SPRING VALLEY — Faith Sommer, the daughter of William and Amy Sommer of Spring Valley, earned first-place honors as a violinist in the junior division of the Young Performers Competition, an annual effort of the Illinois Valley Symphony, held Jan. 5.

The winners will solo with the orchestra at its next concert at 4 p.m. March 9 in Matthiessen Auditorium at LaSalle-Peru High School.

Sommer is 12 years old and has studied with Katie Roy the past 5 1/2 years at The Music School in Oglesby. She is active as a violinist, playing for family and friends, nursing homes, recitals and at the city of Peru Maud Powell Arts Celebration in 2012.