US soprano, Ukrainian pianist win $50K

[June 22, 2009]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An American soprano singer and a Ukrainian pianist have won top honors at a competition that combines elements of "American Idol" and classical music.

Leah Crocetto, a 29-year-old first-year fellow with the San Francisco opera, won the $50,000 first prize in the vocal portion of the third annual Jose Iturbi International Music Competition at the University of California, Los Angeles.

She also received two separate $3,000 prizes, including the people's choice award for the weeklong competition whose $252,000 in prizes were announced during the weekend.

Dmitri Levkovich, a 29-year-old pianist from Ukraine, won the $50,000 first prize in the piano competition. He also won a separate $3,000 award known as the Spanish prize.

The competition is sponsored by the Jose Iturbi Foundation, named for the renowned concert pianist who appeared in several MGM musicals in the 1940s. It is dedicated to preserving Iturbi's legacy and to fulfilling his desire to bring emerging classical pianists and vocalists to the public's attention.

[Associated Press]

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