The 2024 winners of the Orange County high school Artist of the Year competition performed Wednesday night, May 8, in a showcase of talents at Chapman University in Orange.
This year’s Artist of the Year winners are: Sofia Aniceto of Orange County School of the Arts, dance; McKenzie Cahill of Capistrano Valley High School, theater; Caroline Kim of Orange County School of the Arts, fine arts; Grace Lin of Arnold O. Beckman High School, media arts; Viveka Saravanan of Orange County School of the Arts, vocal music; Benjamin Weil of Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, film and TV; and Jadon Wu of Orange County School of the Arts, instrumental music.
Mckenzie Cahill, a senior at Capistrano Valley High School, who was named the Artist of the Year in theater performs during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jadon Wu, a junior at Orange County School of the Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in instrumental music performs during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Viveka Saravanan, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in vocal music performs during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year in Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Caroline Kim, a junior at Orange County School of the Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in fine art speaks about her art at the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sofia Aniceto, a senior at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts waves to the audience after it was announced that she is the Artist of the Year in dance during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sofia Aniceto, a senior at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in dance performs during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Caroline Kim, a junior at Orange County School of the Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in fine art holds her award at the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Grace Lin, a senior at Arnold O. Beckman High School who was named Artist of the Year in media arts holds her award at the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sofia Aniceto, a senior at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in dance holds up her award during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Viveka Saravanan, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in vocal music holds up her award during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year in Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Benjamin Weil, a senior at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts who was named Artist of the Year in film and TV holds his award at the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mckenzie Cahill, a senior at Capistrano Valley High School, who was named the Artist of the Year in theater holds her award during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Grace Lin, a senior at Arnold O. Beckman High School who was named Artist of the Year in media arts speaks about her art at the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Viveka Saravanan, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in vocal music performs during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year in Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mckenzie Cahill, a senior at Capistrano Valley High School, who was named the Artist of the Year in theater performs during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Viveka Saravanan, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, who was named the Artist of the Year in vocal music reacts to the audience during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year in Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Benjamin Weil, a senior at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts reacts when it is announced he is the Artist of the Year in film and TV during the awards ceremony for the 2024 Artist of the Year at Memorial Hall at Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The seven winners were chosen from a field of 892 students nominated by schools, private instructors and arts organizations from Orange County. The judges are college and high school instructors, working professionals and leaders from Orange County’s arts institutions.
The Artist of the Year program is in the fifth year of a sponsorship from the Chapman University College of Performing Arts. Additional support this year was provided by the UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts.
