Valerie Bai, born in Hong Kong, currently studies Ms. Kelly Barr at NEC Prep, Massachusetts. Her mentor is world-renowned violinist Stefan Jackiw. Valerie started learning violin at the age of 4, and she has performed and won in various local and international competitions.

Valerie made her orchestral debut at eight years old when she performed the 1st movement of Joseph Haydn’s Violin Concerto in C major with Rivers Symphony after winning the Rivers’ Concerto Competition 2023 (Junior Division).

Along with playing violin, Valerie enjoys playing piano, figure skating, and composing music. Valerie has been studying music composition with Professor Alla Cohen since age six. She has been awarded an honorable mention for the MTNA’s (Music Teacher National Association) music composition competition in 2022. She premiered her piano composition, “Story of Little Lisa,” at Rivers Contemporary Music Seminar in March 2023.

Semin studies with Professor Masao Kawasaki at the Juilliard School Pre-College Division. Previously, she studied with Dr. I-Hao Lee and Dr. Jiwon Kim. She began learning the violin at the age of six, and started developing her love for music performing in numerous concerts.

Semin has received top prizes at the Rondo Vanguard International, Camerata Artists International, VIVO International Music, New York Artists International, and National Artists Competition. She earned opportunities to perform at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center. In 2019, she made her solo debut with the New York Classical Youth Orchestra performing Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, at the DiMenna Center. She has also performed solo with the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, after winning their concerto competition in 2022. She performed as a member of NJSMA Intermediate Orchestra in the 2021-2022 season, and as the associate principal in the 2022-2023 season. As a part of the New York Youth Symphony Chamber Music Program, she studies chamber music with Amelia Dietrich. Outside of music, she enjoys playing tennis and hanging out with her friends.

Camille Cruz is a six year old first grader from New York City. She studies cello with Madeleine Golz at JCC Thurnauer School of Music where she was awarded and recognized as the youngest honor student in the schools history. Camille has also studied with Professor Phillip Muller at the MusicAlp festival in Tignes, France in addition to participating in Masterclasses lead by Peter Stumpf and Julian Schwarz. She is a passionate member of the youngest piano trio group at the Thurnauer School of Music, coached by Francesca Silos, and had the privilege of participating in a chamber music class by the Cremona Quartet, presented in collaboration with the SiYo Music Society Foundation. Last year, the trio won the final Grand Bronze prize for the Vivo Competition. In addition to playing the cello, Camille enjoys playing the piano, singing, swimming, foraging for mushrooms and stargazing. If you were to ask her who her favorite composer is, she would respond with a resounding , “Schubert!!!”

Aurelia is an American cellist who has garnered international attention as a young concert artist. Aurelia currently studies at the Juilliard School of Music and is the recipient of The Jacobs Scholarship in Music. She is also a 2023-2024 From the Top Fellow and will be featured on show 441. She is a very proud member of the Beare’s International Violin Society. In the summers, Aurelia has studied at the main festival of the Heifetz Institute (age 11), Meadowmount School of Music (12), and Morningside Music Bridge (13).

Aurelia currently studies with Fred Sherry. Her major pedagogical influences include Diego Garcia, her very first teacher, and Hans Jorgen Jensen, her long-time teacher and mentor. She has studied with or appeared in masterclasses with Laurence Lesser, Richard Aaron, Darrett Adkins, Brannon Cho, Phillipe Muller, David Finckel, Ralph Kirschbaum, Amit Peled, Stephen Doane, Rosemary Elliot, Peter Stumpf, Jean-Michel Fonteneau, Clive Greensmith, Matt Haimovitz, Zvi Plesser, Tomasz Strahl, Andres Diaz, Lluis Claret, and Tao Ni, and Pablo Ferrandez. Other major influences include John-Henry Crawford and Zlatomir Fung. In the summer of 2023, Aurelia attended Morningside Music Bridge, a full scholarship program for highly gifted students between the ages of 13-18 where she featured in a number of “Emerging Artists” concerts and masterclasses.

Besides cello, Aurelia is a dedicated ballet dancer, studying in the Pre-Professional division at the School of American Ballet. She has performed featured roles in the New York City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” and “A Midsummer’s Night Dream”. In 2023, she attended the Royal Ballet School’s Summer Intensive Program in London. She loves art of all kinds, singing, and animals. In 2023, Aurelia became a Congressional Award winner for visual arts. She owns a 2- year old crested gecko named “Autumn”.

Eri was born in Tokyo, Japan in 2010. She started violin at the age of 3 at Sonoko Fukasawa studio with Suzuki music Method. In 2018, she moved to New York and studied with Dr.Janice LaMarre and since 2021 she has been studying under Professor Naoko Tanaka.

Eri won prizes in several music competitions, such as Grand Prize of the 2023 Concert Artists International Competition, 1st prize of 2023 New York International Young Musician Competition and 1st prize of 2023 New York Artists International Competition. During the summer of 2023, She attended the Aspen Music Festival and had her solo performance. In winter of 2023, she performed at Carnegie Hall as 1st prize of New York Artists International Competition.

She would like to continue the journey of violin through interaction with diversified wonderful people around the world and express her appreciation for the teachers and friends with her best and passionate performance of music.

Mia has been playing the violin for six years and studies with Dr. Soo Yeon Kim. She has participated in numerous summer programs including those at the Luzerne Music Center, the Interlochen Arts Camp, and the Blue Mountain Chamber Music Festival. At Interlochen, Mia participated in the Junior Advanced Strings program and served as the Concertmaster of Junior String Ensemble as a ten-year old. She has performed in masterclasses with Hiu Sing Fan, Robin Scott, Jinwoo Lee, Rachel Barton Pine, Katie Lansdale, and Sirena Huang. Mia is from Westport, Connecticut where she started learning violin at the local Suzuki School with Dr. Sigrid Karlstrom. She is currently a seventh grader at Bedford Middle School and plays in the Norwalk Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra as its Concertmaster.

Daniel is an 8th grade student at BASIS Independent Manhattan in New York. He began playing cello at the age of six at the Special Music School, and currently studies with Yari Bond at the Kaufman Music Center’s Young Artists Honors Program.

Daniel made his orchestral debut at the age of 12 as a winner of the Kaufman Music Center Concerto Competition. In addition, he has won several national and international music competitions including Grand Prize in the New York Laureate International Music Competition, First Prize in the Young Soloist International Music Competition, First Prize in the New York International Classical Music Competition, Second Prize in the Music International Grand Prix Competition, and Second Prize in the International Grande Music Competition.

For the past two summers Daniel attended Greenwood Summer Music Camp in Massachusetts. Daniel is a regular performer at the Concerts Con Brio concert series in New York. He has also been featured in master classes with acclaimed cellist and composer Rubin Kodheli as well as the Galvin Cello Quartet.

Daniel is currently participating in the Lucy Moses School Chamber Music Program with the Binneas Trio and the Magic Cellos Quartet. In addition to cello, Daniel plays piano, enjoys composing music, and debate. He also likes fencing, swimming, skating, and traveling.

Kylie is a 13-year-old in the eighth grade from Brooklyn, New York. She has been playing the violin since the age of 7, and she has worked with a variety of teachers from the Juilliard School, such as Soo Yeon Kim and Luis Casal. Kylie has been attending the Music Advancement Program at Juilliard since 2020 under Lucie Gelinas. She has mentored several students at the program Opportunity Music Project for young, aspiring musicians. In May of 2023, Kylie was selected to play with the New York Philharmonic for the Young People’s Concert in David Geffen Hall. In 2021, Kylie attended the Manhattan Music School Summer Program and the Manhattan Chamber Music Tango Festival. Kylie has performed in masterclasses with notable Juilliard faculty such as Lewis Kaplan, Catherine Cho, Ann Setzer, and Hiu Sing Fan.

Ashley is from Ithaca, New York, USA. She attends the 8th grade at Boynton Middle School and is an avid member of its music program. Currently, she studies with violinist YooJin Jang, a faculty member at the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester.

First introduced to the violin at 5 years old, Ashley has since loved to play the instrument and won awards in several competitions, including the American Virtuoso International Music Competition, Camerata Artists International Competition, STMTA Music Competition, International Grande Music Competition, Vivo International Music Competition, Venusto Korea Music Competition, Sung-Jung Music Competition, Haneum Music Competition, and Korea Times Competition. Other than violin, Ashely loves science and has been an active member of the Boyton Science Olympiad team.

Victor Hsu began his musical studies at the age of six. He has received top awards and accolades in competitions such as the International Grande Music Competition, International Young Artists Competition, Rondo Vanguard International Music Competition, VIVO International Music Competition, Crescendo International Youth Music Competition, and the CYO Concerto Competition. Victor has also performed at various halls, including the Carnegie Weil Hall, Lincoln Center, and Merkin Concert Hall.

Victor has worked under world-class instructors, including Dr. I-Hao Lee at the Meadowmount School of Music in 2022. During the summer of 2023, he attended the prestigious Heifetz Institute of Music, where he was granted early acceptance and a merit scholarship, under Professor Bela Horvath.

Victor has also studied under the tutelage of Dr. Jiwon April Kim, who has guided him immensely on his musical path. He has been a proud member of the esteemed Camerata Youth Orchestra since 2018, under highly-acclaimed conductor Ben Byung Rhee, taking part in various performances on stage, at nursing homes, and more.

Currently, Victor attends Juilliard Pre-College as a violin major, under the renowned Professor Masao Kawasaki.

Hannah Kim is a pianist studying under Daniel Epstein at Manhattan School of Music Precollege. She has won 1st prize at the New York International Young-Musician Competition in 2023 and was awarded first at the New York Young Virtuoso International Competition in 2020.

Hannah has competed in the Altair International Music Competition in 2023, recieving first place in the Chopin Category and second place in the solo category in the 2023 Camerata Artists International Competition. In 2019, she won the Highest Distinction Mark award in the New Jersey-Pennsylvania-Delaware tri-state area for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) examination.

Hannah also enjoys playing the violin and performing for charity. She has organized multiple performances at Brandywine Living at Savoy, Queens for the elderly, and has performed at the Sisters of Mercy retirement home.

Ji Hyo Kim is a 15-year-old violinist studying in Seoul, Korea. She has participated in and won numerous competitions in Korea, Europe, and the United States. Some of her most remarkable accolades include being a 1st place winner at the American Protege International Competition and the Romani Pitesti Competition, a 3rd place winner at the Camerata Artists International Competition, and a 3rd place winner of the 12th Korea Young Artist Competition. Her playing in a duet has also been featured in the 10th United Nations World Peace Day Documentary Film. Furthermore, she has played in renowned settings such as the Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in NYC, and the Torch Lighting Ceremony at the Pyeong Chang Olympics 2018.

Jaeho Lee, a senior at Phillips Academy Andover, studies cello with Mark Churchill at New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School. He began cello eleven years ago with “Mary Had A Little Lamb”. Most recently, he won the Jeanne Selander Concerto Competition. He is currently principal cellist in his school orchestras and a member of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra under the baton of Benjamin Zander. Jaeho participates in the Chamber Intensive Performance Seminar (Trio) at NEC Prep on full scholarship. His honors include WMHT Student Musician of the Month and 2nd place at the Harvard Music Association competition, as well as an award at the NSO SMI Concerto Competition. Previously, he placed as a national finalist in the MTNA Junior Division. He received the Feldman and Flagello Scholarships to Manhattan School of Music Precollege. Through organizations like Back to Bach, Jaeho shares his passion for cello, also enjoying poetry and singing.

Beatrice is a high school senior from Westport, CT. She began her violin studies at age 3 and her piano studies at age 4, and after 7 years of classical piano, turned her focus exclusively to the violin. Beatrice currently studies in Juilliard’s Pre-College Division with Sheryl Staples, principal associate concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. She is an active performer who has performed at major concert halls including Lincoln Center, Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Beatrice has been a soloist with such orchestras as Norwalk Symphony and Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. She has won numerous state and international awards including the Grand Prix Winner of the Concerto Competition, the first prize winner for best Saint-Saëns performance at the Great Composers International Competition, and a 2-time MTNA strings competition state representative. Recent awards include the second prize winner in the Camerata Artists International Competition, and first place in the Hill Concerto Competition and the Norwalk Symphony Concerto Competition. Beatrice was concertmaster or assistant concertmaster of the Norwalk Youth Symphony’s Prelude, Philharmonic, and Concert Orchestras, and she was concertmaster of the Western Regional Orchestra. She has served as an assistant principal in the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra. In her free time, Beatrice enjoys giving back to her community through her non-profit organization, BeHASSTic, which provides free educational resources to help foster interest in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and technology, and through her regular performances at local senior centers. Beatrice also enjoys reading, playing chess, watching sports, and traveling in her free time.

Natalie is from Oradell, New Jersey. She attends the River Dell High School and the Juilliard Pre-College and studies with Catherine Cho. Previously, she studied with Francesca dePasquale and Jungwon Yoon.

A precocious violinist, Natalie has won prizes in several competitions such the Chicago Violin Competition, Camerata Artists International Concerto Competition, Prima Volta Music Competition, the International Virtuoso Competition and the American Protégé International Competition. In addition to her solo repertoire, Natalie enjoys playing orchestral and chamber music and is a member of the Juilliard Pre-College Symphony. She has participated in master classes with Philip Setzer and in the summers, music programs and festivals such as the Kinhaven Music School and the Heifetz International Music Institute, where she attended the past 3 years.

Aside from music, Natalie enjoys photography, drawing and traveling, especially road trips.