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Young Artists Competition

Young Artist Competition

2026

12 talented students competed in our 19th annual Young Artist Competition on April 19, 2026.

Congratulations to Blaise Sytsma-Reed and Eeva Rintala for winning the grand prize together, performing Vivace from Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins. Noah Otis took first prize in the junior division with his performance of the first movement from Vivaldi’s Concerto in G Major for violin.

2025

Blaise
Blaise performed Lalo’s Symphony Esagnole, Movement 1

2025 Young Artist Competition Senior Division Grand Prize Winner, Blaise Sytsma-Reed, violin, of Charlevoix, performed with the
Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra on October 11, 2025 at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts in Bay Harbor at 7pm.

IMG_7365
Blaise with Maestro Libor Ondras

Blaise was a senior at Charlevoix High School when she performed with the GLCO in 2025.

She is a member of the Dorothy Gerber Strings Program.

2024

Lena playing
Lena performed Cello Concerto No 1 by Joseph Haydn, Movement 1 Moderato

2024 Young Artist Competition Grand Prize Winner, Lena Sytsma-Reed, cello, of Charlevoix, performed with the
Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra on September 7, 2024 at John M. Hall Auditorium in Bay View.

Lena and Libor
Lena with Maestro Libor Ondras

Lena was a senior at Charlevoix High School when she performed with the GLCO in 2024.

She is a member of the Dorothy Gerber Strings Program.

2023

Eeva performed Romance for Violin in F Major, Op. 50 by Ludwig van Beethoven

2023 Young Artist Competition Grand Prize Winner, Eeva Rintala, violin, of Boyne City, performed with the
Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra on November 4, 2023 at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor.

Eeva Libor
Eeva with Maestro Libor Ondras

Eeva was a freshman at Boyne City High School when she performed with the GLCO in 2023.
She is a member of the Dorothy Gerber Strings Program.

VERN CAMPBELL

Co-Principal Trumpet

Vern is Co-Principal Trumpet in the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (GLCO).  Vern studied trumpet with Dr. Dennis Horton, trumpet professor at Central Michigan University while in high school and later as a university student.  Before obtaining his doctorate degree at Michigan State University and completing a medical residency in ophthalmology, Vern performed two years with the Blue Water International Symphony.  Vern relocated to Petoskey in 2000 and continued his trumpet studies with Scott Thornburg, professor of trumpet at Western Michigan University. He joined the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra in 2012 and eagerly anticipates each performance. He especially enjoys playing with the orchestra’s brass quintet. Vern enjoys visiting his wife’s family and friends in Shanghai and traveling throughout China. He is an avid cyclist and skier.

Eric Lawson

Assistant Concertmaster

Violinist, violist, conductor and professor Dr. Eric Lawson has had a varied career in performance and education. Past performances as a conductor, soloist and lecturer have taken him to Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, Romania and Scandinavia. Before returning to his home state of Michigan, he was based in North Dakota where, in addition to serving as a violin instructor at Bismarck State College, Jamestown College, and the University of Mary, he was also concertmaster of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra and established the Bismarck-Mandan Youth Symphony. Other former academic appointments have included Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Central College in Pella, Iowa and the University of North Dakota where he founded the string program and the UND Chamber Orchestra.

Here in Michigan, Dr. Lawson as been very active with the Alpena Symphony Orchestra as its concertmaster, conductor and president of the board. He also performs with many other orchestras in Northern Michigan and participates in the Traverse Symphony as a first violinist, in the Gaylord Symphony as concertmaster and as assistant concertmaster in the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra.

And finally, in what has been one of the most important experiences of his life outside of music, he also served almost four years as an Alpena County Commissioner, representing Ossineke and Sanborn Townships. In addition to serving as chair of the Salary and Personnel Committee, he also served on the Airport, Ambulance, District Court, Circuit Court Management and Jail Committees. He also represented Alpena County in Gaylord with the Northern Michigan Regional Entity Substance Use Disorder Board and continues to serve on the Northeast Michigan Community Mental Health Board. Dr. Lawson resides in Ossineke with his wife and two children.