Third-Grader’s Music Is First-Rate

The third time was a charm for David Manzoor of Westwood.

David, 9, a third-grader at Fairburn Avenue Elementary School in Westwood, recently won first place in the National PTA’s “Reflections” competition for the arts with his piano composition, “Prelude to Winter.”

The PTA competition is held annually for students from kindergarten through high school in visual arts, photography, literature and music composition. This year, 500,000 students took part, including 35,000 from California.

David is no stranger to the competition. “Prelude to Winter” is the third composition he has written for the contest. At the age of 7, he won an honorable mention at the district level. The next year, he received an honorable mention at the state level.

In addition to winning a $300 cash award and certificate, David’s winning entry will become part of a yearlong traveling exhibit that will be displayed at museums and other sites across the country.

David began playing piano at the age of 5. He takes weekly lessons at the Yamaha Music School in West Los Angeles and credits piano teacher Ann Pittel with helping him to refine his compositions.

“She is really patient and willing to listen to me,” he said. “I get the ideas and think of special things that make sense, then I play it on the piano, tape-record them, and write down the rhythm and put the notes together.”

Also recognized was Noah Karp, a fourth-grade student at Marquez Avenue Elementary School in Pacific Palisades. He placed third for the music category at the national competition and received a $100 prize.

B’nai B’rith awarded its International Distinguished Achievement Award to Fredric Rosen, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Ticketmaster.

Rosen was honored at a fund-raising dinner June 18 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Teresa Dickey, an English teacher at St. Monica’s Catholic High School in Santa Monica, has won a $3,600 award from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Dickey will attend a six-week seminar on Japanese culture in Sacramento this summer with 15 other award winners from across the nation.

Bill Silvestre was named the 1992-93 board chairman of the Culver City Chamber of Commerce.

Silvestre, founding partner of Eagle Group, a construction management and general contracting firm, will also serve on the advisory board of the Culver City Education Foundation and board of managers of the Culver/Palms Family YMCA.

He was installed at the chamber’s annual installation luncheon June 5 at the Pacifica Hotel in Culver City.