Friends of the Ocean City Pops held the 11th Annual Esther Weil Student Music Competition at the Music Pier at Moorlyn Place on the Boardwalk.
Judges were Bill Scheible, conductor emeritus, Greg DiBona, a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, and Nicole Snodgrass, choral director at Cherokee High School and soloist at Old Pine Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.
There were 21 contestants for the contest this year. For most of the participants, this was their first live performance in front of a live audience.
Students from 11 high schools participated. In the four divisions, female vocal, male vocal, instrumental and piano, students were awarded $1,000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third. The emcee duties for the contest were handled by Stephen Gring.
Here are winners and their awards.
Female vocal:
1st place, Morgan Murphy, Holy Spirit High School, $1,000
2nd place, Vanessa DeJean, Holy Spirit High School, $500
3rd place, Lena Dougherty, Wildwood Catholic Academy, $250
Male Vocal:
1st place, Erik Wagner, Ocean City High School, $1,000
2nd place (No prize given)
3rd Place, Aiden Bradley, Wildwood Catholic Academy, $250
Instrumental:
1st place, Connor Morrisey, Trombone, Absegami High School, $1,000
2nd place, Kayla Muniz, Trumpet, Absegami High School, $500
3rd place, Cristina Barbella, Saxophone, Ocean City High School, $250
Piano:
1st place, Alexander DeStefano, Holy Spirit High School, $1,000
2nd place, Dennis Xu, Mainland High School, $500
3rd place, Nathaniel Paul Pradela, St. Augustine Prep, $250
