Winners of the Orange County Register’s 12th annual Artist of the Year program sang, danced, acted and discussed their work at a ceremony Wednesday evening, May 7 in Chapman University’s Memorial Hall.
Six of the seven winners appeared at the event. Allie Molin of Mission Viejo, a jazz trumpeter who won the instrumental music category, was in New York on Wednesday to perform at Lincoln Center. Molin provided a video of her performing with a jazz combo.
Madison Becerra, vocal music Artist of the Year, performs during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dance Artist of the Year Piper Rovsek performs during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Rovsek is a senior at the Orange County School of the Arts. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Theater Artist of the Year Isabella Kim performs a scene during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Helen Zhang, the fine arts Artist of the Year, speaks about her art during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Orange County Register senior editor Todd Harmonson, left, presents Noah Villanueva with the film and TV Artist of the Year award during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Jennifer (Doyeon) Kim looks back to the cheering audience after receiving her award for Artist of the Year in media arts during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) A video of Allie Molin accepting her Artist of the Year Award in instrumental music is projected on the screen during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Molin had a prior engagement to perform at the Lincoln Center in New York and was unable to attend the awards ceremony. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Scott Fitzpatrick, left, arts coordinator for the Orange County Department of Education, speaks about the artwork of Helen Zhang, right, the Artist of the Year in fine arts during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dance Artist of the Year Piper Rovsek performs during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Rovsek is a senior at the Orange County School of the Arts. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Heide Janssen, executive producer of the Artist of the Year speaks during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Madison Becerra smiles at the cheering audience after she was named Artist of the Year in vocal music during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Orange County Register senior editor Todd Harmonson poses with Isabella Kim, the theater Artist of the Year during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Semi-finalists for the Judy Moor Award for Dance are introduced on stage during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Theater Artist of the Year Isabella Kim performs a scene during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) The 2025 winners of the Orange County Artist of the Year, from left, Piper Rovsek, Isabella Kim, Madison Becerra, Noah Villanueva, Jennifer Kim, and Helen Zhang pose with their awards at the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Artist of the Year for instrumental music, Allie Molin, could not attend the event due to a prior engagement. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Orange County Register senior editor Todd Harmonson poses with Madison Becerra, the vocal music Artist of the Year during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Semi-finalists for the vocal music Artist of the Year are introduced on stage during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dance Artist of the Year Piper Rovsek, right, listens as presenter, Susan Brooker, artistic director at the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School, speaks about Rovek’s talent during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Rovsek is a senior at the Orange County School of the Arts. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Semi-finalists for the fine arts Artist of the Year are introduced on stage during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Family members take photos of the Artists of the Year with their awards after the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 20Madison Becerra, vocal music Artist of the Year, performs during the Orange County Artist of the Year Awards Celebration at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University in Orange on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) ExpandRelated links
Orange County high school Artist of the Year 2025 winners announced Artist of the Year 2025 for dance: Piper Rovsek Artist of the Year 2025 for theater: Isabella Kim Artist of the Year 2025 for film and TV: Noah Villanueva Artist of the Year 2025 for instrumental music: Allie Molin Artist of the Year 2025 for instrumental music: Allie Molin Artist of the Year 2025 for vocal music: Madison Becerra Artist of the Year 2025 for Fine Arts: Helen Zhang Artist of the Year 2025 for instrumental music: Allie Molin Orange County high school Artist of the Year semifinalists announced Orange County high school Artist of the Year 2025 nominees announcedThe evening reflected the broad diversity of the winners, featuring a modern dance work by Piper Rovsek of Newport Beach, who won the dance category, a dramatic monologue by theater winner Isabella Kim of Fullerton and an opera aria by Fullerton’s Madison Becerra, who was named Artist of the Year in the vocal music category.
Fine arts Artist of the Year Helen Zhang discussed how the imagery in her paintings explores themes of resilience and vulnerability, inspired in part by her experience of being deaf in one ear. Film and TV winner Noah Villanueva of Irvine screened his short film “Pocketwatch,” which deals with the quest for impossible perfection. Jennifer (Doyeon) Kim of Tustin, the Artist of the Year for media arts, displayed products she had designed, such as tactile scarves for autistic people, as a form of personal empowerment and advocacy.
The seven winners were drawn from a field of 923 high school juniors and seniors who were nominated by schools, arts organizations and private instructors. Panels of high school teachers narrowed the list to 112 seminfalists. Panels of arts professionals and faculty members from local colleges then selected the Artists of the Year and 29 finalists. Semifinalists and finalists were also honored at Wednesday’s ceremony.
Artists on Wednesday were introduced by several leaders from Orange County’s arts community, including representatives of Chapman University and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, whose sponorships make the program possible, and Arts Orange County, which serves a fiscal partner for the Artist of the Year program.
If you would like to support Artist of the Year with a donation, you can contribute here. Donations will be made to Arts Orange County on behalf of Artist of the Year.
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