Student Art Awards Presented

(Submitted, but not used in 6/1/2005 Tech Talk)

Eight students received awards for their accomplishments in the arts at MIT at the Awards Convocation on Tuesday, May 10.

Daniel Stein

Daniel Stein, a senior from Palm Beach Gardens, FL who is earning a double degree in electrical engineering and computer science and in music, received the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts, presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence or the highest standards of proficiency in music, theater, painting, sculpture, design, architecture or film. In addition to his virtuosity as a flutist, Stein has served as principal flute for the MIT Symphony Orchestra throughout his time at MIT and served as MITSO's president from 2002-2004.

In his letter of nomination, Robert R. Taylor Professor of Music Marcus A. Thompson wrote that Stein is "clearly poised to make an important contribution as an artist and teacher" and Senior Lecturer Martin Marks praised his "exceptional talent" and "passionate commitment to music" The prize is made from a fund established by Louis Sudler, a performer in the arts and an arts patron from Chicago.

Three Laya and Jerome B. Wiesner Awards, presented to students (graduate or undergraduate), organizations and/or living groups for achievement in the creative and performing arts were bestowed. Payal Kadakia, a senior in management from Randolph, NJ., who founded the MIT Chamak Club, a South Asian modern dance troupe, won for her passion for dance in the MIT community. Maria Kamenetska, a senior in physics from Sharon, MA., was awarded for her abilities in both performance and leadership with the theater community at MIT. Cecilia Ramos, a senior in architecture from Concord, MA was recognized for her capabilities and talents as a designer, researcher and artist, particularly for her oil paintings of the midwest.

The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts recognizes artistic talent and creative concepts based on a body of work and written personal statements. First Prize was won by architecture graduate student Luis Berrios-Negron from Carolina, PR, for video, installation and photography; electrical engineering and computer science graduate student Andrew ("Zoz") Brooks from North Adelaide, Australia won second prize for his video; architecture senior Cecilia Ramos from Concord, MA, won third prize for her oil paintings and mechanical engineering graduate student Barry Kudrowitz from Delray Beach, FL received Honorable Mention for illustration and animation.

Video Still from Luis Berríos-Negrón's first prize winning submission for the 2005 Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts.

The Schnitzer Prize-winning works are on view today (May 18) through June 30 at the Wiesner Student Art Gallery, on the 2nd floor of the Stratton Student Center.

Music and Theater Arts Awards

In a separate ceremony held on Monday, May 16, students who have made outstanding contributions to the cultural life of MIT were recognized by the Music and Theater Arts Section.

Molly G. Bright, physics major and music minor from Bayport, NY, won the Epstein Award in recognition of distinguished service and musical contribution to the MIT Symphony Orchestra.

The Gregory Tucker Memorial Prize in recognition of exceptional ability in composition, performance, or music-historical studies and overall contributions to the Music and Theater Arts Section went to Eileen Huang, a senior majoring in chemistry from Hillsborough, NJ and to Daniel Steele, a junior in mathematics and mathematics from Tequesta, FL.

Philip Loew Memorial Awards in recognition of creative accomplishment in music went to Ada Au, a graduate student in bio-engineering from Willowdale, Ontario; Kevin T. Chen, a senior in mechanical engineering from Sudbury, MA; Arshan Gailus, a junior majoring in music from Somerville, MA; and Elisabeth Hon, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science from Ft. Myers, FL.

Kathy Lin, a sophomore majoring in management from Plano, TX is the recipient of the Brad and Dorothea Endicott Award in recognition of distinguished service and musical contribution to the program in World Music at MIT.

Ragnar and Margaret Naess Awards in recognition of exceptional talent and commitment to private performance study went to Molly G. Bright, a junior majoring in physics and minoring in music from Bayport, NY; Jeff Easley, a freshman from Spring, TX; Lori Huberman, biology sophomore from Raleigh, NC; Ian Smith, physics sophomore from El Paso, TX and Daniel Steele, junior in mathematics from Tequesta, FL--all members of a woodwind quintet called the Awesome Quintet for special achievement in chamber music study and performance.

Naess Awards were also presented to pianists Crystal Chao, a freshman from Edison, NJ; Kai Wing Fung, a mathematics senior from Apleichau, Hong Kong; Pavitra Kumar, graduate student in management from London, UK; Jun Liu, a sophomore in brain and cognitive sciences from Edison, NJ; Yee Kwan Anna Lo, a freshman from Hong Kong; Florent Segonne, graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science from Cannes, France and Yang Yang, a sophomore majoring in chemistry from Acton, MA for special growth and achievement in solo performance by Emerson Scholars.

Naess Awards for special growth and achievement in solo performance by Emerson Scholars vocalists went to Anna Dreyer, a graduate student in health sciences and technology Elisabeth Hon, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science from Ft. Myers, FL; Benjamin Kendall, a junior in aeronautics and engineering from Irving, TX; Eduardo Montemayor, a sophomore in management from Del Rio, TX; and Kenneth Roraback, a junior in physics from Lindsborg, KS.

String players Way Luu, a senior in mechanical engineering from Dalton, MA and Sarah Moss, a graduate student in linguistics and philosophy also received Naess Awards.

Recipients of Ragnar and Margaret Naess Awards in recognition of exceptional talent and commitment to private performance study as Emerson Fellows are Lindy Blackburn, graduate student in physics from Encinitas, CA; Mary Farbood, graduate student in media arts and sciences; Mahni Ghorashi, a senior with a double major in music and literature from Knoxville, TN; Serenus Hua, a sophomore in chemical engineering from Lincroft, NJ; Xiaoming Sherman Jia, a junior in electrical engineering and computer science from Roslyn Heights, NY; Ole Nielsen, graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science from Tonsberg, Norway; Caitlin Smythe, graduate student in aeronautics and astronautics from Culver City, CA; Daniel Stein, a senior from Palm Beach Gardens, FL who is earning a double degree in electrical engineering and computer science and in music and Joey Zhou, junior in electrical engineering and computer science from Dallas, TX.

Alex French juggling torches --image courtesy of Alex French's web site

James Tolbert performs in Dance Theater Ensemble's "Bathroom Suite." --photo by Aaron Mihalik

The Edward S. Darna Award, presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated excellence in theater arts and made a substantial contribution to the health of theater life on the MIT campus was awarded to Alex French, a senior majoring in civil and environmental engineering from Randolph, VT and to James Tolbert, a senior in electrical engineering and computer science from Suitland, MD.

Virginia Corless in Dramashop's "The Internationalist" --photo by Ed Platt

The Joseph D. Everingham Award, which recognize a single creative outstanding performance or notable creative accomplishments in theater arts by a graduating senior, went to physics major Virginia Corless, from Skagway, AK.

Other Awards

The Austin Kelly III Essay Prize awarded to MIT undergraduates for scholarly or critical essays judged to be outstanding in one of the humanities fields or some interdisciplinary combination, went to Kelly Kuo, a junior in biology from Farmington Hills, MI for an essay titled, "The Nature of Vere: Quid est Veritas?" and to Daniel E. Stein a senior from Palm Beach Gardens, FL earning a double degree in electrical engineering and computer science and in music, for an essay on "Schumann's Dichterliebe and the Cycle Outside Genre."

The Richard Douglas Traveling Fellowships, presented to MIT juniors for travel which supports study in the humanities or arts were awarded to Molly G. Bright, physics major and music minor from Bayport, NY to study the oboe, partake in oboe master classes and perform with an intensive music program in Berlin, Germany; Johanna E. Gaiottino, biology major with minors in Spanish and chemistry from Angered, Sweden to work in an orphanage in Guadalajara, Mexico for children with Downs' syndrome and to simultaneously investigate the possibility of implementing an organization in which MIT students could work in a care capacity and, at the same time, develop their language skills; Lakshmi A. Nambiar, double major in biology and political science from Califon, NJ to serve as an AIDS/HIV counselor in Dharavi, Mumbai, India, while surveying the socio-economic conditions there that contribute to the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and Maryann E. Racine, chemistry major from Wayland, MA to document the route of Don Quixote through Castilla- La Mancha, Spain, experience Spanish culture and traditions and present a multi-media document for use in MIT Spanish classes.

Ed Platt and Thomas Guerra have been named 2005-2006 Ronald H. Cordover Scholars in the Arts. The award, given to those who have financial need and are active in the arts, was established in 1996-97 by Ronald H. Cordover (S.B. 1964). Platt, a junior majoring in computer science from Royal Oak, MI, is a visual artist, doing drawing, painting and photography. He is the student representative on the Advisory Board of the List Visual Arts Center and is a member of the Council Scholars and an alumnus of the Freshman Arts Seminar and Advising Program. Guerra, a freshman from San Antonio, TX, plays French horn and is a member of the MIT Symphony Orchestra and is currently in the Freshman Arts Seminar and Advising Program.

Sophomore Serenus Hua, violin was named winner of the MIT Symphony Concerto Competition held on Saturday, April 23. Hua will perform Sarasate's "Carmen Fantasy" with the orchestra at their October 2005 concert. Associate Professor Dante Anzolini, director of the Symphony also singled out the following students for special mention and an opportunity to play their concerto with MITSO in an open reading/rehearsal on a regularly scheduled rehearsal night: Health Sciences and Technology graduate student Vincent Chi-Kwan Cheung, piano (Mozart's Concerto No. 25); mathematics graduate student Fumei Lam, piano, (Grieg's Piano Concerto) and architecture junior Matthew Roitstein, flute, (C.P.E. Bach's Flute Concerto).