Nate Ybarra

Submitted to Sumner Newscow — Nate Ybarra, a Wellington High School senior, will present a senior piano recital Sunday December 13 beginning at 2 p.m. at the First Free Will Baptist Church, 1219 North Plum.  Ybarra is the son of Tony and Traci Ybarra of Wellington and a piano student of Hankie Holefelder.

Nate has participated in numerous piano competitions and music festivals throughout the years.  He performed at the KMTA District and State Auditions for four years in the Kansas City area and received a top rating of I all four years.  He also participated in  KMTA Fall Festival in Kansas City for four years and received Highest Honors of four points or a four-plus each year of participation.  Nate participated in the National Guild of Piano Playing Auditions one year in Kansas City and received a superior rating.

Nate and his mother Traci performed at the KMTA Multi-Piano Concert held at the University of Kansas in January of 2012.  Since moving to Wellington in July 2012, he has participated in Tri-State Music Festival for the past four years, and  received a I each year.  Nate performed at the KSHSAA Regional Music Festival  3 years and qualified for State Music Festival by earning a I rating two of those three years.  He received a rating of I both years at state.   He plans to attend the Regional Music Festival his senior year in the hopes of qualifying for State a third time.In addition to piano, Nate is also very active in theatre within the community and school.  He has been cast in numerous plays throughout the last four years.  His roles have varied from leading roles to supporting roles.  Nate and his family are thrilled about his upcoming role in an independent movie that will begin filming in 2016.  Nate has been active in the Crusaders of the Stage, National Honor Society, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Leadership in high school.  He plans to attend an area community college for two years, then transfer to the University of Kansas and major in Music Therapy.

The public is invited to the afternoon recital where Nate’s first piano group will consist of  Solfeggietto in C Minor by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Toccata in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, Knecht Ruprecht Op. 68 No. 12 by Robert Schumann, Bagatelle Op. 5 No. 10 by Alexander Tcherepnin, and Get Up and Go by Robert Vandall, a duet with his mother, Traci Ybarra.

Selections after intermission will include River Flows in You by Yiruma, A Special Place in My Heart by Catherine Rollin, Tarantelle by Charles Dennee’, and Prelude in C Sharp Minor Op. 3 No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

A reception will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall immediately following the recital.

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