Ashlee Young

Ashlee Young began her piano study at the age of 4 in Southern California and continued studying with various teachers after her move to Nevada. In 2001 she came to Montana where she attended high school and studied with Kathleen Guehlstorff. In 2005 she auditioned and was accepted into the music department at Montana State University-Billings. She then began her study with her current teacher, Professor Dorothea Cromley.

Throughout her career, Ashlee has been an active performer appearing in many recitals, festivals and competitions. In 2006 she traveled to Los Angeles to compete in the International Franz Liszt Competition where she received honorable mention. In 2006 she was also a finalist in the Coeur D’Alene Young Artist Competition, but was not able to make it to the competition. She was the winner of the Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras Competition in January 2007. She appeared with the Great Falls Symphony in March 2007 billed on the same program as world renowned violinist, Midori. In addition to this performance, she appeared with the Billings Symphony Orchestra in November 2007 and the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra in December 2007. In November 2007, she won the State Music Teacher’s National Association Competition at the state level and went on to compete in divisionals.

In 2007, she was a finalist in the Missoula Young Artist Competition and also the National Wideman Piano Competition. She recently won the VSA Arts International Young Soloist Award. In addition to her $5,000 prize, she will be playing at the Kennedy Center in May 2008.

Ashlee intends to pursue a career as a concert pianist and devotes most of her time to the piano.