2025 YSC Finalist Hyun Lee

Junior Division Finalist

Cello, 12

Camille Saint-Saëns

Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Mvt 1

Hyun Lee, age 12, is a seventh 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 Philharmonic, played in PYCO, and served as the  principal of cello in PYSE.

Recently, Hyun won the 1st place in the ASTA competition, and won the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra Youth competition and Jewish Community Orchestra Young Artist Competition and played solo with the Orchestra.

In 2024, Hyun was the winner of the American protégé, the Best Haydn performance, the Euro elite international music competition, the Grand metropolitan international music competition, the Enkor International Music Competition, the Bellagrande International Music Competition, and the Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition. 

In 2022, Hyun was the winner of the OPUS music competition, the Metropolitan International music competition, the New York International music competition, the Trinity International music competition, and was awarded to play in ASTA Honors Recital. 

Where would someone most likely find you on a rainy Sunday afternoon? I would probably be at my house practicing cello.

What is your least favorite school subject? I don't have any!

What is your spirit animal? My spirit animal is the turtle

What’s on your bucket list? Go to Italy to see some cello makers and play their cellos.

Complete the sentence “I wish everyone could…” I wish everyone could play an instrument so that I could play and enjoy music together.

2025 YSC Finalist Sabine Voelker

Senior Division Finalist

Violin, 16

Antonín Dvořák

Violin Concerto in A Minor, Mvt. 1

Sabine Voelker is a junior at South Eugene High School and has been studying with Lillie Manis (Willamette Violin Academy) since the age of four. She has been recognized in state-wide competitions with both violin and viola, and last summer she was selected to play viola with the national youth orchestra NYO2 in New York and Dallas, Texas. Sabine enjoys ensemble musicianship; she has participated with the chamber program at the Community Music Institute for several years and is co-founder of Celeste String Quartet. Recently, she was a soloist with the Eugene Springfield Youth Orchestras, and she is is a member of their Youth Symphony. She has also been invited to participate in professional performances with Emerald Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra NEXT. In her spare time, Sabine practices martial arts and enjoys exploring other musical instruments.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? The ability to freeze time so I can get everything done.

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

Who is your favorite musician? Hilary Hahn

If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it? Sleeping and catching up with homework.

2025 YSC Finalist Alissa King

Senior Division Finalist

Piano, 15

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, Mvt. 1

Alissa King is a freshman at Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon. She has been playing classical piano since she was little, and has studied with Dr. Grace Ho and Da-Sol Um.

She enjoyed attending Interlochen performing arts summer camp in 2024 where she studied classical piano as well as taking organ lessons. There she had the honor of playing in master classes with Dr. E.L. Lancaster and Dr. Faith Zuniga. Her main teacher was Dr. Mary Siciliano. Her organ teacher was Dr. Jeong-Suk Bae.

She is also on the varsity dance team at her high school, is a member of an active ballet academy, and plays piano in her school’s jazz band. She believes that the musicality she gained from her classical training has helped her with her artistry in dance and other pursuits. 

Alissa speaks English, Japanese, and Spanish and enjoys practicing and learning about different languages and cultures. She loves being with friends and family, and traveling!

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

What’s on your bucket list? I want to visit as many wonders of the world that I can.

What is one cool feature you would like to have in your dream house? I would love to have a Narnia-style secret room.

What’s your favorite family tradition? We eat tacos on Christmas to celebrate my grandpa’s birthday!

2025 YSC Finalist Ryley Jun

Junior Division Finalist

Cello, 13

Johann Sebastian Bach

Cello Concerto in C Minor, Mvt. 1

Ryley Jun, age 13, is a 7th grader at Skyridge Middle School.  He was introduced to playing cello at the age of 11 after being inspired by the rich and vibrant tones of the cello.  He is currently studying with cellist Hyun-Jin Kim.  After playing cello for 7 months, he joined the Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) organization and played for Portland Youth String Ensemble (PYSE).  He is currently a member of the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra (PYCO).  Outside of music, he enjoys playing golf, biking, and traveling with his family. 4. 

If you could eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? Chocolate cake because it satisfies my sweet cravings every time that I eat it and it makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

What is your favorite place to visit? Seoul, South Korea to visit my family and eat Korean street food.  

What is your most used emoji?  Sunglasses-face) when texting friends and family because I am a chill guy...

What is one cool feature you would like to have in your dream house?  A golf range with a putting green area to practice a lot of golf.

Describe your favorite outfit. Wearing a hoodie with sweatpants as they are simple and comfortable for any activities. 

 Complete the sentence "I wish everyone could be nice"

What's your favorite family tradition?  Eating Tteokguk (rice cake soup) on New Year's Day.

2025 YSC Finalist Kevin Lin

Senior Division Finalist

Marimba, 15

Sergei Golvko

Concerto for Marimba, Mvts. 1 & 3

Kevin Lin is percussionist and a sophomore at West Linn High School. He has been playing his instrument for 3 years with an emphasis in solo marimba literature, alongside some orchestral playing in PYP and jazz vibraphone performance. Outside the realm of music, he also enjoys reading historical books in Eastern & Western theaters and the study of computer science.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which composer or piece of music would you bring? Herbie Hancock; one of my favorite jazz fusion composers who I also find quite creative due to his integration of electronic instruments ( most notably in his album Head-Hunters.) In addition, he is perhaps one of the few sane musicians from the post-bop era in that he actually managed to get sober from street drugs.

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

Who is your favorite musician? Either John Coltrane or Charlie Parker; taking the hard drugs out of the equation, their improvisations are simply, unique and immensely natural. Their skill really resonates through their recordings; if you held a tuner to either one of them while they played, they’d be in tune 99% of the time. If I had to choose one, I’d have to choose Charlie Parker because his tone is slightly more charming.

What’s on your bucket list? Mainly an assortment of academic-pursuits with some fun activities in between: 

Be decent at drumset coordination

Visit the major Canadian cities again in-depth

Get good at front-end development

Go to a PNW university and actually enjoy it

Read as many historical books as possible before I graduate

2025 YSC Finalist Alexander Zhu

Junior Division Finalist

Violin, 13

Tomaso Vitali

Chaconne in G Minor

Alex Zhu, 13, is a 7th grader at Tumwater Middle School. He has been playing violin for 7 years and currently studies with Carol Sindell. Alex was the alternate winner of the 2024 MTNA Junior Strings Performance Competition in Oregon. He was also the winner of the 2024 Willamette Falls Symphony(WFS) Young Artist Competition and will solo with the WFS in June. In 2024, he won the 2024 OMEA Solo & Ensemble Middle School District Competition and was selected to perform at the 2024 ASTA Oregon Honor Recital. As a member of the Portland Youth Philharmonic and Camerata PYP, he enjoys performing various classical and modern pieces. When not playing the violin, he likes reading historical fiction and playing chess. He also plays oboe in the middle school band.

Who is your favorite musician? My favorite musician is Ray Chen. He uses social media platforms to connect with young musicians and motivate them to practice.

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

What’s on your bucket list? Eating a ghost pepper without drinking anything.

Where would someone most likely find you on a rainy Sunday afternoon? I would be watching Sunday Night Football or basketball games.

If you could travel back in time, what year would you most like to visit? I would like to visit the year 1947, when the first UFO sighting was recorded.

2025 YSC Finalist Andrew Lee

Senior Division Finalist

Violin, 17

Jean Sibelius

Violin Concerto in D Minor, Mvt. 1

Andrew Lee, a 17-year-old junior at Sunset High School in Portland, Oregon, has played the violin for 11 years and studies with Carol Sindell. Since joining the Portland Youth Philharmonic in 2021, Andrew has served as the assistant principal second violin, having previously held the position of concertmaster in the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra (PYCO). As a soloist, Andrew was featured in the Eugene Symphony Park Concert Summer Series and earned first place in the 2024 ASTA Senior Competition. His awards include third place in the 2023 Oregon State Solo Contest and the 2022 ASTA Junior Competition, as well as being a winner of the 2024 Jewish Community Orchestra Young Artist Competition. Andrew will also perform with the Jewish Community Orchestra in an upcoming concert. Additionally, he was named an alternate winner in the MTNA Junior String Competition and received an Honorable Mention in the MTNA Senior String Competition. Andrew is a 2023 National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute graduate at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, where he studied with Jennifer Kim. His orchestral leadership roles include serving as associate concertmaster of the 2023 Oregon All-State Orchestra and being a member of the 2023 All-Northwest Orchestra. This summer, he attended the Center Stage Strings Institute at the University of Michigan, further honing his craft.

If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it? I would either spend it sleeping or practicing!

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which composer or piece of music would you bring?  I would bring a recording of Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

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

Who is your favorite musician? Jascha Heifetz

2025 YSC Finalist Lana Minami

Junior Division Finalist

Piano, 13

Franz Joseph Hayden

Piano Concerto in G Major, Mvts. 2 & 3

Lana Minami, a 7th grader, has studied piano with Momoko Muramatsu since age 7. She has won multiple Gold awards at the OMTA Period Festivals and 1st place in the OMTA Sonatina Festival in 2018 and 2019. Lana has also been a two-time award winner in 2021 and 2023. She earned the Gold Medal at the Seattle International Piano Festival in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and won 1st prize and the Exceptional Young Talent Award at the International Music Competition Bonn “Grand Prize Virtuoso” junior category. Recently, she won 1st prize at the 2023 OMTA Scholarship Competition “Tom O’Brien Junior” and the 2024 “Eleanor East and Edward G. Michaels”Piano Scholarship.

Outside of music, Lana enjoys singing, hip-hop dancing, and hanging out with friends.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? Matcha Ice cream

What is one thing we would never guess about you? I love roller coasters so much!

What’s on your bucket list? Go on many trip with my friends.

What is your favorite place to visit? Japan! To see family and friends.

Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been? Seoul or Honolulu It’s so pretty there and the culture is so cute.

What is your spirit animal? A puppy or a quokka

2025 YSC Finalist Kaylee Nah

Senior Division Finalist

Violin, 15

Jean Sibelius

Violin Concerto in D Minor, Mvt. 3

Kaylee Nah, 15, is a sophomore at Sunset High School and has studied violin under Hae-Jin Kim since the age of five. She has been a member of the Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) organization since 2018 and currently serves as co-concertmaster of the PYP orchestra. She also enjoys playing chamber music in Camerata PYP and a PYP quartet.

Kaylee has made many achievements, such as winning first place in both the Oregon state and Northwest divisions of the MTNA Junior String competition in 2023-2024 season, advancing as one of seven national finalists. In 2024, she won first place in the Oregon ASTA solo competition, OMEA State Championships for both solo violin and chamber ensemble, and the Monday Musical Club Award Competition, where she received the $2,000 Phillips Award for best instrumental performance. In the same year, she won the MetroArts Young Artists Debut! Competition and the Jewish Community Orchestra Young Artist Competition.

Kaylee has performed for many renowned artists, including Ray Chen, Vadim Gluzman, Benjamin Beilman, Jessica Lee, and Sunmi Chang in masterclasses. She attended the Heifetz International Music Institute and the Interlochen Arts Camp, where she served as concertmaster of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra on a full scholarship. She was also selected as concertmaster for the OMEA All-State Symphony Orchestra in 2024 and 2025. In addition to her violin studies, Kaylee has been studying piano since the age of five.

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

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I would love to be able to fly.

What is your favorite musical memory? When I played for Ray Chen.

If you could switch places with anyone for a day, who would it be? I would switch with my dog - all she does is eat, sleep, and be adored.

What is your favorite place to visit? I love going to Korea to visit relatives, sightsee, and eat good food.

2025 YSC Finalist Yuwei Zhang

Junior Division Finalist

violin, 13

Pablo de Sarasate

Introduction and Tarantella

Yuwei Zhang is a 7th grader at Roosevelt Middle School who began her violin journey at the age of 4. She performed in Oregon ASTA Honors Recital, ASI Honors Recital at Stanford, Portland Summer Ensembles, and numerous local events. She has been selected as a finalist in 2024 Oregon Mozart Players Young Soloist Competition and awarded Honorable Mention in 2024 Oregon MTNA Competition. She is a student of Lillie Manis at Willamette Violin Academy. When not practicing the violin, she enjoys drawing, reading, hip hop, and travelling with her family. 

On my bucket list, I want to go see a Broadway musical live. My favorite musicians are Julia Fischer, Sohyun Ko, and Augustin Hadelich. My least favorite school subject is PE. My most used emoji is the hedgehog emoji.

2025 YSC Finalist Ishika Chakraborty

Senior division finalist

Piano, 17

Edvard Grieg

Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op.16, Mvt 1

Ishika Chakraborty is a junior at South Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon. She is seventeen years old and is a student under Dr. Grace Ho at the University of Oregon. She has been enrolled in piano lessons since the age of five, and has won several competitions including the OMTA Baroque, Sonata and Ensemble Festivals. She has also participated in masterclasses with Dr. Alexandre Dossin, Dr. David Riley and Janina Fialkowska among others, and placed third in the Cris Tapang scholarship. Her other hobbies include painting and writing, and she is currently a member of the SEHS Dorians Jazz Choir.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? If I could have any superpower, I would be a shapeshifter—I think it would be useful to be able to turn into any animal or object.

What is your favorite musical memory? My favorite musical memory is playing Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G minor with three of my close friends for a chamber music performance in sixth grade orchestra class. It was, at the time, the biggest musical project I had ever taken on without the guidance of a teacher, and the first time I had gotten to play something with all three of my friends on our respective instruments.

Where would someone most likely find you on a rainy Sunday afternoon? Most likely I would be found indoors, maybe under the covers with a hot drink, reading or writing something and on occasion listening to music.

What is your spirit animal? I would say my spirit animal is a black cat.

2025 YSC Finalist Grace Kim

Junior division finalist

Piano, 13

Franz Joseph Haydn

Piano Concerto No. 11 in D Major Mvt. 1

Grace Kim is a 13-year-old pianist from Eugene, Oregon, and an 8th grader at Ridgeline Montessori. She has been learning piano for almost five years from her mother and teacher, Suyeon Hwang. Grace received the Consul General Award for Group D in the Chopin Avenue International Piano Competition 2021 after just one year of learning piano. She earned Honorable Mention in the 2021 Sonatina Festival, Level 8, at the age of 10. She also won the Silver Prize in the London Young Musician 2022-2023 and took 2nd place in the South Korean Well Concert Music Competition 2023 for Category Age 11-12.

Grace loves sharing her gift of music with others by performing at seven different assisted living and retirement communities in Eugene. When she isn’t practicing piano, Grace enjoys swimming, watching silly shows like Gravity Falls, telling scary stories with her friends, and playing with her cats, Cookie and Hoduk.

If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? M＆M ice cream cookies, of course! 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?  Communicating with animals, so I could talk to my cats. 

What famous person would you most like to have dinner with? Malala Yousafzai, because she is an inspirational and fearless woman who is an example of how we should all be. 

Who is your favorite musician? Yunchan Lim. His playing is indescribable, with astounding clarity and a remarkable dynamic range.

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.