The James Pappoutsakis Flute Competition celebrates its 34th anniversary with the contestants’ Final Round on Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 7:00 PM at New England Conservatory, Williams Hall, 290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 (free and open to the public). For information, visit www.pappoutsakis.org or call  (617) 461-3994.

This event offers the audience an opportunity to hear performances by extraordinary young artists who are studying at major Boston conservatories in preparation for concert careers.  This season's finalists are:  Alex Conway (Boston University, student of Linda Toote), Johanna Grusken  (New England Conservatory of Music, student of Elizabeth Rowe), Ju Hee Kang (Boston University, student of Linda Toote), and Adrian Sanborn (New England Conservatory of Music, student of Paula Robison).

Each finalist will perform music by Quantz, Kalevi Aho, and Boehm.

The James Pappoutsakis Memorial Fund and Competition, first presented in 1980, was established in 1979 in memory of James Pappoutsakis, flutist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops for nearly four decades and beloved teacher of generations of fine musicians now performing throughout the world.  Finalists in the annual competition are chosen (in a blind preliminary round) from among students at New England Conservatory, Boston University, The Boston Conservatory, Longy School of Music Bard College and The Berklee College of Music. 

The First Prize winner will receive a cash award of $2,000 (US), a handmade silver head joint from Jonathon Landell (former student of James Pappoutsakis), a flute maintenance package from FluteFX, and a gift certificate from Music Espresso (a source for scores and sheet music).  The Winner will also be presented in a solo recital, free and open to the public, on Sunday, September 7, 2014, at 3:00 pm, at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, one of the world’s premier concert venues.

The William H. Grass Memorial Prize (for second place) will be a cash award of $1,000 (US) and a gift certificate from Yesterday Service (a source for scores and sheet music). Other finalists will receive a gift certificate from Noteworthy Sheet Music (an online publisher of unusual music).

The Competition is supported in part by:  Brannen Brothers Flutemakers, Burkart Flutes, Flute FX, Flutistry Boston, Galdieri Flute Repair, Keefe Piccolo Company, Landell Flutes, Levit Flute Company, Music Espresso, Noteworthy Sheet Music, Suffolk Dental Group, Verne Q Powell Flutes, Wm. S. Haynes Company, Williams Flutes, Yesterday Service, and Your Flute Works.