Parashkevov Takes $1,000 First Prize In 2nd Annual Texas Guitar Competition

RICHARDSON, Texas (March 4, 2003) – Twenty-nine-year-old Milen Parashkevov, a native of Bulgaria who now lives in Lubbock, won the $1,000 first prize over the weekend at the second annual Texas Guitar Competition and Festival held at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

David Buck, 28, who currently resides in Tucson, Arizona, took the $500 second prize, and Rade Amanovic, 25, a native of Yugoslovia who also now lives in Lubbock, won the $250 third prize. The competition is designed to showcase outstanding classical guitar students who are at least 16 years of age.

Parashkevov returned to compete after taking third prize in last year’s Texas Guitar Competition. His formal training includes a performance diploma from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, a Master’s of Music from Texas Tech University, as well as instruction by Joaquin Clench, Maria Isabel Siewers, Elliot Fisk and James Bogle. Parashkevov has performed in Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, Canada and the United States and recently won second prize in the 2002 Appalachian Guitar Competition.

Buck has a Bachelor’s of Music from Arizona State University and a Master’s of Music from the University of Arizona, and he has received guitar instruction with Frank Koonce and Tom Patterson. Buck was a semi-finalist at the 2001 Guitar Festival America Competition and was a finalist in the Stevens and Sholin competition at the University of Arizona.

Amanovic began studying the guitar in Knjazevac, Yugoslavia, at the age of 9. He was a student of Uros Dojcinovic at the Josip Slovenski School of Music in Belgrade from 1992 until 1996. After winning 3rd prize at the International Guitar Competition in Voronezh, Russia, in May 1996, Amanovic began studying with Dr. James Bogle at Texas Tech University. He finished second in the guitar competition at Appalachian State University in the spring of 2000. He is now a graduate teaching assistant pursuing his master’s degree at Texas Tech University.

For information about the many musical, arts, theatre, dance and other performances and exhibitions held throughout the year at UTD, please call 972-UTD-ARTS (972-883-2787) e-mail utdarts@utdallas.edu, or visit the School of Arts and Humanities’ web site at http://www.utdallas.edu/ah/. Persons with disabilities needing special accommodations may call 972-883-2982. Texas Relay Operator: 1-800-RELAYVV.

About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 13,000 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s Web site at http://www.utdallas.edu/.