Hannah White
(Hye-Sun Lee)
Germantown, WI

Christopher Park,16, was born in Lafayette, IN, and is a sophomore at West Lafayette High School in Indiana.  Christopher has been studying piano for ten years since 1st grade with Nadya Dubikovsky and piano became the focus of his activities.  Christopher participated many competitions.  He has won the District and State levels of the Indiana Music Teachers' Association (IMTA) Piano Competition in 2003, 2007 and 2009.  In 2007, he earned an honorable mention in Piano Junior division in the Sejong Music Competition, and he won 1st place of the Ruth Jamieson Piano Scholarship Competition in the summer of 2008.  Christopher performed and collaborated in a Master Class with Davide Cabassi in 2007, a Cliburn International Piano Competition Finalist and with Jeremy Denk in 2008.  In July 2009, Christopher participated in the World Piano Competition held in Cincinnati, Ohio and won 2nd Place in the Level 10 concerto division.  He performed in the winner’s recital at Carnegie Hall in New York City on October 10, 2009.  Christopher was one of the three winners of the Allan Keller Concerto Competition in 2009 and made his Orchestral debut with Lafayette Symphony Orchestra at the Long Center of Performing Art in Lafayette, Indiana on November 21, 2009.  Christopher participated in the National Piano Playing Auditions eight years consecutively and has participated annually in the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Contest on piano and violin.

Christopher also has been studying violin with Regan Eckstein for nine years.  In school, Christopher plays violin in the Symphony Orchestra and in the West Lafayette String Quartet, which performs many times throughout the year in the community and on Purdue University’s campus.  Christopher is the concertmaster of the Indiana All-State Orchestra for 2011 and was the 2nd violin principal in 2010.  Christopher has been a member of the Wabash Valley Youth Symphony (WVYS) in Indiana for five years and the Wabash Valley Chamber Orchestra for three years.  He is the co-concertmaster of WVYS for the 2010-2011 season.  Christopher is a finalist of the WVYS concerto competition in 2010 and will perform on violin with the orchestra in the Long Center of Performing Art in Lafayette on February 20, 2011.  Christopher was a District winner of the IMTA Instrumental Competition in 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2010 and the State winner in 2007 and 2010.  Christopher played piano and violin in a number of recitals and community events and has played as a church pianist and violinist.  He will perform a solo piano recital on January 14, 2011.  Christopher was the President of the Tippecanoe Junior Musicale for 2008-2009 and in school he is the vice president of his class.  Other than music Christopher enjoys playing tennis and golf.  He is on the school’s Varsity tennis team and golf team.

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Vivian Jin, age 13, started piano lessons at the age of seven and has been studying with Brenda Huang for more than two years. She has won awards in numerous competitions, including the Society of American Musicians, the Chinese Fine Arts Society and Illinois State Music Teachers Association. In May 2010, she won the second place in the Emilio del Rosario Concerto Competition Junior division, which gave her the opportunity to perform with the Harper Symphony Orchestra. She is currently an eighth grader at Scullen Middle School in Naperville, where she plays the piano in the school Jazz Ensemble.

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Roger Shen, 12, is a sixth grader at Northbrook Junior High School in Northbrook, IL.  Roger loves classical music and started learning piano when he was almost seven.  He began participating in piano competitions when he was 10.  His current teacher is Sueanne Matz.  He has won many awards including the first place in the junior division of the 2010 Steinway Young Artist Competition, the Early Music category of the Junior Open Division at the 2010 Walgreens National Concerto Competition, the second place of the piano junior division of Society of American Musicians 2010 competition, and the gold medal at the 2008 and 2009 CAMTA Sonata-Sonatina Festivals.  Roger has made many public appearances, including performances at Carnegie Hall in June 2010 as part of the American Fine Arts Festival winners’ concert, performances at Chicago Cultural Center as part of the Walgreens National Concert Competion winners’ concert, and his solo piano concert for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Board Annual Dinner in December 2010.  Roger is a straight A student, who loves poetry, reading, swimming, playing Wii, and watching Discovery and History channels.

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Ryan Jannak-Huang, 13, is a scholarship recipient and member of the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy program where he studies piano with Brenda Huang for 7 years. He was named the MTNA state winner, and the first prize winner at the Awards competition in 2010.  He was also a winner of 2010 Virginia Geyser Behrendt Piano Solo Scholarship. He won the first prize at the Society of American Musicians Competition,  and  the Confucius Music Festival. Ryan was a selected winner in the Fifth Annual DePaul Concerto Festival for Young Performers and played with Oistrach Symphony Orchestra. In addition to reading books, he likes to play piano duet and tennis with his twin brother. Ryan is currently a seventh grader at Walter R. Sundling Junior High School in Palatine.

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Sean Choi, 10 years old, is a 5th grader at Highcrest Middle School in Wilmette, IL.  He currently studies with Elaine Felder. His wish is taking a piano lesson for 5 hours consecutively until he gets exhausted. Most recently he is obsessed with Mendelssohn’s piano music. Besides winning at Sejong music competition, he won the first prize for cello junior division I at the Chinese Fine Arts Society music competition in 2010. He is also eager to practice swimming. His goal of this season is to become one of the top 5 swimmers in Illinois.  

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Alexandra Woo is a 5th grader at Glen Grove Elementary School in Glenview, Illinois. She began her formal piano training three years ago under Ms. Sueanne Metz. Her artistry, skills and passion about playing piano were soon recognized by her teacher and piano judicators. She has won numerous first prizes in piano competitions, including first place in North Shore Music Teachers Association in 2010, prize winner in Illinois State Music Teachers Association in 2010, first place in Illinois Music Association competition in 2009, first place in International Youth Praise Festival in 2008, prize winner in Chopin Youth Piano competition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2008, and first place in Granquist Music Competition in 2009. She also has performed in many recital halls including prestigious ones such as the Carnegie Hall in New York City in June 2010, and the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in November 2008. She also plays the oboe in her school band, and enjoys hip pop dancing and making her favorite waffle. Being a student in the enrichment math and reading program, she is an avid reader and aspires to become a lawyer when she grows up.

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Colin Choi is a fourth grader at Shabonee Elementary School in Northbrook, IL. He started playing piano at age 5 and is a student of Sueanne Metz. He has received gold medals and prize awards in the North Shore Music Teacher’s Association, Chicago Area Music Teachers Sonata-Sonatina Festival, Illinois Music Association Competition, Grandquist Music Competition in Olympic Division and most recently won first place in Junior Division of Confucius Music Festival. In 2009, he was chosen to perform at the Kennedy Center for International Youth Praise Festival. In November of 2010, he performed at Carnegie Hall as the winner of the International Chopin Celebration Competition. He also plays cello and has won prize awards in the Grandquist Music Competition and Confucius. Outside music, Colin enjoys basketball, fishing, reading about animals, video games and his marine reef aquarium.

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Yerin Yang, 7 years old, has been studing piano for the past 2 years and 4 months. She is a second grader at the Christian Liberty Academy. She loves to read books and watch TV with her brother. She also has been studying violin for the past 3 years. Currently she studies piano with Dr. Soo Lee at the Music Institute of Chicago.

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Jennifer Cha is 14 years old attending 9th grade at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, IL. She started her violin at the age of 4. As a former member of the Betty Haag Academy and its Magical Strings of Youth, She toured Germany in 2003 and Italy in 2005 for performances, including performing for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. She has won prizes and awards from various competitions including the Sejong Cultural Society Concerto Competition, the Concerto Competition in Honor of Confucius, MYA Concerto Competition, and DePaul University’s Annual Concerto Festival. She performed as a soloist with the Oistrach Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mina Zikri in 2008. In 2009, Jennifer was invited to perform at the Korean-American Day celebration at the Richard Daley Hall in Chicago. In the summer of 2009, Jennifer performed in the Kraft Kids Concert with Yoan Ganev at the Ravinia Festival. She has been chosen to play in Music in the Loft’s 2012 Rising Stars concert. Jennifer was also recently chosen as a finalist for From the Top’s Big Break Contest.

She has also participated in master classes with Ida Kavafian and Ilya Kaler.

As a regularly volunteer for the Fine Arts Healing Program at Edward Hospital in Naperville along with her older sister and friends, she performs for cancer patients and their families. As a string trio, they also volunteer, performing at various Ronald McDonald’s Houses in the Chicagoland area.

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Thirteen-year-old violinist Adé Williams is the first place and best interpretation of Korean music winner of the 2010 Senior and 2009 Junior Divisions of the Sejong Cultural Society’s Music Competition. She is currently a semi-finalist of the Sphinx Music Competition. She won second place in the 2008 Society of American Musicians Competition, first place in the 2006 Sigma Alpha Iota String Scholarship Competition, Junior Division, and first place in the 2005 Early Music Category, Walgreen’s National Concerto Competition, Junior Open Division.

Adé enjoyed promotion to the quarter finals of the 2010 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition as first violinist of the Okemo String Quartet, that competition’s youngest ever participants. 2010 also brought several exciting solo opportunities, including performing at Millennium Park with her mentor, internationally renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine, at Skokie Public Library’s Young Steinway Concert Series, and at City Hall in Ludlow, Vermont.

Adé’s 2004 orchestral debut at the age of six was with the Chicago Sinfonietta as that orchestra’s youngest ever performer. She has soloed with the South Side Family Chamber Orchestra (2006), the Highland Park Strings at Ravinia (2007), the Lake Forest Symphony (2009), and the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy Strings (2009 and 2010) where she serves as Concert Mistress. Her 2006 radio debut was on WFMT’s Young Artist Showcase.

In 2004, Adé founded the chamber group SugarStrings (www.SugarStrings.com) with her cousins, Mira and Ayanna. The trio is pleased to have been featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (2010), NBC5 Local News (2010), ABC7’s “Someone You Should Know” (2009), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (2009), Ebony magazine (2007), and the Chicago Tribune (2006). SugarStrings has had the outstanding privilege of playing for Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra events, debuting at Ravinia, playing the intermission for Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg, and opening for Rachelle Ferrell/Kirk Whalum. In addition, SugarStrings has performed at numerous civic and charitable events, including a University of Chicago’s Volunteer Reception, Haiti Relief Effort (Omaha), City of Chicago’s September 11th and M.A.D.D. annual commemorations, HBCU reception, Living Room Café Soup Kitchen holiday dinner, Chicago Foundation for Women’s Annual Luncheon, WNBA Chicago Sky games, Target/Chicago Chamber Musicians’ Family Concerts, Chicago Half Marathon, and 100th Anniversary Convention of the Rotary Club International. SugarStrings’ radio debut is scheduled for January, 2011 as invited performers on WFMT’s “Introductions.”

Adé is the Music Institute of Chicago’s first William Warfield Scholar and a member of the Academy, where she studies privately with artist faculty Almita Vamos and Marko Dreher. Adé performs on a violin by Jan van Rooyen, 2008, after the "Comte de Villares" Stradivarius, 1720, on generous loan from the Rachel Elizabeth Barton Foundation. She is a charter member of the Junior Division of the Chicago Music Association.

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Gallia Kastner, 13 yrs, is a student of Almita and Roland Vamos at The Music Institute of Chicago.  She commenced her private violin study with Betty Haag-Kuhnke at the Betty Haag Academy of Music at five and a half. She has won numerous competitions locally and internationally both as soloist and chamber musician. She is the winner of the 2010 Walgreens National Concerto Competition in the Open Junior Division, first place at the 2004, 2007, 2008 Chinese Fine Arts Society, first place at the 2007 Sejong Cultural Society Competition Junior Division and 2nd place at the 2010 Senior Division, first place at The 2010 Society of American Musician, and was placed third at the 2009 International Kloster Schontal Violin Competition in Germany. 

Gallia has performed in WFMT 98.7 and Introductions,  appeared with Rachel Barton Pine at the July 2010 Grant Park Summer Event and Today’s Show,  Music In The Loft, Kloster Schontal and Schwabish Hall Kultursiftung in Germany,  was the featured soloist with the Nortshore Chamber Orchestra in 2008 and 2009 season performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in e minor and Wieniawski Violin concerto no 2, she also has appeared as both soloist and chamber musician at the Young Steinway Concert Series in Skokie Public Library,  and has performed for the Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, and many other venues during Summer Camps in Vermont, Pittsburg, and Heifetz Symposium in New London, Connecticut.  Gallia also performs annually at the Chinese New Year Concert at the Yummy Bowl Restaurant in Highland Park.

She has the privilege to take master classes with Rachel Barton Pine, Vadim Gluzman,  Arkady Fomin, Sherry Kloss, Ida Kavafian, Ivry Gitlis, and Joseph Silverstein.

She is an 8th grader at St James Catholic School in Arlington Heights.  Gallia also serves her gift of music as singer and instrumentalist in the youth music ministry at St James Church and other churches.

Gallia performs on a copy of the “ex-Soldat” Guarneri del Gesu violin by Peter Seman, 2008, on generous loan from The Rachel Elizabeth Barton Foundation and was recently selected to receive a Career Grant from the REB Foundation.

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Zachary Brandon is a sixth grade homeschooler.  He is a scholarship recipient of the Music Institute of Chicago's Academy program for gifted pre-college musicians where he studies privately with artist faculty member Hye-Sun Lee.  He started his first private lessons with Mr. Jim Butler at the age of 4 1/2.  

In 2009, he won Young Soloist Competitions in Kalamazoo Symphony, Kalamazoo Junior Symphony and Young Artist Competition in Fort Wayne, IN.  He won first place in both Primary and Junior Divisions for 2010 Competition for Society of American Musicians(SAM). He has soloed with Battle Creek Orchestra, Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.  He has performed for many master classes including Dr. John Kendall, a pioneer in Suzuki method in America, Mr. Marlone, concert master for San Francisco Ballet,  Mrs. Bella Keys, and Mrs. Miriam Fried , and Mr. Nick Eanet of Juilliard String Quartet. 

Zachary loves reading, swimming and soccer.  He had participated Leroy Sparks Lake Swim (1.3 mi.) every year since he was 8 and won numerous medals.

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Hansuh Rhee, age 13, attends Springman Middle School in Glenview, IL. She is a merit scholarship recipient and member of the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy program for gifted pre-college musicians. She currently studies with MIC artist faculty member Marko Dreher. Hansuh started her violin studies with Genie Wie when she was 7 years old. Hansuh took part in the Okemo Young Artist Festival in Ludlow, Vermont for the past 4 years, where she studied with Marko Dreher and Dave Bowlin, and had a performance master class with Nicholas DiEugenio. Hansuh has been featured on Vermont Television. Hansuh has won concerto competitions for the Junior Academy Strings program (2008, 2009, 2010), and has soloed with them. She has won first place in the Society of American Musicians Competition (2008, Primary Division), won various awards in the annual Music Festival in Honor of Confucius (2008, 2010), placed first in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA, 2009) state division, and became the alternate for the regional division of MTNA. As a member of the Okemo String Quartet, her group was the youngest ever (12 years old) to compete in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association Quarter-Finals (2010), and played on the Grand Staircase of the Four Seasons Hotel welcoming guests at the Music Institute of Chicago’s 80th Gala honoring Yo-Yo Ma (2010). For her free time, Hansuh likes to draw and enter drawing competitions (she has placed 1st in the National Bus Safety Poster Contest (2009) and was awarded by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White). She also likes to voluntarily perform at Mid America Care Center in Chicago.

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Mira Williams, 13, studies violin and viola with Marko Dreher. Under the baton of James Setapen, Mira serves as principal violist with the Junior Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago (2008-2011), where she is a William Warfield scholar. She has participated in master classes with Heidi Castleman, Almita and Roland Vamos, David Bowlin and Brian Culbertson. Before joining the Academy, Mira served as principal violist for the Chicago Youth Concert Orchestra (2007-08) and concertmaster for the Chicago Youth Debut Orchestra (2005-06), both under the direction of Terrance Oliveras-Gray.  In 2010, Mira was a first place winner of the Junior Academy’s Concerto Competition (viola). She won 2nd place in the Sejong Cultural Society’s Music Competition (violin) and Honorable Mention in the Early Music Category of the Midwest Young Artists (MYA) Walgreen’s National Concerto Competition (viola).  In 2007, Mira received Honorable Mention in the 23rd Annual Music Festival in Honor of Confucius (violin).

Mira is violist for the Okemo String Quartet. The quartet, coached by Mr. Dreher, advanced to the quarter finals of the 2010 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. As a result, the group’s members, all 12, became its youngest competitors in 75 years. In the summer of 2010, the quartet performed at City Hall in Ludlow, Vermont and on Vermont public television. In 2005 Mira joined other musicians in “Christmas Glory,” where she performed onstage with music icons Al Jarreau and Brian McKnight. From 2008-09 she performed solo at Musician’s Network MECCA events and appeared twice in 2010 with Emmy Award winning vocalist Joan Collaso.

In 2004, Mira founded the chamber group SugarStrings (www.SugarStrings.com) with her cousins, Adé and Ayanna. From 2009 to 2010, the trio was featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, NBC5 Local News and ABC7’s “Someone You Should Know.” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (2009), Ebony magazine (2007), and the Chicago Tribune (2006) also have highlighted the trio’s accomplishments. SugarStrings has been featured at Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra events, performed concerts at Ravinia Music Festival, played the intermission for Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg at Dominican University and opened for jazz notaries Rachelle Ferrell and Kirk Whalum. The group has performed at numerous civic and charitable events, including: University of Chicago’s Volunteer Reception; Haiti Relief Effort, Omaha, Nebraska; the City of Chicago’s September 11th and M.A.D.D. annual commemorations; Historical Black Colleges and University’s (HBCU) reception; Living Room Café Soup Kitchen holiday dinner; Chicago Foundation for Women’s Annual Luncheon; WNBA Chicago Sky games; Target/Chicago Chamber Musicians’ Family Concerts; Chicago Half Marathon and the 100th Anniversary Convention of the Rotary Club International. SugarStrings’ is scheduled to make its radio debut January 8, 2011, as invited performers on WFMT’s “Introductions.” Mira is a charter member of the Junior Division of the Chicago Music Association.

Mira enjoys, spending time with her family and friends, swimming, trying new things, and reading.

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Eleven year old Karisa Chiu is a sixth grader at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights.  She started the violin at the age of two and studies with her father Cornelius Chiu who is a violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  Karisa was the first prize winner in the 2007 youth division and the 2010 junior one division in the Chinese Fine Arts Society Competition. She was awarded second place in the 2008 and 2010 primary division and the 2010 junior division in the Society of American Musicians Competition.  In 2010 she also received high honorable mention in the DePaul University Concerto Competition.  She has performed with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in outreach programs and in Parties of Note Concerts.  Karisa is an avid soccer player with the Rolling Meadows traveling soccer team and enjoys playing the piano, reading, and playing with her dog.  

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Hannah White, age 10, is a merit scholarship recipient and member of the Music Institute of Chicago's Academy program for gifted pre-college musicians where she currently studies with MIC artist faculty member Hye-Sun Lee.  Hannah has been playing the violin for four years.  She has played with the Waukesha Area Youth Orchestra Sinfonettia for three years where she was concert master two years.  She also played with WAYO Chamber for two years.  Hannah was the youngest member for both orchestras all three years.  A member of Milwaukee Youth Symphony String Orchestra for a year as concert master, she made the rare jump to MYSO Philharmonia Orchestra.  Hannah was selected to participate in the Chamber Ensemble Program both years at MYSO.  Miss White played her first solo at the age of seven and has been featured in many solos since.  In 2009, she placed second in the Lake Country Baroque Competition and won the Milwaukee Symphony Bach Double Competition for which she received the honor of performing with the MSO.  In 2010, Hannah was awarded a gold plaque from Kettle Morraine Music Teachers Association for achieving the highest possible rating three consecutive years.  Also in 2010, Hannah was the sole violin winner of four String Orchestras of the MYSO Concerto Competition.  Her most recent accomplishment is the MIC Jr. Academy Concerto Competition.  Hannah has performed at corporations and businesses to benefit UPAF, volunteered her time at various senior residences, and performed at weddings and other social engagements.  Hannah enjoys being home schooled along with her two brothers.  In addition to practicing her violin, Hannah White enjoys reading her Bible, painting, baking, biking, fishing, golfing and catching frogs at the creek.

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Rachel Shekinah Hsu, age 9, is a fourth grade student at Romona Elementary School in Wilmette, IL. She has learned violin for six years and piano for five years. Currently she studies violin with Desiree Ruhstrat and piano with Sueanne Metz. Rachel has won many violin competitions, including first-place awards in 2008 Confucius Music Festival and in 2009 SAM violin competitions.  She received Honorable Mention in Walgreens National 2010 Concerto Competition String Category and was the winner of 2009 DePaul Concerto Festival for Young Performers having chance to play violin solo with the DePaul Symphony Orchestra.  Rachel also won many piano competitions, including 1st place at ISMTA , SAM, Confucius Music Festival , Illinois Music Association, the MACMO Piano Contest, CAMTA Roberta Savler Piano Contest, Granquist Music Competition in Olympic Division, as well as gold medals at the NSMTA and CAMTA Sonata-Sonatina Festivals. She received Honorable Mention at the DePaul Concerto Festival for Young Performers. She was the winner in Steinway Young Artist Competition 2008, 2009, 2010 and her performance has been broadcast live on WFMT radio station as a winner in 2008. Her other interests include: singing, writing, drawing, reading and math.

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Julian Rhee just turned 10 years old and lives in Brookfield, Wisconsin. He is a student at Brookfield Academy in the Lower School, where he specially enjoys History and gym. When he has free time, he likes to play outside and play video games inside. When he grows up he wants to be a doctor, violinist, and a professional basketball player (all at the same time).

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