The 2018 Yamaha Young Performing Artists Celebration Weekend is in full swing, and one of the most profound and impacting sessions the winners of this competition get to experience happens Sunday morning with John Wittmann, Director of Artist Relations and Education for Yamaha’s Band & Orchestral division.

The session, called “10 Things I Wish I Knew”, includes advice and lessons Wittmann has learned through a rich and diverse path in the industry. Lessons ranging from how to take control of your technology, to mastering how you communicate, to focusing your creative energy, were discussed by the winners, Wittmann, and other Yamaha staff in length. 2018 Jazz Bass Winner Cole Davis mentioned, “We talked about how much of our lives are consumed with the preparation for performance – mind, body, spirit – and how little, in comparison, time we actually spend performing.”

The 2018 YYPA Winners have prepared through hours of individual practice and hours of collaboration, and they’re ready to perform for you! We look forward to seeing you at 8:00 p.m. in Emens Auditorium for the YYPA Celebration