During the "Home for the Holidays" concert Saturday, West Virginia Symphony Maestro Grant Cooper announced the Student Symphonic Fellows for this year.

Taylor Giorgio, a junior from Capital High School, has been selected as the Student Symphonic Fellow in the Andrew and Amy Vaughan Fellowship Program through the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. She was selected after auditions and interviews before a panel earlier Saturday.

Adam Plantz, George Washington High School senior, was also selected as a student intern in the program.

As part of their student symphonic activities, Giorgio and Plantz will sit on stage alongside WVSO musicians in different sections of the orchestra during rehearsals, and will meet nationally and internationally renowned guest artists during the second half of the symphonic subscription series. They will conduct personal research about the music being performed by the WVSO and the upcoming opera "La boheme."

As a capstone to her fellowship experience, Giorgio will be offered an opportunity to perform as a soloist with the WVSO on Symphony Sunday, June 7, 2009.

Rounding out the list of this year's highly qualified applicants who were chosen as finalists were Alex Cardwell, Winfield High School; Shiva Shafii, Capital High School, and Stacy Meadows, Cabell Midland High School. All finalists will receive tickets to the remaining WVSO season.

Dr. Andrew and Amy Vaughan sponsored the program to develop and encourage state high school students to pursue a career as professional musicians, educators, composers or conductors of the future. This monitored and time-intensive training program for serious music students remains a unique program among orchestras throughout North America.

Taylor Giorgio, a junior from Capital High School, has been selected as the Student Symphonic Fellow in the Andrew and Amy Vaughan Fellowship Program through the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. She was selected after auditions and interviews before a panel earlier Saturday.

Adam Plantz, George Washington High School senior, was also selected as a student intern in the program.

As part of their student symphonic activities, Giorgio and Plantz will sit on stage alongside WVSO musicians in different sections of the orchestra during rehearsals, and will meet nationally and internationally renowned guest artists during the second half of the symphonic subscription series. They will conduct personal research about the music being performed by the WVSO and the upcoming opera "La boheme."

As a capstone to her fellowship experience, Giorgio will be offered an opportunity to perform as a soloist with the WVSO on Symphony Sunday, June 7, 2009.

Rounding out the list of this year's highly qualified applicants who were chosen as finalists were Alex Cardwell, Winfield High School; Shiva Shafii, Capital High School, and Stacy Meadows, Cabell Midland High School. All finalists will receive tickets to the remaining WVSO season.

Dr. Andrew and Amy Vaughan sponsored the program to develop and encourage state high school students to pursue a career as professional musicians, educators, composers or conductors of the future. This monitored and time-intensive training program for serious music students remains a unique program among orchestras throughout North America.