Honored as one of the top collegiate pianists in Central Kansas, Tabor College senior piano major Meghann Eblen of Leavenworth, placed second in the college division of the Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition Nov. 22 at Newton.

The competition was open to students from schools affiliated with Associated Colleges of Central Kansas (ACCK) which includes Tabor College, Bethany College, Bethel College, Kansas Wesleyan University, McPherson College, and Sterling College.

“This award is a reflection of Meghann’s hard work,” said Dr. Sheila Litke, associate professor of piano and piano pedagogy and Eblen’s studio instructor at Tabor. “She is a wonderful example of what we want our students to work for and she certainly is very deserving of this award.”

In the competition, Eblen played the first movement of the Mozart Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 414 — a demanding piece of music and, according to Litke, which she performed to near perfection.

Eblen’s performance lasted only 10 minutes but only was made possible by four years of devoted piano study including hundreds of hours of practice on the one piece of music.

In recognition of her work, Eblen was awarded the Tabor music department’s highest honor’s scholarship, the Jake and Selma Friesen Music Scholarship in the spring of 2008.

The winner of the contest will perform at the Winter Classics Orchestra Concert Feb. 8 at Bethel College. As the alternate, Eblen will perform if the winner is unable to do so.

Eblen, the daughter of James (Buddy) and Kathy Eblen, is scheduled to perform the Mozart piece and others at her senior recital at 4 p.m. March 8 in the chapel auditorium at the college.