Joseph Williams II, originally from Albuquerque, NM, currently resides in Austin, TX and attends The University of Texas where he is working on his Doctorate of Music degree. He has studied with Michael Chapdelaine, Thomas Patterson and Adam Holzman. Williams has won prizes at the Thomas Beesten Guitar Competition (2003 & 2004), Portland Guitar Festival (2004), 4th Annual Texas Guitar Competition (2005), St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition (2005), Fresno Guitar Panorama (2005 & 2006) and New England Conservatory’s Boston GuitarFest (2006).
Second Place: Jonathan Dotson
Jonathan Dotson, originally from St. Augustine, FL, resides in Austin, TX where he is studying for his Doctorate of Musical Arts at The University of Texas. He has studied guitar with Bruce Holzman, Andrew Zohn, Many Alberman and Adam Holzman. Dotson has won numerous awards in the past few years; fourth place at ECU in Greenville, NC (2005) and the Boston Guitar Competition (2008); third place at the 6th Annual Texas Guitar Competition (2007) and the St. Joseph Guitar Competition (2007); and first place at Appalachian in Boone, NC (2005) and Classical Minds in Houston (2008).
Third Place: Ben Pila
Ben Pila, originally from Tampa, FL, currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. He has attended Florida State University, Juilliard and the University of Southern California where he is working on his Doctorate of Musical Arts. He has studied guitar with Bruce Holzman, Sharon Isbin and Scott Tennant. He has performed at the Harris Concert Hall in Aspen, CO, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., The Lincoln Center and at two 9/11 Commemoratory Ceremonies at Ground Zero in New York City. Pila was a National Finalist in ASTA in 2004 and 2007 and was the Grand Prize winner at the Pacific Guitar Festival in 2009.
Fourth Place: Matthew Lyons
Matthew Lyons is a junior at Anderson High School in Austin, TX. He has studied with Steve Kostelnik, Bret Williams, Bruce Holzman, Eliot Fisk and Adam Holzman. He has attended master classes by David Russell, Risa Carlson, Thomas Viloteau, Matteo Mela, Lorenzo Micheli, Marcin Dylla, Berta Rojas, Marco Feri, Andrew Zohn and Steve Aron. Lyons was a semi-finalist in the 7th Annual Texas Guitar Competition in 2008 and the ASTA Solo Competition (junior Division) in 2009. He won first place in the Texas UIL Classical Guitar Solo Competition in 2008. Lyons has performed around Austin at local cafés, State Hospital Benefit Art Show, Classical Guitar Society recitals and on Austin City Council live TV.
