Spotlight on Previous Winners

Antonio Soto has always had a love for music and a desire to glorify God through music. At 8, he started taking violin lessons with a local Suzuki teacher. As a child, he listened to his older sisters practice piano and decided to teach himself to play. He took his first piano lesson at 14 to learn theory and improve his skills. He has received Honors in performance, written and aural theory from Florida State Music Teachers Association Student Day. He also has received Superior performance ratings from Florida Federation of Music Clubs. He has played violin and piano for his church, and when the youth band at church needed a bass player, he taught himself to play bass guitar. He currently plays bass guitar for both the youth band and the Sunday morning worship band. He is also teaching himself lead guitar. Antonio’s love for music comes through in his expressive style. He believes that everyone should find the one thing they love to do and do it to the best of their ability and the glory of God. For him, that is music.

Antonio was homeschooled for 13 years. He was dual enrolled at Eastern Florida State College during highschool. He graduated with honors and was accepted to Florida Institute of Technology where he will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. He will continue to serve the Lord through music at his church.

Cecily DeMarco is a student of Paul Jacobs at The Juilliard School in New York City where she is pursing a degree in Organ Performance. Previously she was a student of Dr. Terry Yount at the Saint Andrews Conservatory in Sanford, Florida. Through Dr. Yount's meticulous musical teaching and Godly wisdom she has been shaped into  a fine musician who desires to serve the Lord where ever He leads.

Miss DeMarco served as organist at The Chapel at Edgewater at Boca Pointe for five years beginning at age 13. She was homeschooled since Kindergarten where she also studied music and piano with her mother. Home education gave her the flexibility to spend the time necessary to develop the talent that God gave her. 

Cecily has played solo concerts as a guest artist at the Pink Church in Pompano Beach and other South Florida Churches. She has been a substitute organist and children’s choir accompanist  at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the New Presbyterian Church in Wilton Manors, Florida.  For ten years she studied at the Randeau School of Irish Step Dance where she also served as a student teacher.

Cecily is determined to use her talent for the glory and worship of God wherever He leads.

We at Sacred Music USA  Competitions have been blessed to met and hear some very talented young people over the past three years. One of those young artists is Emily Singleton. Not only is she an excellent violist, but she  is also a talented composer as well.  We  hope that these spotlight features will encourage your children/students as they strive to set goals, work hard, compete  and grow.  
Emily  won our  Outstanding  Soloist  award in  both the  Instrumental and  the  Composition  categories.  Some of her  accomplishments since winning at Sacred   Music Florida  have been:

• Outstanding Instrumentalist and Outstanding Composer in 2017: 2019 Interlochen Arts Camp Orchestral Award Recipient 
• Recording sessions with Interlochen’s 2018 World Youth Wind Symphony and Interlochen Advanced String Quartet.
• 2018 Music at the Anthology’s (MATA) Junior Festival Featured Composer – Performed by new-music ensemble Face the Music in NYC
• National Association for Music Education (NAfME):
• 2018 All-National Honors Symphony Orchestra – Viola
• Music Teachers National Association (MTNA): 2018-2019 National Composition Competition,  3rd Place
• Florida State Music Teachers Association (FSMTA): 2019 District III Senior String Concerto Winner
• 2018 State Concerto Competition, Intermediate Strings Winner
• 2018 9th Grade Community Service Award – Winner
• National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC):
• 2018 Junior Composers Award National Contest, 3rd Place

Way to go  Emily! We are  excited  to see  how  the Lord is  using you! May He bless you as You continue to strive for excellence for His glory!