Giovanni Anello IV Wins First Prize in the Charleston International Summer Music Competition

Giovanni Anello IV, a talented musician from Whitewater, WI, has been awarded First Prize in the prestigious Charleston International Summer Music Competition. This online-based competition attracted musicians from around the world, with participants submitting video auditions in various categories.

Giovanni submitted his application in early August, and after an extensive preliminary round, was notified a few weeks later that he had advanced to the final round. Out of the numerous applicants, only six finalists were chosen to compete in Giovanni’s category.

On September 10th, the final results were announced on the competition’s website. Later that same day, Giovanni received the exciting news that he had secured First Prize, with the judges awarding scores on a 1-10 scale to determine the winners.

“I was thrilled when I was notified that I had won as this is the first large steppingstone to my performance career after winning both the Iowa and WI state NATS competitions and qualifying for the NATS National Student Auditions earlier this year,” said Giovanni. “Through this competition I have already been able to make musical connections with judges from around the country as I think about grad school in the next few years. None of this would have been possible without the help of my voice teachers the last two years, Professor Christine Blanner of Drake University and my current teacher Dr. Matthew Markham at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. They were the ones who sculpted my voice and performance to be what it is today.”

The Charleston International Summer Music Competition is known for celebrating musical excellence and fostering global artistic connections. Giovanni’s victory in this competition reflects not only his exceptional skill and dedication but also his growing presence on the international music scene.

From the Charleston International Music Competition website:

Giovanni David Anello IV, great-grandson of great Milwaukee director John David Anello Sr., is a fourth-generation musician and singer from Mukwonago, WI. He attended Mukwonago High School where he attained numerous awards through the Wisconsin School Music Association and Wisconsin Choral Directors Association including two Exemplary Performance nominations and a selection for the award at the state level and earned his spot three times into state honors choirs. After high school, Giovanni attended Drake University where he studied under Dr. Christine Blanner for a year as he transitioned from a music minor to a major. During that time, he competed in and won the 2023 Iowa NATS state competition. The following year Giovanni transferred back to his home state to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to study with Dr. Matthew Markham. In the last year Giovanni has won the 2023 Wisconsin NATS state competition and the 2024 North Central NATS regional competition on his way to qualifying for the 2024 National Student Auditions preliminary round. Giovanni made his opera debut as Polyphemus in Handel’s Acis and Galatea at UWSP in April of 2024. In his studies, Giovanni is currently attaining his Bachelors in Music Education along with his BM in Music Performance with a Vocal Emphasis. A very active student in the university, Giovanni is involved in many choirs including the vocal jazz ensemble believing that the best musician and teacher is a well rounded one. He is also extremely active in the Xi Omicron chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Anello’s competition performance may be viewed here.

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