Payton Lee Named 2020 Future Stars Competition Winner

Greer, SC (Monday, July 13, 2020) — The Foothills Philharmonic Orchestra is proud to name Payton Lee the winner of the 2020 Future Stars Scholarship Competition. Payton Lee has been studying violin since the age of 5. His musical journey began under the tutelage of Hye-Jin Kim, and in 2018-2019, he attended the Governors School for the Arts and Humanites to study with Jennifer John. He now attends Byrnes High School where he is focusing mainly on solo repertoire with instruction from Mary Irwin. Payton has had the privilege of attending festivals such as the Bob Jones Summer Music Camp, the East Carolina University Chamber Music Institute, and the National Youth Orchestra 2 program. This past year, Payton has had the privilege to serve as the assistant concertmaster of the Greenville County Youth Orchestra’s, Young Artist Orchestra. Payton has also had the privilege of serving as the concertmaster for the SC Region 1 orchestra multiple times.

Payton will be performing as featured soloist on the November 7, 2020 Masterworks II concert that will be held at Riverside Baptist Church (1249 S. Suber Rd. Greer, SC 29650).

Right now, applications for the 2021 Future Stars Scholarship Competition are being accepted. The competition (which will be held in January of 2021), has a submission deadline of October 1, 2020 by midnight. For more information about signing up for the competition, please go to https://foothillsphilharmonic.org/future-stars-scholarship and access both the rules of the competition as well as the sign up portal.

Performing in Greenville since 2000, Foothills Philharmonic is committed to providing high-quality, classical music performances to the Upstate community free of charge. The orchestra is an all-volunteer orchestra made up of accomplished non-professional musicians from the Upstate region of South Carolina. Orchestra membership includes individuals from many walks of life including part-time musicians, teachers, lawyers, business professionals, and homemakers. Kory Vrieze is the Orchestra’s Artistic Director and Conductor. Membership in the Foothills Philharmonic is open to amateur and professional musicians. Training in youth orchestra, college orchestra, or professional orchestra, in the Greenville Concert Band or an equivalent band is suggested as necessary experience. For more information about joining the orchestra, interested parties should contact our personnel manager at foothillspersonnel@foothillsphil.org.

For more information about this concert, or about the Foothills Philharmonic Orchestra,