​
CONCERT 2
​
Winner 1 - College
TBD
​
Winner 2 - HighSchool
TBD
​
Elizabeth A Kelly - Stop, Drop, and Listen
(for Actor, Orchestra, and Audience) 5’
with Kerry and Abby, comedians
1 1 1 1
3 1 1 0
Percussion and Actors
​
Aristea Mellos - Fountain of Steel (2011) - 8'
for sinfonietta orchestra
Flute doubling piccolo, oboe, clarinet doubling bass clarinet
Bassoon
Horn in F, Trumpet in C, Trombone, Tuba
Percussion 1:
Snare Drum, Temple Blocks (3), Slide Whistle, Suspended Cymbal (medium size), Tom-toms (2), Tambourine, Siren Whistle, Tam-Tam (with a bucket of water), Vibraphone (shared with Perc. 2) and Castanets.
Percussion 2:
Vibraphone, Sizzle Cymbal, Xylophone, Egg Shaker, Crotales
Piano, Harp
Strings - bass with C-extension
​
Osborne - Smoke, Steel, Stone, Cinder
15 instruments
fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, tpt, tbn, 2 prc, pno, 2 vln, vla, vlc, db
​
Schickele - Eine Kleine Nichtmusic - 12'
1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 0; Str.
​
​
​
CONCERT 2
​
Winner 1 - College
TBD
​
Winner 2 - HighSchool
TBD
​
Elizabeth A Kelly - Stop, Drop, and Listen
(for Actor, Orchestra, and Audience) 5’
with Kerry and Abby, comedians
1 1 1 1
3 1 1 0
Percussion and Actors
​
Aristea Mellos - Fountain of Steel (2011) - 8'
for sinfonietta orchestra
Flute doubling piccolo, oboe, clarinet doubling bass clarinet
Bassoon
Horn in F, Trumpet in C, Trombone, Tuba
Percussion 1:
Snare Drum, Temple Blocks (3), Slide Whistle, Suspended Cymbal (medium size), Tom-toms (2), Tambourine, Siren Whistle, Tam-Tam (with a bucket of water), Vibraphone (shared with Perc. 2) and Castanets.
Percussion 2:
Vibraphone, Sizzle Cymbal, Xylophone, Egg Shaker, Crotales
Piano, Harp
Strings - bass with C-extension
​
Osborne - Smoke, Steel, Stone, Cinder
15 instruments
fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, tpt, tbn, 2 prc, pno, 2 vln, vla, vlc, db
​
Schickele - Eine Kleine Nichtmusic - 12'
1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 0; Str.
​
​
​
CONCERT 2
​
Winner 1 - College
TBD
​
Winner 2 - HighSchool
TBD
​
Elizabeth A Kelly - Stop, Drop, and Listen
(for Actor, Orchestra, and Audience) 5’
with Kerry and Abby, comedians
1 1 1 1
3 1 1 0
Percussion and Actors
​
Aristea Mellos - Fountain of Steel (2011) - 8'
for sinfonietta orchestra
Flute doubling piccolo, oboe, clarinet doubling bass clarinet
Bassoon
Horn in F, Trumpet in C, Trombone, Tuba
Percussion 1:
Snare Drum, Temple Blocks (3), Slide Whistle, Suspended Cymbal (medium size), Tom-toms (2), Tambourine, Siren Whistle, Tam-Tam (with a bucket of water), Vibraphone (shared with Perc. 2) and Castanets.
Percussion 2:
Vibraphone, Sizzle Cymbal, Xylophone, Egg Shaker, Crotales
Piano, Harp
Strings - bass with C-extension
​
Osborne - Smoke, Steel, Stone, Cinder
15 instruments
fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, tpt, tbn, 2 prc, pno, 2 vln, vla, vlc, db
​
Schickele - Eine Kleine Nichtmusic - 12'
1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 0; Str.
​
​
​
CONCERT 2
​
Winner 1 - College
TBD
​
Winner 2 - HighSchool
TBD
​
Elizabeth A Kelly - Stop, Drop, and Listen
(for Actor, Orchestra, and Audience) 5’
with Kerry and Abby, comedians
1 1 1 1
3 1 1 0
Percussion and Actors
​
Aristea Mellos - Fountain of Steel (2011) - 8'
for sinfonietta orchestra
Flute doubling piccolo, oboe, clarinet doubling bass clarinet
Bassoon
Horn in F, Trumpet in C, Trombone, Tuba
Percussion 1:
Snare Drum, Temple Blocks (3), Slide Whistle, Suspended Cymbal (medium size), Tom-toms (2), Tambourine, Siren Whistle, Tam-Tam (with a bucket of water), Vibraphone (shared with Perc. 2) and Castanets.
Percussion 2:
Vibraphone, Sizzle Cymbal, Xylophone, Egg Shaker, Crotales
Piano, Harp
Strings - bass with C-extension
​
Osborne - Smoke, Steel, Stone, Cinder
15 instruments
fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, tpt, tbn, 2 prc, pno, 2 vln, vla, vlc, db
​
Schickele - Eine Kleine Nichtmusic - 12'
1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 0; Str.
​
​
CONGRATULATIONS TO
the winners of Cordancia's
2025 Nico Toscano Young Musician Competition
Alex Gagne and Austin Shilling
Performances with Cordancia in May 2026
Alex Gagne
From Saint Charles, Illinois, Alex Gagne is a first-year undergraduate student studying Horn Performance at the Eastman School of Music. Alongside their musical studies, Alex is pursuing a dual degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester, interested in how music can impact cognitive development and help people affected by neurological diseases and conditions. Active in a wide range of Eastman’s ensembles, Alex can be heard performing with the Eastman Wind Orchestra, Eastman School Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Horn Choir, Eastman Brass Guild, and their wind quintet. At Eastman, Alex studies under Peter Kurau.
Before coming to Eastman, Alex performed with the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras for five years, including two seasons as the horn player of the Sterling Brass Quintet, whose performances around the Chicagoland area included a feature on Chicago’s classical radio station, WFMT, and a premiere of their own composition, Dreams. In addition to being a passionate musician, Alex is an avid lover of all things fantasy, from Tolkien’s Middle-earth and dragons to board games and legendary film scores.
Austin Shilling
Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, Austin Shilling is a rising classical saxophonist known for his passionate, engaging performances and sincere musical expression. Early in his undergraduate studies, he found himself disillusioned with the idea of pursuing a career in music. However, during the summer before his junior year, Austin encountered a profound spiritual transformation—he was found by Jesus—which reignited his love, joy, and purpose in music-making. As a devout Christian, Austin now seeks to glorify God through his musical gifts by serving others with humility and dedication.
​
Driven by this renewed mission, Austin has embraced a range of service-oriented opportunities, including volunteer performances at churches and collaborations with fellow musicians, such as premiering new works by his peers. Additionally, Austin’s experience, talent, and spiritual grounding have contributed to notable achievements, including winning the grand prize in the 2025 MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition and earning second prize in the 2024 NASA Collegiate Solo Competition. Most recently, he performed in his first international competition in Andorra, an experience he values for the musical maturity it fostered and the chance to learn from leading classical saxophonists from around the world.
Currently, Austin is in his fifth year of undergraduate studies at Eastman where he studies saxophone with Dr. Chien-Kwan Lin and also pursues a degree in mathematics at the University of Rochester. He has been mentored by several distinguished educators from Texas, including Benjamin Tate, Andrew Martz, Dr. Scott Campbell, and Dr. Eric Nestler.