The Yale Symphony Orchestra Roster

Albert Gang is a first-year violinist in Grace Hopper College. He comes from SoCal and is very excited to see his first snow. Albert currently studies with Ani Kavafian in the Yale School of Music’s Bachelor of Arts/Master of Music program. He was a Finalist Winner in the National YoungArts Competition and a finalist in the Stulberg International String Competition. Albert loves performing covers with his friends and busking in the streets. Even though he plays classical violin, the artist of his life is CL of 2NE1.

Aditya Chander is a third year PhD student in Music Theory from London, United Kingdom. His research interests lie in the domain of music perception, particularly in the modelling of melodic and harmonic expectations. He holds a master’s degree from Stanford University in Music, Science and Technology, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cambridge in Music. He is an active orchestral violinist, having played in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra, Cambridge University Collegium Musicum (baroque violin) and Stanford Philharmonia. He has also won concerto competitions at Cambridge and Stanford, and in 2020 he was a laureate of the World Bach Competition (presented by the Boulder Bach Festival). As a chamber musician, he has participated in Cambridge’s Instrumental Award Scheme for Chamber Music and the St. Lawrence String Quartet Summer Seminar. Outside music, Aditya loves cooking, floral shirts and drag shows. He is excited to return to YSO for his third year!

James Poe (SY ‘25) is a Taiwanese-American violinist from the Bay Area, California. He currently holds a Certificate in Performance from Yale School of Music, where he studied with Hyo Kang. He has also spent past summers playing at the Perlman Music Program, where he developed a passion for chamber music. His past teachers include Li Lin, Nancy Tsung, Wei He and Fang Lei. James can also be found playing pop violin on his Youtube channel, @jupiterpoe.Aside from music, James loves photography, nature, and cooking. His favorite food is oatmeal, which you can find him eating every morning in the Saybrook Dining Hall. 

Oliver Leitner (PC ’23) is a violinist from Reno, NV and is majoring in Chemistry. He started the violin at 4 years old playing the Bob The Builder theme song and has been in love with the instrument ever since. He has been student in multiple music festivals including Aspen, Bowdoin, and most recently the Tanglewood Music Center. Outside of music, he loves to run and ski, and is also highly particular about the chocolate he eats, only considering “real” chocolate to be 85% or higher.

Nanki Chugh is a senior violinist in Grace Hopper College from Santa Monica, California. She is currently studying with Wendy Sharp and loves performing with The Jef Quartet, which includes YSO members Oliver Leitner and Brian Isaacs. She is interested in pursuing both music and the Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics major at Yale. She also enjoys dancing on the Yale Jashan Bhangra Team and is intrigued by all marine creatures, especially comb jellies!

Nicholas Cerny is a second-year student in Timothy Dwight College from Fort Worth, Texas. He has been playing violin since the age of six and is currently a student of Syoko Aki at the Yale School of Music. Currently, Nicholas is programming officer of the YSO, where he has worked with members of the programming committee and Maestro Boughton to choose diverse and innovative repertoire for the upcoming concert season. He is hoping to study Chemistry and Music. Outside of violin, Nicholas enjoys running, biking, learning jazz piano, and visiting art museums.

Dylan Fernandez de Lara is a junior in Berkeley studying Computer Science. This is his third year in the YSO and he is so grateful for all of the great friends and memories he has made. He hails from San Antonio, Texas, and his go to meal is a Patty Melt at Whataburger. He wears shorts for as long as possible to convince himself that summer continues throughout the year.

Ava is a second-semester sophomore majoring in Music and MB&B. She loves playing with YSO, the Collegium Musicum, and her chamber group on campus. She also loves teaching violin lessons and learning about violin pedagogy, especially with coffee and the North Cascades nearby. 

Georgiana Grinstaff is a first-year violinist in Davenport College from Fairfax, Virginia. She has lived with her military family in both Florida and Germany (where she began violin lessons). She has performed at music camps & festivals in Quebec, Italy, and New York. Outside of music, she is passionate about writing, reading, baking, art, and spending time outdoors, especially with her friends. Although her major is relatively undecided, she is exploring economics and/or political science.

Samhitha Josyula is a sophomore violinist in Davenport College from Westchester, NY. She has lots of academic interests, but loves music and the note C-sharp the most. When Samhitha isn’t practicing, you can find her taking on one too many art projects, learning Bollywood dances with her roommate, or running to make room for more Coco-Roos and Ben & Jerry’s. 

Rina is a second-semester sophomore in Benjamin Franklin studying Music and Psychology on the Neuroscience track.  She loves playing in YSO and her piano trio on campus.  She also enjoys hiking and going on walks with friends, stopping to admire every flower along the way.  

Atticus Margulis-Ohnuma is a first-year violinist in Branford College. From Westchester NY, he was accepted into the All-National Symphony Orchestra, and has played in the New York All-State Orchestra, the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra, and many other orchestras and chamber groups. Atticus also writes music sometimes. Other than music, he loves hiking, reading, watching Star Wars movies repeatedly, and natural bodies of water.

Jessica Na is a first-year violinist in Silliman College. She is from Bellevue, Washington, and served as concertmaster of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. At Yale, she plans to study psychology and neuroscience. In her free time, she likes to explore new restaurants, play tennis, and hang out with friends.

Sam Panner is a senior in Ezra Stiles college from Bethesda, MD. He has been playing the violin since he was 3 years old, and he’s currently a student of Professor Kyung Yu’s at Yale. Sam loves chamber music, and he also loves playing jazz drums in combos with friends. He also likes to watch documentaries about food. Sam’s favorite color used to be green-yellow, but now it’s just green.

Lila Schweinfurh ‘25, a member of Timothy Dwight College, began studying the violin at an early age in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. She enjoys orchestral, chamber, and choral music. In addition to her love for music, Lila is passionate about multidisciplinary science research. She likes traveling and discovering new places to eat. Her favorite foods include poke, shave ice, and mooncake.

A first-year violinist from Hanover, NH, Miriam Viazmenski studies with Professor Syoko Aki of the Yale School of Music. Miriam has performed with the New England Conservatory (NEC) Youth Philharmonic, as a soloist with the Burlington Chamber Orchestra, and as concertmaster of NEC’s Youth Symphony. In the summers, she has served as a fellow at the Colorado College Summer Music Festival and studied at the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Curtis Summerfest, and BU Tanglewood Institute. Miriam’s past teachers include Kristopher Tong of New England Conservatory/Borromeo String Quartet and Letitia Quante. She intends to study biomedical engineering, loves to hike and teach math, and is excited to be a part of the Benjamin Franklin College Class of 2025!

Audrey Wang is a sophomore violinist from Scottsdale, Arizona in Ezra Stiles college. In her free time she enjoys drawing, reading, baking, and outdoor activities like hiking, biking, swimming, and skiing.

Sophia Zhang is a first-year violinist in Pierson College. Having grown up in Connecticut for most of her childhood before moving to Arizona, she is a true Connecticut native at heart. She was the concertmaster of the Phoenix Youth Symphony, AZ all-region orchestra, and the Idyllwild Summer Chamber Festival Orchestra, and has performed a variety of solo repertoire as well. Sophia is a prospective MCDB major and looks forward to diving into late night study sessions accompanied by her signature Starbucks order: a blonde flat white with soy. In her free time, you’ll probably find her hiking, playing some tennis, or nostalgically binging 2000s shows.

Phoebe Liu (Trumbull College ‘22.5) is a violinist from the Atlanta area who is a Statistics & Data Science major and a member of Yale’s education studies and journalism scholars programs. She binge-reads books like they’re movies, cracks better eggs than Ryan (albeit not with one hand) and writes bubbly emails even though she does not have a bubbly personality. Her friends sometimes question whether or not she has a personality at all. Regardless, she hopes to see you at YSO concerts this year!

Erin Nishi is a first-year in Pauli Murray College from Honolulu, Hawaii. She plans to study Music and Psychology on the Neuroscience track and aspires to research the effects of music on cognition. She has been playing violin since the age of three and currently studies with Professor Kyung Yu at the Yale School of Music. Erin was concertmaster/principal 2nd of Hawaii Youth Symphony and Punahou Orchestra, and was privileged to perform concerti with the Hawaii Symphony, Maui Chamber Orchestra, and Kamuela Philharmonic. She is extremely excited to be a member of the YSO! In her free time, she also enjoys piano, hula, fishing, Japanese tea ceremony, sewing, and baking.

Amal Biskin is a first-year violinist in Timothy Dwight College. A native New Yorker, she has participated in various city-based music groups since she was five and has spent multiple summers at Kinhaven Music School. Originally a part of the class of ’24, Amal spent her gap year teaching beginner violin and exploring with her pupils such riveting questions as why one cannot play the violin in bed. Outside of music, she is interested in English, philosophy, law, and education, and hasn’t the faintest idea what she will ultimately major in. She spends her time reading, hiking, watching movies, cooking, and wishing that she played the French horn. 

Soyoung Cho is a sophomore violinist in Pauli Murray College majoring in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. She was born in Seoul, South Korea but grew up in Rochester, MI, where she began her musical studies at the age of six. She has performed with multiple orchestral groups, including the National Youth Orchestra 2 and Michigan MYAF All-State Orchestra, of which she was selected as concertmaster, and also appeared as soloist with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and Oakland Youth Symphony as the winner of the Young Artist Competitions. In her freetime, she loves to run, bake, and spend time with friends and her dog. She is excited to return to YSO for her second year!

Inés Chung-Halpern is a junior in Jonathan Edwards College, pursuing a major in Mathematics. Originally from London, UK, she began studying violin at the age of four. She played with the Royal College of Music Junior Department for 6 years, and studied under Professor Natalia Boyarsky since 2012. In her free time, you can find her listening to audiobooks or trawling Ebay for vintage cameras. Ines is excited to return to play with YSO for a third year!

Andrew DeWeese is a sophomore violinist in Pierson College double majoring in Classics and Economics. He was born and raised in Charlotte, NC and is still violinist of the Charlotte Piano Trio he co-founded there. Andrew is an alumnus of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, but their international tour was unfortunately cut due to COVID. When he’s not playing the violin, you can find Andrew collecting old books he will never read or drinking oolong tea.

Janet Hsu plays violin and is a senior in Berkeley College. She enjoys solving sudoku puzzles in her free time.

JooUn is a sophomore violinist in Benjamin Franklin College from Tenafly, New Jersey. He started playing violin in second grade, and he’s loved playing with other people since then. Academically, he is pursuing molecular biophysics and biochemistry. In addition to doing science and playing the violin, he also loves listening to movie soundtracks and playing board games with friends.

Noah Lee (SY ’25) is a violinist from Rochester, NY. He has studied with Wendy Sharp at Yale and Renée Jolles at the Eastman School of Music. Previously, Noah was co-concertmaster of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and attended summer festivals such as Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Castleman Quartet Program, and Greenwood Music Camp. He is hoping to study neuroscience on a pre-medical track. In his free time, Noah likes to listen to a lot of Scriabin and fret over the Baltimore Ravens’ playoff chances. 

My name is Christine Ramirez and I am a sophomore in Saybrook college from Long Island, NY! I am majoring in Neuroscience. I also enjoy playing piano and sing for fun. When I’m not playing violin or listening to music, I love to go on runs and exercise, watch YouTube/Netflix, and have a good laugh with family and friends. 

Julia is a junior violinist in Pauli Murray majoring in astrophysics and ecology & evolutionary biology. Originally from Massachusetts, she has played in many Boston-area orchestras and is so excited to be making music in person again! Outside of playing the violin and obsessing over dark matter and frogs, she also loves to bake, cook up terrible puns, and hoard plants. 

Stella Vujic is a senior in Saybrook and originally from Nashville, TN. She’s majoring in Computer Science and is also pre-med. She has been a violinist in the YSO since her first year. She is so excited to relax and enjoy her final season with YSO without the added work of producing the Halloween Show (which she did as a sophomore) or being YSO president (which she was as a junior), although she still loved doing those jobs :). Outside of violin, she enjoys running, hiking, spending time with friends, and laying in the grass—ask her about the best spots for doing these activities around Yale.

Austin Wang is a first-year violinist in Berkeley College, majoring in Physics and Computer Science & Economics. Originally from Southern California, Austin has been playing the violin for 8 years and has been in the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra & the California All State Orchestras for 4+ years. Other than music, Austin has academic & philosophical interests in astrophysics & resource allocation, where he constantly thinks about how asteroid mining could hypothetically crash the world’s economy. When Austin is not contemplating life or shredding his violin, he enjoys hacking new projects and startup ideas, playing basketball with friends, stargazing during late night walks around campus, or listening to Studio Ghibli & Hans Zimmer’s majestic soundtracks as he pretends to study. Austin is ecstatic to be able to play in a full orchestra again!

Hello! My name is Julia and I am the Social Chair of YSO this year! I am a Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology major in Berkeley College, and I hope to study medicine in the future. I am proudly from Orange County, California and I love California things like acai bowls and kale. But, I do love New Haven, especially campus during fall and winter. When I’m not planning YSO social events, I’m working on Splash at Yale in the BK buttery, dancing with my suitemates, eating popcorn, or thinking about that Japanese food cart on Science Hill. Most likely, I’m doing more than one of those things at once.

Sheeline Yu is a first year violinist in Stiles! She is from Nashville, TN, where she studied at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music. At Yale, she plans to study applied math or economics on the pre-med track. Sheeline loves playing chamber music and Mendelssohn, with whom she shares a birthday. Outside of music, she loves biking, cooking, and finding wildlife on hiking trips. 

Anna is a sophomore in Branford from St. Louis, MO planning to major in Computer Science and Economics. She began playing the violin at the age of 5 and soon began playing in orchestras such as the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, Missouri All-State Orchestra, and NAfME Symphony Orchestra. She also loves playing chamber music and competed at Fischoff in high school with her quartet. Aside from violin, she enjoys playing Ultimate, sleeping in, and eating yummy food.

Andy Park is a sophomore in Benjamin Franklin College. Andy innocently started with a violin, joining the dark side of viola later as he was attracted to its power. As an enthusiastic violist, Andy participated in numerous orchestras and chamber music in his community. He was a principal in NYO-USA and a prior member of New York String Orchestra Seminar. He was also a YoungArts finalist in 2020. Besides music, Andy loves to sleep or watch random instagram videos. He also finds comfort from star-gazing in the middle of a backpacking trip.

Jackie Liu is a first year in Berkeley College looking to major in history. She has been playing viola since she was 8 years old and has served as principal of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra as well as the TMEA All State Symphony Orchestra. Outside of rehearsal, she enjoys doing crossword puzzles, writing, cooking, and trying new foods. 

Mateo Balbarin is a 1st year at Berkeley College from New Haven CT. He currently plays viola in a string quartet, and studies violin with Wendy Sharp. Outside of music he enjoys exploring New Haven and getting food with his friends. Currently he is looking at an MCDB major. 

Xavier Blackwell-Lipkind is a sophomore violist in Davenport College from West Hartford, CT. He plans to major in comparative literature, and when he’s not practicing, he enjoys learning languages, writing short stories, composing music, and taste-testing olives. He also plays percussion and a bit of piano, and his proudest possession is a potted plant named Kathy.

Hi! My name is Daniel, and I’m a senior in Ezra Stiles College majoring in chemistry. When I’m not exploring renewable energy applications of chemical systems, I love skateboarding, doing exciting things with new people, and playing viola in the YSO! On campus, I am involved with First-year outdoor Orientation Trips (FOOT) and Christian Union Lux, an undergraduate religious organization. Something just for fun is that I believe ice cream is best when mixed together with warm milk so it becomes a smooth consistency (try it)!

Jisoo Choi (Davenport ‘22) is a Humanities major from Maryland. At Yale, she has performed with the Yale Symphony Orchestra, the Yale Undergraduate Chamber Orchestra, and the Opera Theatre of Yale College. Outside of the rehearsal room or the YSO library, you can find her watching University Challenge or raving about the Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist.

I’m Aaron Dean, a first year violist in Branford College. I am originally from the Washington DC area and have been playing for 10 years. Orchestral playing has been an important part of my life, and throughout high school I participated in the District of Columbia Youth Orchestra where I had the pleasure of touring to both Columbia and Italy. Outside of playing I enjoy running and baking. I am really excited to be a part of the YSO this year!

Annette Kim is a sophomore violist in Trumbull College. She is originally from Northern New Jersey and is looking to major in Global Affairs or Economics. She’s been playing the viola for 7 years and has been a part of the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra. In her free time, Annette enjoys baking with friends, playing golf, and exploring coffee shops.

Jacob Shin is a freshman violist in Benjamin Franklin College from Fort Lee, New Jersey. Having studied with Patinka Kopec at Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division, Jacob spent his past summers at Heifetz International Music Institute and Bowdoin International Music Festival. He appeared on NPR’s From the Top as a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist. Outside of music, Jacob enjoys sports, food, and cinematography.

Derek Song is a first-year in Pierson College from Hinsdale, Illinois, although he tells people that he’s from Chicago. He has played in numerous ensembles, including the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Elm Elementary School Philharmonia. Outside of viola, he can be found longboarding, nursing his longboard-related injuries, and taking pictures of his cat, Emmy.

A native of Worcester, MA, Joe Wang is currently a sophomore in Pauli Murray college planning on studying MB&B and Applied Math. He started violin lessons when he was 8 years old, but decided to switch to the viola when he was 13 years old after falling in love with the instrument’s darker sound.  He has participated in music festivals such as Greenwood Music Camp and Perlman Music Program, and was a member of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Apart from music, he enjoys spending time with his sphynx cat Frankie and playing video games. 

Kaci Xie is a sophomore in Pierson College. She is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, and is studying Computing and the Arts. When she’s not struggling to count in rehearsals, Kaci likes to obsess over typography and take care of her plant babies. 

Ryan Zhou - is a 20 year old filmmaker from San Diego, CA who attempts year to year trying to remember how to play the viola. Though film has stolen his heart, Ryan still enjoys YSO rehearsals with his dear friends in the orchestra and will sightread chamber music from time to time. Outside of film and music, Ryan enjoys pickup basketball and a very occasional video game or two. 

Spencer Adler is a junior chemistry major living in Timothy Dwight college and hailing from Durham, North Carolina. Outside of YSO, he plays in the Yale College chamber music class and has participated in summer music festivals including Bowdoin and Encore Chamber Music. He is most frequently seen sprinting to class, making dad jokes, or eating Ghirardelli 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Chips for Baking.

Francis Fedora is a cellist from Croton-on-Hudson, New York. He is majoring in Physics and Philosophy and has a special interest in the history and philosophy of science. He has a deep love of chamber music and has enjoyed playing in Professor Sharp’s chamber class since his first year.  He also plays baroque cello for the Opera Theatre of Yale College and is on the board of Yale Undergraduate Chamber Orchestra. Francis is also the business manager of Low Strung, an all-cello rock band on campus.

Giacomo Glotzer is a third-year cellist from Chicago, IL dedicated to pursuing music and neuroscience at Yale. Giacomo is the current president of Low Strung, a cello rock band on campus.

Leo Kubota started studying the cello with Professor Thomas Landschoot when he was 10 years old.  As a first-year in Branford College at Yale, he is excited to work with Professor Paul Watkins in the five-year Bachelor of Arts/Master of Music program starting this fall.  Besides music, Leo finds joy in learning about and observing nature— back at home, you’ll catch him feeding boiled spinach to the tiny shrimp in his aquariums.

Cellist Isabel Nayoon Koh is a freshman in Davenport College, originally from New Jersey. She began playing the cello at the age of eight. She can often be found listening to Mozart, Beethoven, or Bach music! She also enjoys food photography in her free time. 

Huey-Ting Li is a first-year in Jonathan Edwards College from Hamden, Connecticut. He began playing the cello when he was five years old. He is thinking about majoring in either applied math or biomedical engineering as well as possibly doing pre-med. In his free time, he likes to play volleyball, play his ukulele, and watch anime.

Gregory Llewellyn ‘23 comes from the New York metro area. In his free time, he likes to fool around at the keyboard and watch anime on Netflix. His favorite composer is Poulenc.

Kincaid is a junior in Pierson College studying math and philosophy, and also — if time permits — cognitive science and machine learning. Coming from Montana, he pines for the mountains, and visits East Rock whenever possible. He also loves to compose cello duets and string quartets. (Let him know if you’d like to play one!) Kincaid’s favorite books include “Gödel, Escher, Bach”, “Don Quixote”, and anything by Bill Bryson.

Sungho Moon is a sophomore (BR 2023+1) from Amherst, Massachusetts, studying economics. He currently studies with Professor Ole Akahoshi at Yale College, while he previously studied with Ronald Lowry in the greater Boston area. Prior to playing in the YSO, Sungho was a cellist in the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, led by Benjamin Zander. Currently, Sungho is in a string quartet with fellow YSO members Oliver Leitner, Nanki Chugh, and Andy Park. Sungho is also the vice president and treasurer of the Yale Undergraduate Poker Club. 

Alexander Oh is a freshman in Morse College from NY, NY. He has been a part of the New York Youth Symphony’s Orchestral program for the past two years and their chamber program for the past five years. At Yale, he plans to study either computer science or economics. However, when he is not studying or practicing, he likes to exercise, find good food to eat, or just hang out with friends. 

David Peng is a sophomore in Grace Hopper College from Westchester, NY. He has immensely enjoyed playing in orchestras and ensembles, including in the New York Youth Symphony. One of his favorite solo performances was playing impromptu in Colorado at 1:30 AM. He wonders if he will play at even later hours. At Yale, David will probably major in computer science or a related joint major. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball, eating good food, and exploring New Haven.

Thomas is a first year in Branford College thinking of majoring in Economics and/or Computer Science. He’s from New York City but has been living in Frankfurt, Germany for the past seven years. He started piano at age five and cello when he was ten. 

Antonis Christou is a junior in Grace Hopper College studying Computer Science and Music. His orchestral exploits have taken him from the YSO to the National Youth Orchestra 2, but he secretly considers himself a violinist. He enjoys holding pedal tones for hundreds of measures, having his name mispronounced, and waxing philosophically οn the illusion of free will. In his spare time, he can be found building programs with rather dubious practical uses and transcribing Greek folk tunes. 

Having grown up in Hamden, Connecticut, I have been in the audience for many YSO and other Yale performances, and I am excited to now be on stage as a member of YSO. I’ve been studying piano at Neighborhood Music School in New Haven with the incredible Mary Bloom since I was four and began studying Double bass when I was ten, with Jeff Fuller and later Roy Wiseman at Educational Center for the Arts, in New Haven. Music is my passion, and you can also find me singing in the Yale Glee Club, composing, and playing piano late into the night.

Nadira Novruzov is a first year flutist in Ezra Stiles College. She is from New York City and studied at the Juilliard Pre-College throughout high school. Nadira is the 2019 winner of the National Flute Association High School Soloist competition. She has appeared on NPR’s From the Top, and was a fellow for the New York Youth Symphony for their 2020-2021 season. Nadira was a 2021 fellow at the Round Top Festival Institute and has attended the New York String Orchestra Seminar, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and the Orford Musique Academy. Nadira doesn’t know how to do anything but play music, and therefore has little to no idea what she will major in, but her interests lie primarily in literature, law, and politics. Outside of music, she enjoys reading, watching movies, drinking tea, and complaining. She has no complaints about being in the YSO however, and is very much looking forward to the year!

Sophie Usherwood is a freshman flutist in Trumbull College planning to major in Economics and Statistics and Data Science. She is from Hanover, New Hampshire, and she has played with the orchestras at New England Conservatory Preparatory School for the past three years before coming to Yale. Sophie is also an advanced pianist and an origami artist. She is very excited to play with the YSO!

Supriya Weiss is a junior flautist in Saybrook majoring in mathematics. Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, she can be found wearing twice as many layers as everyone else to shield from the cold and marveling at the existence of seasons beyond summer. To win her heart, offer her chai, chocolates, or long walks on the beach.

Annie is a senior flutist in Davenport College from North Potomac, MD. She is majoring in Economics and Math, but continues to struggle with basic arithmetic. Annie enjoys making 86% of what she eats spicy (the other 14% is coffee), and only considers “real” chocolate to be 86% or higher.

Alec Chai is a senior oboist in Morse College majoring in Chemistry. He is from Colorado Springs, CO, and does in fact like to snowboard. As a winner of the 2019 William Waite Concerto Competition, he performed the Martinů Oboe Concerto with the YSO in the last concert preceding the pandemic. Alec has also been chosen as a Yamaha Young Artist but was disappointed to not get a free oboe. In addition to being an oboist, Alec is also a member of the Yale Undergraduate Piano Collective and dabbles in jazz saxophone. When he’s not making reeds, Alec is probably playing basketball or sad about his reeds.

Ruthie Gu is a first-year oboist in Benjamin Franklin College, hoping to major in physics. She has played with the New Jersey All-State Orchestra, All-State Symphonic Band. She used to play the piano (mediocrely). She also used to play the flute (badly). She also dislikes writing about herself.

Miranda Margulis-Ohnuma is a second semester sophomore in Branford studying Earth and Planetary Sciences on the paleontology track. Over the last two years, she has played oboe, English horn, and cello in the YSO. She also currently performs with the Yale Concert Band and Low Strung (Yale’s all-cello rock band) and studies cello with Ole Akahoshi. In her gap semester free time she loves to hike and look at fossils. 

Matthew is a sophomore in Trumbull College from Laurel, Maryland. He has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, Maryland Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Maryland All State Orchestra. Outside of music, Matthew is interested in studying neuroscience, and hopes to eventually help deepen our understanding of mental health disorders in order to pave the way for more effective treatments.

Gisela is a freshman in Jonathan Edwards college. She is in the Directed Studies Program, and plans on becoming a philosophy major. She grew up in London, UK, studying clarinet since she was 8 and further joining the Royal College of Music Junior Department at 11. She was also a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Eli Gilbert is a sophomore in Benjamin Franklin College from Santa Cruz, California, majoring in CS and Math. When not playing or writing music, Eli enjoys exploring cities, running, playing disc golf, and ice cream.

Daniel is a senior in Ezra Stiles College studying Statistics and Data Science. In his free time, he enjoys attending clambakes and relaxing.

Ben Swinchoski is a sophomore from Wall, New Jersey in Benjamin Franklin College. He works as a research assistant in the Turk-Browne Lab, and also plays clarinet in the Yale Concert Band. Outside of studying and playing music, you might find Ben playing Boggle (he’s always looking for new competition), ping-pong, or card games.

Carter is a sophomore in Pauli Murray College potentially pursuing a MCDB major. He is from Weston, MA and began playing bassoon in freshmen year of high school. As a student, music has always been the fundamental foundation in Carter’s life, with his weekends and summers always being fully engaged in various musical activities. He was the principal bassoonist for the 2019 NAfME All National Ensemble, as well as the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Rivers Youth Orchestra. He has also performed in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, and Brazil. In his free time, he enjoys practicing martial arts, playing guitar and drums, playing golf, or drawing. He is absolutely thrilled for the incoming journey with YSO!

Henry Berger, a sophomore (minus one semester) in Jonathan Edwards, is a French horn player from Rochester, NY. He is planning to major in mechanical engineering but also explore some political science. In his free time, Henry enjoys ultimate Frisbee, crossword puzzles, and relaxing with a good book.

Annie is a First Year Student in Morse College from Huntington Woods, MI.  Annie has played with Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra as well as the Detroit Youth Symphony Wind Ensemble.  When Annie is not playing the French horn, she enjoys listening to Taylor Swift and running.  

Raoul grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Saint Ann’s School for middle and high school. He started playing the French Horn at school in the fifth grade, and attended the Juilliard pre-college program for the horn in junior and senior years of high school. Raoul is undecided as to his major and very excited to try out the wide range of classes Yale has to offer!

Connor Totilas is a first year in Benjamin Franklin from Windermere FL. In his spare time, Connor enjoys long-distance running and has taken an interest in learning the inner workings of the stock market. At Yale, he plans to major in math and physics as well as explore the world of quantum mechanics.

My name is Aria Harris and I’m a freshman in Morse College. I grew up in Lexington, MA, a suburb outside of Boston. I started trumpet when I was 11, at which point my favorite song to play was Jingle Bells. More recently in my career, I played in the Boston Youth Symphony and Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble throughout high school. I’m most looking forward to playing the Halloween show this year!

Aiden Magley is a first-year student from Pittsburgh, PA residing in Jonathan Edwards College. He has played the trumpet for almost 12 years and has trained classically for 5. He went to a performing arts school from sixth through twelfth grade and was involved in various ensembles outside of school, including the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, the River City Youth Brass Band, and the Three Rivers Young Peoples’ Orchestra. He is a prospective History or Political Science major here at Yale, and is excited to explore the extracurricular musical opportunities it has to offer.

Andrew Wang is a first-year in Berkeley College. He grew up in Beijing, China, attending international schools there, but went to high school in Alpharetta, Georgia. He began playing the piano at 6 and trumpet at 8. Over the years, he has played in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Georgia All-State Band. 

My name is Eli, and I’m a senior English major in Stiles. I grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri and started playing trombone in my fifth grade band class. Since then, I’ve played in a lot of ensembles that aren’t nearly as fun as the YSO. Aside from being in orchestras, I like reading, hiking, writing, eating, running, and coffee.

My name is Leonardo and I am a sophomore in Benjamin Franklin College from São Paulo, Brazil! Originally a tuba player, I enjoy all things low brass and can talk for hours about music theory. Some of my favorite musicians include Jacob Collier, João Gilberto, and Count Basie, and my favorite symphonic work is Antonín Dvořák’s 8th Symphony in G Major. I discovered my love for classical music in high school through AMIS, and am eager to take a deep dive into orchestral repertoire this year with the YSO! I also have plans to start a brass band at Yale in the future—do reach out if you think you might want to get involved!

Fernando is a bass trombonist from San José, Costa Rica. He is a sophomore math major in Ezra Stiles, and can often be found working on problem sets in the Stiles common room in the middle of the night, practicing his Russian, and doing his best to understand Americans.

Hi! My name is Max Hammond, and I’m a pianist in Silliman. I’m in the class of 2023.5, and a double major in Math and WGSS, with a focus in queer musicology. I especially enjoy playing new and collaborative music, and hope to pursue music as a career after Yale.

Kameron Duncan is a sophomore in Morse College from Los Gatos, California majoring in Applied Physics and Music. He currently studies piano with Wei-Yi Yang at the Yale School of Music. Kameron is a Young Arts Finalist and has studied at the Oberlin Piano Festival and Curtis Summerfest. He is a member of the Yale Undergraduate Piano Collective and the enjoys playing chamber music! When not playing music, Kameron enjoys drawing and running. 

Alvin is a senior in Silliman College majoring in economics. When he isn’t sleeping or working on psets, he is spending his time playing pool in various residential colleges, jumping on random objects, and working out.

Nevin George is a junior in Silliman majoring in math and computer science. He is from Houston, TX, and outside of the YSO he has played in the Houston Youth Symphony and Texas All-State orchestras. In his free time, Nevin enjoys reading and playing chess and basketball.

Hi! My name is Angelica Lorenzo and I’m a second year in Grace Hopper College. I’ve been playing percussion since second grade with ensembles and programs such as The Percussion Scholarship Group, National Youth Orchestra 2, YoungArts, From The Top, and Interlochen Arts Camp. One of my most memorable musical experiences was playing timpani for Shostakovich Symphony 5 at Carnegie Hall. Outside of music, I enjoy biking, reading, eating food, and exploring new places with friends.

Hi! My name is Meher Sethi and I’m a first-year in Franklin from the Chicagoland area. Prior to YSO, I’ve had the opportunity of playing percussion in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra as well as the All-State and All-National Honors Ensembles. I’m a prospective Political Science or Ethics, Politics, and Economics major. Outside of YSO, I’m passionate about political organizing and breaking ankles in pickup basketball.

Jacob is a freshman in Branford hoping to major in mechanical engineering. He is from San Jose, California, and played in the California Youth Symphony. Outside of percussion, Jacob enjoys playing and watching soccer as well as cycling.