropology major from Pewaukee, also qualified as a finalist for the NSAL’s regional competition.
The National Society of Arts and Letters is an organization dedicated to helping promising young artists through competitions, financial assistance, master classes, and career introductions. Each year the NSAL sponsors a competition for one specific medium rotating among the visual arts, performing arts and literature. This year marked the first time the performing arts competition featured woodwind players.
About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.
