The Temecula Sunrise Rotary Club has named the winners of its 11th Annual Music Competition held on Feb. 10 at Grace Presbyterian Church in Temecula. 

There were three categories of musical presentations including vocal, piano, and other instrumental in which 15 high school students from the Temecula/Murrieta area competed for cash prizes.   

The first-place prize of $400 went to vocalist Megan Michayla Samarin, a senior from Murrieta Valley High School, who performed "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini.  Megan studies under Lori Ascani. She plans to major in music and was leaving shortly after the competition to audition at the Boston Conservatory of Music and at the New England Conservatory of Music. 

The second-place prize of $250 was presented to pianist Bryce Russell, a home-schooled freshman Advertisement

[ Berry-Bell and Hall Mortuary ] who studies under Tahnia Lund. Bryce performed Sarabande from "Pour le piano" by Claude Debussy and "Humoresque No. 1 Op. 101" by Antonin Dvorák. He hopes to be a composer. 

Third price of $100 went to flutist Patricia Bradley, a Great Oak High School junior who is a student of Kate Prestia-Shaub. She performed "First Sonata" by Bohuslav Martinu. 

A fourth-place was given to flutist Ellie Rickards, who is a sophomore at Linfield Christian School. Ellie also studies under Kate Prestia-Shaub. She performed "Concertino Op. 107" by Cécile Chaminade.  Ellie says she always will love her music, but she plans to study to be a doctor.

All four winners will be sent to compete in the Rotary District finals at the University of Redlands, where the top prize in each category is $1,000. 

For more information, call (951) 698-6116.