Senior Piano Concerto Competition: Winner

Sixteen-year-old Jake Tuttle is a piano student of Mary Lou Wesley Krosnick, Distinguished Performer-in-Residence at Jacksonville University. He is currently a sophomore in the piano program directed by Mrs. Vera Watson at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville.

Jake first began basic piano lessons at the age of nine with a family friend as his teacher. At eleven he auditioned for LaVilla School of the Arts and was accepted into the school. During his years at LaVilla Jake performed as the accompanying pianist for the school's musical theater productions. He was also a member of LaVilla's Jazz Band I headed by Carol McQueen. With the band Jake was able to perform for special occasions around the city of Jacksonville as well as to travel across the states of Florida and Virginia, participating in many competitions. However, during his time at LaVilla he discontinued private piano lessons for more than three years. At the age of fourteen, following this three-year hiatus in formal instruction, Jake began private study with Professor Krosniek.

An enthusiastic performer and competitor, Jake has been the recipient of numerous honors, both in the field of music and in recognition of academic excellence. In the summer of2008" based on strong academic performance, Jake was invited to attend the National Student Leadership Conference held in New York City. Also in 2008, he performed as a first-place winner in the Outstanding Young Pianists Competition sponsored by the Jacksonville Friday Musicale. In addition, that year Jake was awarded the third place statewide (Honorable Mention) in the top Junior Piano Concerto division of the Florida Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festivals. In the 2009 Junior Festivals, Jake was selected as one of five finalists from among 40 competitors in the Senior Piano Concerto event and received the third place" statewide. Very recently, Jake has been awarded the top place in the 2009 FSMTA Senior Concerto competition" held in Boca Raton, Florida, and has been invited to perform on June 11tb at the FSMTA State Conference in Tallahassee.

Jake Tuttle is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, National Honor Society, Tri-M Musical Honor Society and National Society for High School Scholars. He was listed in Who's Who among Outstanding Middle-School Students for the years 2005-2007.