YSC Finalist Jonathan Hu

SENIOR DIVISION FINALIST

VIOLIN, 18

Sergei Prokofiev

Violin Concerto No. 2, Mvt. 1

Jonathan Hu, 18, is a senior at Westview High School. Currently studying with Carol Sindell, he has played violin for thirteen years. A member of the Portland Youth Philharmonic since 2020, Jonathan was also the concertmaster of the 2023 Oregon All-State High School Honors Orchestra. He has played in masterclasses with Blair Milton, I-Hao Lee, and Paul Kantor. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys playing tennis and following the NFL. 

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? Ice cream, in particular, Salt & Straw ice cream

What is one cool feature you would like to have in your dream house? Automatic floor cleaning 

Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been? Chichen Itza

What famous person would you most like to have dinner with? Albert Einstein
What’s on your bucket list? Skydiving

YSC Finalist Ellie Liu

JUNIOR DIVISION FINALIST

CELLO, 13

David Popper

Hungarian Rhapsody

Ellie Liu, an 8th grader at Stoller Middle School, started playing the cello at age 6 under the guidance of Ms. Hyun-Jin Kim. As a soloist, Ellie has won the Young Star Award at Amadeus Orchestra Solo Competition, and she was a winner at Willamette Falls Concerto Competition in 2023. She was also a finalist at Oregon Mozart Player Young Artist Competition and ASTA Solo Competition in 2022.

Ellie has won numerous awards and honors for her cello performance, including Honorable Mention at the MTNA Junior Division. She is also a winner of OMTA Festivals, Great Composer of the Best Bach Performance, The Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition, and American Protégé competition. Ellie loves playing chamber music and is currently the youngest cellist in Portland Youth Philharmonic. She served as the Assistant Principal of their Young String Ensemble in 2020. 

Who is your favorite musician? My favorite musician is Yo-Yo Ma, because of his exceptional skill and technique in playing the cello. I’m inspired by his playing and hope to see him perform live one day.

What is your favorite place to visit?  My favorite place to visit is Taiwan. My parents are from Taiwan, and we go every year to see my relatives and family friends. I enjoy visiting Taiwan especially because of the breathtaking scenery, the friendly locals, and the diverse cuisine.

Where would someone most likely find you on a rainy Sunday afternoon? Among my hobbies, reading holds a special place. I also enjoy crocheting, drawing, and painting. However, on a rainy day, you'd likely find me in bed reading a book. 

If you could donate a million dollars to any charity, which one would you choose?  If I could donate a million dollars to any charity, it would be to Music4Harmony. I’m a member of a student-lead nonprofit organization called Music4Harmony, and our mission is to benefit the lives of children through music. We perform mainly for children at benefit concerts, libraries, hospitals and at nursing homes. We hope to inspire children at a young age through music.

What’s on your bucket list? I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland and see the Northern lights. I’ve heard so much about the stunning light shows and how magical the experience is.

YSC Finalist Haruka Sakiyama

SENIOR DIVISION FINALIST

FRENCH HORN, 16

Reinhold Glière

Horn Concerto in Bb Major

Haruka Sakiyama is currently a Junior at West Linn High School. She has been playing the French horn for 5 years, and studies with Larry Johnson. She has also been playing the violin for 13 years, and currently studies with Clarisse Atcherson. Haruka has been a part of the Portland Youth Philharmonic for 9 years playing both French horn and violin, and is currently the principal horn of both the Conservatory Orchestra and the Philharmonic Orchestra. She was a part of the 2022/2024 All-State Ensembles, as well as the 2023 All-Northwest Orchestra, and was a winner of the 2024 Jewish Community Orchestra Young Artist Competition. In addition to horn and violin, she enjoys composing and was the winner of the 2020 and 2021 OMEA State Composition Contest and the 2022 National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Composers Competition, also receiving honorable mention in the 2023 OMEA State Composition Contest. Haruka is also currently a member of the Young Composers Project. Her first work for full symphony was premiered by the Oregon Symphony in 2018 and she has had other pieces premiered by ensembles of the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Haruka has also been playing the Koto, a traditional Japanese instrument, for 5 years, and is a junior member of the Oregon Koto Kai. In her free time, she enjoys ski racing and reading.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? The cream puffs that my mom makes.

What famous person would you most like to have dinner with? John Williams

What’s on your bucket list? Skateboard or snowboard

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which composer or piece of music would

you bring? Anything by Tchaikovsky or Holst

What is your most used emoji? Cowboy

What is your least favorite school subject? History

What is one cool feature you would like to have in your dream house Towels that are warm when you get out of the shower

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? "Miss notes, but don't miss the music."

YSC Finalist Yuri Yamaguchi

JUNIOR DIVISION FINALIST

VIOLIN, 11

Pablo de Sarasate

Zigeunerweisen

Yuri Yamaguchi, 11, has recently moved to Oregon, and is studying with her violin teacher, Carol Sindell. She started violin at the age of four, and has been an award recipient in competitions including Oregon Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Junior Competition, and  American String Teachers Association of Arizona (ASTA) Junior Competition. Over the past four years, Yuri has been concertmaster and assistant concertmaster in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony of Arizona. She enjoys playing violin with her older sister, and likes playing table tennis.

Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been? The most wonderful place I’ve ever been is Hawaii. The beach there is really pretty.

What is your least favorite school subject? My least favorite school subject is Social Studies because I’m not interested in geology.

What is your most used emoji? My most used emoji is the muscle emoji. I use it when I encourage my friends.

What is your favorite musical memory? My favorite musical memory is when I met Midori Goto and took a picture with her.

Who is your favorite musician? My favorite musician is Itzhak Perlman because I like how he puts his feelings and his expression in his playing.

What is your favorite place to visit? Japan is my favorite place to visit because I get to meet my family and friends there.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? If I could have any superpower, it would be getting to read people’s minds.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? It would be chocolate chip cookies because I like it.

What is one cool feature you would like to have in your dream house? An elevator, because it sounds fun to have it in a house.

What’s on your bucket list? To go to many famous musicians' concerts.

YSC Finalist Leo Trajano

SENIOR DIVISION FINALIST

VIOLIN, 16

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Violin Concerto No. 5, Mvt. 1

Leo Trajano, 16, is a sophomore at Glencoe High School in Hillsboro. He started playing violin at the age of 8. Currently, he studies with Kevin Lefohn and is a member of the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Leo was a winner of the 2023 Metropolitan Youth Symphony Concerto Competition and of the 2023 Willamette Falls Symphony Youth Concerto Competition. He was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2023 Central Oregon Symphony Young Artists Competition and has been the recipient of a Monday Musical Club of Portland Music Award. His summer program participation includes Madeline Island Chamber Music for Strings and Portland Summer Ensembles. Besides playing violin, Leo enjoys singing in his school choir, playing piano, hanging out with friends, and spending time with his family, especially when it involves food or travel.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? Tiramisu, because I love the flavor of coffee, but my parents won’t let me drink it yet

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Upbow staccato

What famous person would you most like to have dinner with? Ray Chen, because he’s a great musician, and he seems friendly and funny.

Who is your favorite musician? I’m a total Swifty!

Where would someone most likely find you on a rainy Sunday afternoon? Practicing in my room, probably like everyone else…

If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it? Play piano. I don’t get to play as much these days 

What’s your favorite family tradition? Family jam sessions.

YSC Finalist Hyun Lee

JUNIOR DIVISION FINALIST

CELLO, 11

Franz Josef Haydn

Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Mvt. 1

Hyun Lee, age 11, is a sixth grader at Lakeridge middle school. He began playing cello at the age of 5 and currently studies with Hyun-jin Kim. Hyun is a member of the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, and served as the  principal of cello in PYSE and has been playing in the quartet.

Recently, Hyun won the Jewish Community Orchestra Young Artist Competition and will be playing solo with the Orchestra coming February 2024. In 2022, Hyun was the 1st place winner of the OPUS music competition for Oregon junior division, and won the Gold Award in the Metropolitan International music competition. He also won the 1st prize in the New York International music competition and the Silver medal in the Trinity International music competition, and awarded to play in ASTA Honors Recital. In 2023, Hyun won the second prize in the Bellagrande International music competition.

What is one thing we would never guess about you? I don’t have a middle name

What’s on your bucket list? I want to visit all of the natural wonders.

What is the strangest habit you have? I look at a object until I can see two of the object

YSC Finalist Emily Seo

SENIOR DIVISION FINALIST

CELLO, 15

Camille Saint-Saëns

Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Mvt. 3

Emily Seo, 15, is a freshman at Jesuit High School. She started studying cello at the age of 5 and currently studies with Professor Hamilton Cheifetz. Emily joined the PYP organization in 2017 and is in her fourth season in the PYP Orchestra. Emily received an Artistic Merit Award and participated in the 2023 Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Summer String Academy, where she had lessons with Richard Aaron and Amir Eldan. She was a recipient of the 2023 Monday Musical Club Scholarship and won an honorable mention in the 2023 Oregon MTNA Senior Strings Competition. She was a finalist for both 2023 Oregon Mozart Players Young Soloists Competition and 2023 Young Artist Debut! by MetroArts. Emily played in the 2022 Oregon ASTA Honors Recital and won first prize in Oregon’s 2022 OPUS Music Competition and an honorable mention in the 2022 Oregon MTNA Junior Strings Competition. She had masterclasses with Norman Fischer, Peter Prosser, Dennis Parker, and the Pacifica Quartet. In 2022, Emily was one of three students in the Portland area chosen to participate in a masterclass with Johannes Moser. Besides playing cello, she enjoys cross country running and reading novels. 

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? Strawberry shortcake

What’s on your bucket list? Going to a tropical island for a week and eating all my favorite foods. 

What is one cool feature you would like to have in your dream house? I would like to have a heated indoor pool with a mini convenience store next to it. 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I would like to have teleportation. 

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which composer or piece of music would you bring? I would bring Beethoven because his pieces have a large contrasting dynamic range.

YSC Finalist Sawa Yamaguchi

JUNIOR DIVISION FINALIST

VIOIN, 13

Felix Mendelssohn

Violin Concerto in E Minor, Mvt. 3

Sawa Yamaguchi, 13, recently moved to Oregon, and has been studying with Carol Sindell. She started violin at the age of four, and has won Second place in Division I of the 2023 Arizona Musicfest Strings Competition. She was recently awarded Alternative for Oregon Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Junior Competition. Sawa has been an award recipient in competitions including Arizona MTNA Junior Competition, and American String Teachers Association (ASTA) Junior Competition. She also won first place in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Arizona Competition in 2022 and 2023. Over the past four years, Sawa has been concertmaster in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony of Arizona.

If you could switch places with anyone for a day, who would it be? My violin teacher because she is my role model and I want to be a good player like her

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? The power to be able to speak all the languages in the world fluently.

What is one thing we would never guess about you? I am allergic to all nuts.

Who is your favorite musician(s)? Gil Shaham/Ray Chen/Midori Goto

What is your least favorite school subject? Science, because there is too much to remember.

What is your favorite place to visit? My grandparents' house in Japan.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? Mochi Donuts!

What’s on your bucket list? To travel around Europe.

What is your most used emoji? The winking face emoji because I think it is very cute.

What is your favorite musical memory? When I met violinist Midori Goto, and had a chance to talk with her.

YSC Finalist Andrew Lee

SENIOR DIVISION FINALIST

VIOLIN, 16

Felix Mendelssohn

Violin Concerto in E Minor, Mvt. 1

Andrew Lee is a 16-year-old sophomore at Sunset High School in Portland, Oregon. He has been playing the violin for ten years and currently studies with Carol Sindell. Andrew joined the Portland Youth Philharmonic in 2021 and is currently a member of the first violin section after previously serving as assistant principal second violin, and before that, as the concertmaster of PYCO. As a soloist, he was the third place winner of the 2023 Oregon State Solo Contest and the 2023 ASTA Competition, and was an alternate winner of the MTNA Junior String Competition. He is a recipient of the OMTA Instrumental and Collaborative Scholarship Awards. Andrew also is the co-founder of Euphonos Ensemble, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bettering the community through music.

Andrew is a 2023 graduate of the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute at the Kennedy Center, where he studied with Jennifer Kim. He served as associate concertmaster of the 2023 Oregon All-State Orchestra and was a member of the 2023 All-Northwest Orchestra. 

If I had an extra hour of free time every day, I would use it to play with my dog.

If I had a superpower, it would be teleportation

One of my favorite musical memories is when I attended the NSOSMI, or National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute

My most used emoji is the thumbs up emoji

My favorite musician is Itzhak Perlman

YSC Finalist Klaire Liu

JUNIOR DIVISION FINALIST

PIANO, 11

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Piano Concerto in F Major, Mvt. 1

Klaire Liu, pianist, is 11 years old and in middle school. She studies piano with Dr. Rachelle McCabe. Klaire recently won first place in the 2023 OMTA Sonatina Festival and is a two-time award winner in the 2022 and 2023 OMTA State Baroque Festivals performing music of Bach. She recently performed Estonian piano works on a concert of Baltic piano music presented by Corvallis-OSU Piano International. Klaire also enjoys performing four-hand piano duets with her sister, Katherine. The duo has received an award in the 2022 OMTA Ensemble Festival and performed at the State Honors Recital in Eugene. Klaire was selected as the cello principal of the Portland Youth String Ensemble (PYSE), and is currently a member of the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra (PYCO). Outside of music, Klaire is an avid reader, likes snowboarding and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Where would someone most likely find you on a rainy Sunday afternoon? Indoors, reading.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Teleportation, since it would be extremely useful for travel.

Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been? Paris, France.

What is your spirit animal? Cat.

If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it? Practicing or catching up on homework.

YSC Finalist Kristen Kim

SENIOR DIVISION FINALIST

CELLO, 14

Pytor Tchaikovsky

Variation on a Rococo Theme

Kristen Kim is a 14-year-old cellist in Portland, Oregon. She started playing cello at the age of six, and is currently studying with cellist Hyun-Jin Kim.

Kristen was the winner in the 2021 Oregon MTNA Junior String Competition, and alternate winner in the Northwest MTNA Junior Performance String Competition. Along with this, she also won 1st place in the 2022 Oregon Mozart Player Young Artist Competition Junior Division. She was chosen as a winner of 2022 Cognizart Metro Art Young Artist Competition, 1st place in the 2021 American Protégé international string competition, 1st place in Rising Star of the 2020 Canadian International Music Competition, 1st place in 2022 Best Bach Competition, and 2nd place in the Oregon ASTA competition. In 2023, she won 2nd place in the young artist competition of Amadeus Chamber Orchestra and was chosen as a winner of the Oregon Sinfonietta Competition. Through these competitions, Kristen was given the opportunity to solo with professional musicians such as the Oregon Mozart Players, the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, the Oregon Sinfonietta, and members of the Oregon Symphony.

As Kristen enjoys playing with other musicians and peers, she is a part of the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and a PYP Sextet. She also plays in the Camerata PYP chamber orchestra and volunteers for a community music education organization, Project Prelude. Outside of her musical life, she loves volunteering for her church and at nursing homes.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
If I could have any superpower, it would be teleportation because I love traveling.

What is one cool feature you would like to have in your dream house?
A cool feature I would like to have in my dream house would be an elevator so I wouldn’t have to walk up the stairs.

What is your spirit animal? My spirit animal is a sloth.

If you could travel back in time, what year would you most like to visit?
I would like to visit 1990 because it would be cool to see what my parents were like at my age.

If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it? If I could have an extra hour of free time every day, I would sleep.

YSC Finalist Yuwei Zhang

Junior Division Finalist

Violin, 12

Camille Saint-Saëns

Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Mvt.1

Yuwei Zhang is a 6 th grader at Roosevelt Middle School, and has been playing violin since the age of four. She performed in Oregon ASTA Honors Recital, ASI Honors Recital at Stanford, Portland Summer Ensembles, and numerous local events. She is a student of Lillie Manis at the Willamette Violin Academy. When not practicing the violin, she enjoys drawing, writing, swimming on the TEAM Eugene Aquatics, and traveling with her family.

If I was stranded on a desert island, I would bring Saint-Saens’ Carnival of Animals.

If I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, I would have ice cream sandwiches.

If I could have any superpower, I’d have the ability to breathe underwater.

My spirit animal is a wolf. 

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, I’d most likely be reading fantasy books at the library.

2024 Young Soloist Competition Finals

On January 28th, 12 finalists of the Oregon Mozart Players’ 2024 Young Soloist Competition will take to the Beall Hall stage to compete for cash prizes and the chance to perform as a soloist with Oregon Mozart Players at our Legacy concert on May 11th. The young musicians, ranging from 11-18, will perform their musical selections live with piano accompaniment. A first and second place winner will be selected from both junior and senior divisions, with first place winners earning the opportunity to play with OMP in May back in Beall Hall. Join us at 10:00am Sunday January 28th, at Beall Hall (961 E. 18th Ave., Eugene)!

Admission is free for this event.

Young Soloist Competition Winners

We would like to extend a congratulations to our four winners of the Oregon Mozart Players Young Soloist Competition! Each of our finalists performed at a very high level showcasing their talent and musicianship. There are two winners from both the Junior Division and the Senior Division. Our Junior Division Winners are Asher Lewis in 1st Place and Jason Han in 2nd Place. Our Senior Division Winners are Noah Carr in 1st Place and Hanu Nahm in 2nd Place.

We would like to extend a thank you to all of the parents, teachers and accompanists of these young musicians who offer their support and encouragement in their continued musical growth.

Oregon Mozart Players will be joined by 3 of our winners this year at our final concert of the 2022/2023 season as the scores of our Senior Division winners were separated by only .5! Our Music Director, Kelly Kuo, and our other competition judges, Sofie Yang, Austin Bennett, and Kelly Johnson, decided to allow both Senior Division winners and our first place Junior Division winner the opportunity to perform along side Oregon Mozart Players.

Please join us on May 13th at 7:30pm for our final concert of the season in Beall Hall at the University of Oregon!

Young Soloist Competition Final Round On March 4th

On March 4th, 11 finalists of the Oregon Mozart Players’ 2023 Young Soloist Competition will take to the Beall Hall stage to compete for cash prizes and the chance to perform as a soloist with Oregon Mozart Players at our Fountain of Youth concert on May 13th. The young musicians, ranging from 12-18, will perform their musical selections live with piano accompaniment. A first and second place winner will be selected from both junior and senior divisions, with first place winners earning the opportunity to play with OMP in May back in Beall Hall. Join us at 10:00am Saturday, March 4th, at Beall Hall (961 E. 18th Ave., Eugene)!

Admission is free for this event.

YSC Finalist Asher Lewis

Junior Division Finalist, Violin, 13

Zigeunerweisen Op. 20

P. Sarasate

Asher Lewis is an eighth grader at Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene. He began his violin studies at age six, and is a student of Kara Eubanks at the Willamette Violin Academy. In January 2023, he was concertmaster of the Oregon All-State Middle School Orchestra. He received an Honorable Mention for his performance in the OMTA Baroque Festival in February 2023. He has enjoyed performing at the ORASTA Honor’s Recital and in the honor’s recital at the Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute in 2022. In addition to Japan-Seattle, he has attended institutes at Stanford and Steven’s Point, Wisconsin. Asher has lived in several places, including Texas, Minnesota, and Oxford, England. Beyond music, Asher is an avid reader, and enjoys playing sports of all kinds, including basketball, ultimate frisbee, soccer, and track. 

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Flying, of course.

What is one thing we would never guess about you? I have Ds and Cs in school! Just kidding, only in art. 

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which composer or piece of music would you bring? Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been? On a mountain glacier near Denali in Alaska.

YSC Finalist Yoojin Kang

Junior Division Finalist, Violin, 13

Legenda

H. Wieniawski

Yoojin Kang is a 13-year-old student in Stoller Middle School in Portland, Oregon. She has been playing violin since she was 6 years old and is currently studying with Hae-Jin Kim. Yoojin has been a member of the Portland Youth Philharmonic since she was 8 years old. She has received second place scholarship in OMTA competition in 2021 and contributed in other group performances and quartets including Master Class with the Calder Quartet in the American String Teachers Association of Oregon in 2020. She has participated in many OMTA Festivals, the Trula Whelan Concerto Competition, and more in 2020. Some things she enjoys doing include programming and reading.

What is your least favorite subject? My least favorite school subject is Science.

What is one thing on your bucket list? One thing on my bucket list is going skydiving.

Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been to? The most wonderful place I’ve ever been is Banff National Park.

What is your most used emoji? Smiley face

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? If I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, it would be ice cream.

YSC Finalist Hanu Nahm

Senior Division Finalist, Violin, 18

Violin Concerto in D Minor, Mvt. 1

J. Sibelius

Hanu Nahm is an 18 year old attending Lincoln High School. He has been playing violin for 12 years.  For the last five years, he has played in the Portland Youth Philharmonic organization. This year, he plays in the Philharmonic Orchestra along with mentoring in the Conservatory Orchestra as a Violin II section leader.  Hanu studied abroad in Germany in 2021 as a youth ambassador for the United States through the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship. In Germany, he participated in the State Youth Orchestra (Landesjugendorchester Schleswig-Holstein), chamber music camps (Nordlandkammermusik Kurs), and won 1st Prize in several competitions including the Tchaikovsky Competition in Hamburg and the Instrumental International Competition in Kiel. After returning to the States, Hanu performed as a soloist with the Jewish Community Orchestra in February 2023.  He also performed with the OSU Corvallis Symphony in 2017.  He was the alternate winner representing the State of Oregon in the 2022 MTNA Competition and was a finalist in the 2022 ASTA State Solo Competition. He has won the Oregon Junior Bach Festival on multiple occasions, and received an honorable mention for the Senior Division of the 2020 MTNA Competition. He currently studies with Carol Sindell and has previously been taught by Jessica Lambert. Nowadays, in addition to violin, he is playing bassoon in his school Symphonic Band.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you don’t get it wrong.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which composer or piece of music would you bring? Sibelius Symphonies, particularly Symphony No. 1 or 2.

What is your favorite musical memory? Partaking in a theatre project during my year in Germany. I led rehearsals, played violin, and faced new challenges with the German language, but also the 80’s music genre!

Who is your favorite musician? Augustin Hadelich

Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been? Germany!

What is the strangest habit you have? I will use my perfect pitch to regularly determine pitches of everyday sounds in my head. If I want to be annoying, I would tell my non-musical friends what note something is.

YSC Finalist Anabelle Chang

Senior Division Finalist, Cello, 17

Hungarian Rhapsody, Op. 68

D. Popper

Anabelle Chang is a 12th grader at Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon, and is a student in the cello studio of Hyun-Jin Kim.  She is a member of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra, where she has served in the past as co-principal cellist and also in MYSfits, the advanced ensemble of the Symphony Orchestra.  Anabelle has been a member of Oregon’s All-State Music Orchestra.  She has attended the International Cello Institute, and also received acceptances to the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival (cancelled due to covid), Portland Summer Ensembles, and Marrowstone Music Festival.  

She is a first place winner in the American Protege International Music and Talent Competition, and will be performing at Carnegie Hall in spring, 2023.  She is a former winner of the Canadian International Music Competition, Trula Whelan Concerto competition, OMTA Baroque Festival, and Grand Metropolitan International Competition, amongst others.  Aside from performing cello, Anabelle is a competitive squash player, participating in tournaments across the country.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?   Kutsinta dessert (Filipino rice cake) with freshly shredded coconut

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?  Telekinesis, so I could control objects and forces with my mind.  

What famous person would you most like to have dinner with?  Fred Koramatsu, Asian American activist

What is your spirit animal?  I would choose a panda bear, because they are curious, enjoy life, and are symbols of peace who protect the weak and vulnerable.  

What is your most used emoji?  Green friendship heart

YSC Finalist Jason Han

Junior Division FInalist, Cello, 13

Cello Concerto No. 1, Mvt. 3

C. Saint-Saëns

Jason Han is a 13-year-old seventh grader at Cheldelin Middle School in Corvallis, Oregon. He has been playing the cello and piano for seven years. He currently studies cello with Marilyn de Oliveira of the Oregon Symphony. He has won several piano and cello competitions at the Oregon Music Teachers Association. Jason serves as the principal of the Junior Honors Symphony in Corvallis. He was a finalist in the Oregon Mozart Players and ASTA in 2022. He has participated in the 2023 All-State orchestra. He enjoys performing at

community events. Besides music, he enjoys making art, biking, hanging out with his friends and family, and playing sports such as soccer, basketball, and tennis.

If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it? If I could have an extra hour of free time every day, I would use that time to play basketball or tennis to improve my skill and my physical attributes.

Who is your favorite musician? My favorite musician as of right now is Gautier Capucon. I really like how he makes the rich sound pour out of his instrument.

What is your favorite place to visit? My favorite place to visit is South Korea.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? It would be teleportation because you can go anywhere without money or time. Teleportation would be super useful to have because you can go anywhere in a blink of an eye.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which composer or piece of music would you bring? If I were stranded, I would bring the Bach Cello Suite. I think that piece would help cure my boredom on the island.