North Salem's Laurel Aronian Wins 2023 YoungArts Award For Songwriting

NORTH SALEM, NY — A remarkable St. Luke's School sophomore has been recognized by the national organization dedicated to following and supporting promising artists from a young age and continuing throughout their careers.

Laurel Aronian has just received a 2023 YoungArts Merit award in the Voice/Singer-Songwriter category. She joins 702 students from across the country named among the most accomplished young visual, literary, and performing artists by the Miami-based resource from the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists.

"The ability to songwrite for me is a way to take the thoughts I have in my everyday life that don't bring me anywhere and move them in a worthwhile direction," Aronian told Patch. "It's like a car that runs on banana peels, and it's a way to get something out of the difficult times in my life. Additionally, songwriting is a way for me to share what I've learned: my advice, the beautiful moments, my philosophical ideas, and the pockets of knowledge I acquire in school (ie. the Aztec song) — I can express all this through songwriting."

Aronian said she plans to take full advantage of the unique opportunities that come along with the honor.

"I was, and am, ecstatic to be chosen for the YoungArts program, especially, as a high school sophomore," she explained. "It's incredible to see all the opportunities the YoungArts program offers, and I can't wait to share ideas with and meet creatives all across the United States."

It seems likely that Aronian's talents as a performer and composer and writer will earn her even more notoriety in the years to come, but the young prodigy is also earning widespread respect for another interest.

"I love writing music and performing and I'm also passionate about chess," she explained to Patch. "Recently, these favorite interests came together when I sang the National Anthem at the United States Scholastic Chess Nationals (2.5K players) at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland, Aronian said. "Right after I sang the Star-Spangled Banner I sat for my matches (around 21 hrs of chess that weekend)!"

Aronian entered the YoungArts competition with three original songs: "Yours To Use," "We Please The Gods (The Aztec Song)" and "Touch Move."

Each year, YoungArts award winners are selected through an intense competition. All winners are between 15 and 18 years old (or in grades 10 through 12). The arts scholars are chosen for their achievement by discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous blind adjudication process.

"Every year we are inspired anew by the talent, dedication and creativity of extraordinary early career artists," said YoungArts Artistic Director Lauren Snelling. "YoungArts is proud to support artists at critical junctures throughout their lives, and we look forward to providing community and professional and creative development opportunities that will empower the 2023 award winners as they embark on exciting careers in the arts. Now more than ever, it is essential to support artists so that their voices can be heard long into the future."

YoungArts award winners gain access to the group's well-established and comprehensive programs for artists. Winners become eligible for exclusive creative and professional development support, including a wide range of fellowships, residencies and awards; microgrants and financial awards; virtual and in-person presentation opportunities in collaboration with major venues and cultural partners nationwide; and access to YoungArts Post, a free, private online platform for YoungArts artists to connect, collaborate and discover new opportunities.

As a YoungArts award winner, Aronian is in good company. Accomplished artists, including Daniel Arsham, Terence Blanchard, Camille A. Brown, Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis, Amanda Gorman, Judith Hill, Jennifer Koh, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Andrew Rannells, Desmond Richardson, and Hunter Schafer rank among the prestigious list's past honorees.

A complete list of the 2023 winners and YoungArts programs and resources can be found on National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists website.