The judges took what seemed like forever to deliberate after the last students performed at the finals of the 11th annual Arts Alive/Vitelco Classical Music Competition. But then theirs was not an easy task: to apportion prestige and $5,000 in prize money in three levels of competency within each of three musical areas.
Sunday's event began at 1:30 p.m. in Tillett Gardens on St. Thomas. The last of 33 performances ended around 5:45. More than an hour later, the judging panel — the members of The Gryphon Trio (violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys and pianist Jamie Parker) — announced their decisions. And the winners were:
Junior Piano:
1 — Nicole Moore, 8, of St. Thomas, a student of Katherine Hintz.
2 — Kemuel Browne, 9, of St. Croix, a student of Ausin Bowen.
3 (tie) — Deveron Leonard, 6, of St. Thomas, a student of JoSandra James; and Safiya Taylor, 9, of St. Thomas, a student of John Cahill.
Junior Instrumental:
1 — Jesse Atwell (bass guitar), 9, of St. Croix, a student of Kirby Trim.
Intermediate Piano:
1 — Riise LaFranque, 13, of St. Thomas, a student of JoSandra James.
2 — Kendall Yorke, 15, of St. Croix, a student of Jennifer Halcott.
3 — Darnell Henry, 12, of St. Croix, a student of Jennifer Halcott.
Merit — Kevin Charles, 12, and Lavelle King, 13, of St. Thomas; and Ajai Monell, 13, and Cheleise Warrican, 14, of St. Croix.
Intermediate Vocal:
1 — Daniella Greenaway, 15, of St. Thomas, a student of JoSandra James.
2 — Cheleise Warrican, 14, of St. Croix, a student of Jennifer Halcott.
3 — Lovia Davis, 15, of St. Thomas, a student of JoSandra James.
Merit — Merlissa Thomas, 12, of St. Croix, a student of Jennifer Halcott.
Intermediate Instrumental:
1 — Crew Smith (flute), 16, of St. Thomas, a student of John Cahill.
2 — Carlyle Davis (tenor steelpan), 15, of St. Croix, a student of Michael Belgrave.
3 — Sheldon James (bass guitar), 14, of St. Croix, a student of Kirby Trim.
Merit — Yuri Peterkin (saxophone), 13, of St. Thomas, and Sierra Jade McInroe (oboe), 14, of St. Croix.
Advanced Piano:
2 (tie) — Detra Davis, 17, of St. Thomas, a student of John Cahill; and Christine Driscoll, 17, of St. Thomas, a student of JoSandra James.
Advanced Vocal:
1 — Karabo Molineaux, 15, of St. Croix, a student of Jennifer Halcott.
2 (tie) — Tahja Roberts, 16, of St. Thomas, a student of JoSandra James; and Shadee Thomas, 16, of St. Thomas, a student of Jacqueline Bergland.
3 — Paul Lawrence, 18, of St. Croix, a student of Lockwood Howcott.
Merit — Jessica Benjamin, 16, of St. Thomas, a student of JoSandra James.
Advanced Instrumental:
1 — Karen Bellot (steelpan), 16, of St. Thomas, a student of Rudolph Faulkner.
2 — Kent Casimir (saxophone), 16, of St. Thomas, a student of Levi Farrell.
3 — Gregory John (tenor saxophone), 18, of St. Croix, a student of Stan Joines.
Merit — Choni Arri (flute), 17, of St. Thomas; and Bernadette Kirsty Jno-Finn (clarinet), 16, of St. Croix.
The judges also made Exceptional Performance Awards to Riise LaFranque, Karabo Molineaux and Karen Bellot.
While the judges were deliberating, Crew Smith, last year's first-place winner in Advanced Piano (and thus ineligible to compete in that category this year), and her music teacher, John Cahill, played several duets for four hands on the Arts Alive baby grand piano.
A total of 82 performances were judged in the preliminaries of this year's competition — 32 on St. Croix and 50 on St. Thomas. Fifteen from St. Croix and 18 from St. Thomas advanced to the finals.
