Current and Past YPCA Participants

Nate Zeisler envisions a world where artists have a clear path to a sustainable career, where creative minds are empowered and inspired to rule the workforce, and where access to the arts is not just for the privileged few, but for all.

As Dean for Community Initiatives at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, Nate runs the Center for Innovation and Community Impact, which engages students, faculty, and staff from all units of the institution as well as alumni and members of the performing arts community in career development and community impact programming.
At the institution, Nate is building a pipeline of sequential arts learning for hundreds of children in greater Los Angeles so that children of all backgrounds may experience a performing arts education. In addition, Nate supports the careers of world-class artists and passionate entrepreneurs, offering career advice and action-based learning opportunities that prime them for the 21st century workforce.

When he’s not passionately developing programs and careers at the Colburn School, you can find him checking out the SoCal tidal pools with his wife and two children, contributing to this blog, and (painfully) attempting to surf.

To learn more about Nate,  view his website. 

In a previous life, Nate was:
• Founder and Executive Director of the Envision Chamber Consort from 2004-2007, a chamber music ensemble that was dedicated to presenting intimate concerts as a form of contemporary communication.
• Co-founder and Executive director of Arts Enterprise from 2006-2011, a chapter-based organization that helps students find sustainable careers in their chosen field.
• Assistant Professor of Bassoon and Entrepreneurship Bowling Green State University in Ohio from 2006-2011 and Principal bassoonist of the Ann Arbor Symphony.

Nate earned his Doctor of Musical Arts and master’s degree from the University of Michigan and bachelor’s degree in choral and instrumental education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Valentin Kovalev
Valentin Kovalev’s musical journey brought him from studying saxophone in Siberia to Moscow, obtaining an undergraduate degree from the Paris Conservatory, and to a Master's degree at the University of Michigan. Valentin is a recipient of awards from the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia, Fondation pour la Vocation in Paris, and Rostropovich Foundation in Moscow. As the recent winner of the esteemed Naumburg Foundation 2022 Saxophone Competition, Valentin gave a sold-out Debut Recital at Carnegie Hall premiering a newly commissioned piece by Steve Mackey. Valentin is an endorsing artist of saxophone manufacturer Henri Selmer, Paris, and is represented
by CAG.

Lun Li
A native of Shanghai, violinist Lun Li won the 2021 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. Li made his New York recital debut at Merkin Hall and his DC recital debut at the Kennedy Center. He will also join the CMS of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program. During the 2023–24 season, Li appeared as a soloist with the Brevard, Aiken, Colorado Springs and University of South Carolina Orchestras. He has performed in the Bard , Newport, Marlboro, Verbier, Music@Menlo festivals. He holds degrees from Curtis and Juilliard, and plays on the Stradivarius “Samazeuilh” 1735 violin, on generous loan from the Nippon Music Foundation.

Nathan Meltzer
Winner of the 2023 Concert Artist Guild Competition and major prize winner at the at the 2022 Sibelius and Singapore International Violin Competitions, violinist Nathan Meltzer is establishing a holistic and multi-faceted career as both a soloist and chamber musician. As a soloist, he has performed with the the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Finnish RSO, the Helsinki Philharmonic, and the Charlotte, Indianapolis, Montreal, and Pittsburgh Symphonies, among others. As a chamber musician, Nathan has performed at festivals including ChamberFest Cleveland, Krzyzowa Music, Moritzburg Festival, and Music@Menlo. He is a graduate of Juilliard, where he studied with Itzhak Perlman and Li Lin.

Anthony Trionfo
Flutist Anthony Trionfo is known for his captivating playing that seamlessly blends song and dance. His virtuosity has been praised by The New York Times, and his performances consistently bring in fresh faces to the concert hall. Beyond the stage, Anthony is a founding member of the Umoja Flute Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides the tools needed for flutists of African descent to thrive. He loves presenting interactive programs and workshops in diverse schools and communities. Whether on stage or in the classroom, Anthony's joy for music is infectious, making him a truly inspiring artist.

Dior Quartet
Joined together from Israel, Korea-Canada, Saint Lucia, and the USA, the Dior Quartet is the Quartet-in-Residence at the Glenn Gould School, Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada. 

Winners of the 2023 Concert Artists Guild Competition, the quartet formed in Fall 2018 at Indiana University under the Pacifica Quartet. They are prize winners of the Fischoff and Chesapeake Competitions, semi-finalists of the Banff and Melbourne International Competitions. 

The projects they pursue intersect with their multicultural backgrounds as they seek to explore the immigrant experience through art. The quartet takes their name from the French word “D’or” which means gold.

Amir Farsi
Iranian and Pakistani-American flutist Amir Hoshang Farsi’s playing has been described as “virtuosic and birdlike” (I Care if You Listen) and having a “beautiful sound and personal sense of expression” (New York Classical Review). 

Amir has made appearances at notable halls and music festivals across the United States and Canada, including Carnegie Hall, the Banff Centre, Music@Menlo and many more.

An alum of Carnegie Hall's Ensemble Connect fellowship, Amir received went to the Peabody Institute and Yale School of Music studying under Marina Piccinini and Ransom Wilson. Amir will also be an inaugural fellow for Claire Chase's Density 2036 project.

Njioma Grevious
Described as “superb” by the Chicago Classical Review, violinist Njioma Chinyere Grevious is a passionate and versatile solo, chamber, and orchestral musician and performer. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School and a winner of its John Erskine Prize for scholastic and artistic achievement.

Among many awards, in 2023, Njioma won the Grand Prize in the Concert Artists Guild (CAG) Elmaleh Competition in partnership with the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) auditions as well as the Robert F. Smith First Prize and the Audience Choice awards in the Senior Division of the Sphinx Competition.

As a soloist, Njioma has appeared with the Chicago Philharmonic, the Western Michigan Symphony, and the Newark Symphony Orchestra. As a founding member of the Abeo Quartet, she won First Prize and the Audience Favorite Prize at the Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition and was invited to participate in the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition. Njioma is a frequent chamber music series player and has performed in major festivals across North America. As a Juilliard Gluck Fellow, Njioma performed regularly for medically vulnerable people, retirees, and children. Njioma loves teaching composition and collaboration to New York City elementary and middle school students from underrepresented communities through the Opportunity Music Project.

Maxim Lando
American pianist Maxim Lando first made international headlines performing together with Lang Lang, Chick Corea, and The Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie Hall’s 2017 Opening Night Gala. He has been described as a “dazzling fire-eater” (ARTS San Francisco), “a total musical being” (The New Criterion), and was lauded by Anthony Tommasini in the New York Times as displaying “brilliance and infectious exuberance”. 

In addition to being named Musical America's New Artist of the Month, Maxim won the 2022 Vendome Prize and New York Franz Liszt International Piano Competitions, the 2018 Young Concert Artists auditions, and the 2020 Gilmore Young Artist Award.

Joseph Parrish
Joseph Parrish, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, is an Artist Diploma candidate at the Juilliard School. He has appeared as a soloist with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, American Classical Orchestra, and Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Parrish is a member of the inaugural cohort of Shared Voices with the Denyce Graves Foundation. 

Recent credits include winning first prize in the Gerda Lissner Art Song Vocal Competition and Young Concert Artists International Competition. In 2023 Parrish was a Schwab Vocal Rising Star at Caramoor, a young artist at the Georg Solti Accademia, and a Bayreuth Stipendiate recipient.

Clayton Stephenson
Pianist Clayton Stephenson’s love for music is immediately apparent in his joyous charisma onstage, expressive power, and natural ease at the instrument. Hailed for “extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts” and interpretations that are “fresh, incisive and characterfully alive” (Gramophone), he is committed to making an impact on the world through his music. 

The New York native credits the city’s community programs, including Julliard’s program for underprivileged children, with providing him pivotal musical inspiration and resources. A recent Harvard/NEC graduate, Clayton’s bountiful accomplishments to date—the 2022 Cliburn finals among them—have led to a blossoming career, with concert dates across the country.

Alexander Hersh
Having given his Carnegie Hall debut recital in November 2022, cellist Alexander Hersh has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting and creative talents of his generation.

He frequently appears as soloist with major orchestras including the Houston Symphony and Boston POPS and has received top prizes at competitions worldwide including the: 2022 Pro Musicis International Award, Astral Artists National Auditions, Salon de Virtuosi Career grant, New York International Artists Association Competition, National Federation of Music Clubs, Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra, Ima Hogg, Schadt, Luminarts, Hellam, and the Fischoff National Chamber Music competitions.

A passionate chamber musician, Hersh has performed on tour with Musicians from Marlboro and appeared at music festivals worldwide including: Marlboro, Caramoor, Ravinia, Music@Menlo, I-M-S Prussia Cove, Perlman Music Program, Amsterdam Cello Biennial, Kneisel Hall, Lucerne, and New York String Orchestra Seminar. He serves as co-Artistic Director of NEXUS Chamber Music, an artist driven collective of musicians whose mission is to make classical music culturally relevant through live concerts and multimedia content.

Raised in Chicago, Alexander Hersh began playing the cello at the age of 5. He received his B.M. and M.M. from New England Conservatory where he graduated with academic honors. Later he was a recipient of the Frank Huntington Beebe fund for studies in Berlin where he studied at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule for Musik Berlin. His previous teachers have included Laurence Lesser, Hans Jørgen Jensen, Kim Kashkashian, Nicolas Altstaedt, and Paul Katz. He plays a G.B. Rogeri cello, courtesy of Guarneri Hall NFP and Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins.

KOE Duo
KOE (Eva Ding, flute and Emma Kato, cello) is a duo dedicated to creating interdisciplinary projects and performing the works of living Asian, Asian-hyphenate, and BIPOC composers. To that end they have presented multimedia chamber music shows as homages to immigrant families as artists-in-residence at the Center at West Park and at Arts On Site funded by the LMCC Creative Engagement Grant. They’re deeply connected to their respective heritages and cultures - Emma being a 2nd generation Japanese-American, and Eva being Chinese-born and New Zealand-raised - and make an effort to include pieces and composers that reflect that into their programming.

Originally a trio formed during the ensemble's graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music, when KOE's pianist went on to pursue a different musical career path, they thought it would be the perfect opportunity to continue their chamber collaboration and explore their journey as a duo. Subsequently, they went on to become grant recipients of Chamber Music America’s Ensemble Forward Grant generously supported by the New York Community Trust and have performed at WQXR's The Greene Space, Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, Rose Studio at Lincoln Center, and Riverside Church.

Individually, Emma Kato is a New York born and raised cellist teaching through Suzuki Methods, educating young artists about the power of music. She strongly believes that music is a universal language that anyone can speak and express themselves through, regardless of one’s background. For Eva Ding, her background in theater plays a big role in the development of her work. She has seen how spoken word, set design, and costumes, can elevate a performance experience and wants to bring that level of collaboration between the arts to classical music. They both hold Master of Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music having studied under the tutelage of Julia Lichten and Robert Langevin respectively.

Together with their interest in and passion for community engagement, education, and interdisciplinary exploration they’re dedicated to illuminating classical music in a way that is exciting and interesting for a new audience – one that looks and feels more like the world around us.

Kebra-Seyoun Charles
With outstanding virtuosity and the rare ability to communicate their ideas effortlessly to audiences, Kebra is poised to be a leader of their generation. After winning first prize in the 2022 Sphinx Competition, Kebra-Seyoun Charles has quickly made a name for themself by soloing in front of orchestras such as the New World Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony and Palaver Strings. Originally from Miami, Florida, Kebra received their Bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. Then, in 2022, graduated from the Juilliard School with a Master’s degree, at the beginning of which they were awarded tenure as principal bass. Kebra simultaneously received the prestigious Jerome L. Greene fellowship. In recognition of their talent and commitment to furthering their vision as a soloist, Kebra received Juilliard’s Benzaquen Career Grant.

Growing up the child of an African drummer and dancer, Kebra-Seyoun was exposed to music at a very early age. Having been steeped in jazz, gospel, and traditional African music, Kebra developed an interest in a multiplicity of genres. They honed their craft at the New World School of the Arts, in Miami, Fl, even performing at Jazz at Lincoln Center. In their early years Kebra-Seyoun was invited to perform at the Kagoshima Jazz Festival as well as the Aspen Music Festival and School.

In line with their upbringing, Kebra-Seyoun is able to give prominence to the dance qualities in all forms of music. Exhibiting their versatility, Kebra-Seyoun has performed alongside esteemed improvisers and composers such as Jon Batiste, at Carnegie Hall, and Tyshawn Sorey, at the New England Conservatory. Kebra-Seyoun was also featured in “Slugs’ Saloon” at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, an interactive installation created by famed jazz musician and composer Jason Moran.

Currently, in addition to their solo career, Kebra-Seyoun Charles is a passionate chamber musician. Playing with groups like East Coast Chamber Orchestra, A Far Cry, Palaver Strings and the Sphinx Virtuosi afford Kebra the opportunity to showcase their musicianship while still playing within an ensemble. A prime example of this is their tenure on the 2019 Emmy award winning Broadway production “Hadestown”.

As if this weren’t enough, they also have 32 piercings.

Eleni Katz
Hailed for her virtuosity and vibrant musical spirit, bassoonist Eleni Katz has established herself as a prominent soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. Eleni is a winner of the 2022 Concert Artist Guild Competition and has performed with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Sarasota Orchestra, and as a member with the New World Symphony. Other recent appearances include a 2022 fellowship with the Phoenix Chamber Music Society, where she performed alongside David Shifrin, Valerie Coleman, and Gabriel Kovach.

A classically trained singer from Iowa City, Katz has always believed that the bassoon should emulate the organic nature of the human voice. In 2021, she commissioned and premiered “Sea Glass Partita for Singing Bassoonist” with composer Lila Meretzky. Drawing its lyrics from a poem that Eleni composed, the piece interspersed bassoon performance with singing and visual projections.

Eleni’s festival appearances include the Music Academy of the West, Spoleto Festival USA, National Repertory Orchestra, Orchestra of the Americas, and the Norfolk and Madeline Island chamber music festivals. She was a semifinalist in the Meg Quigley Vivaldi competition in 2019, an international concerto competition for young women bassoon players.

Deeply passionate about musical collaboration, Eleni made her first appearance with the Willy Street Chamber Players in the 2022 season. She has also been featured as a guest artist at the Lake George Chamber Music Festival for the past four summers.

Eleni received her B.M. at University of Wisconsin’s Mead Witter School of Music under Marc Vallon. She earned her master’s degree at the Yale School of Music, studying with Frank Morelli. She was the winner of the Yale Philharmonia’s 2019 Concerto Competition, a finalist for the Eastern Connecticut Symphony’s Instrumental Competition, and recipient of the Thomas Daniel Nyfenger Prize for demonstrating “the highest standard of excellence in woodwind playing.” She currently resides in Miami, Florida.

Balourdet Quartet
The Balourdet Quartet, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is currently in residence at the New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Program. The quartet received the Grand Prize at the 2021 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, as well as prizes in international competitions including the Banff, Paolo Borciani, and Carl Nielsen competitions. They were also awarded the Gold Medal at the 2020 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the 2021 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition.

Highlights of the Balourdet’s 2022-23 season include appearances at Chamber Music Detroit, the Grand Piano Series in Naples, FL, NEC’s Jordan Hall, Merkin Hall, and Wigmore Hall. Summer 2022 also saw the Balourdet performing at festivals including Bravo! Vail, Music Mountain, and Strings Music Festival. Additionally this season, the quartet is thrilled to premiere a new commissioned work by celebrated composer Karim Al-Zand, made possible through Chamber Music America’s Classical Commissioning Grant.

The Balourdet has performed at festivals and series including Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society Summerfest, the Dame Myra Hess Concerts, Montgomery Chamber Music, Santa Fe ProMusica, and the Schneider Concert Series. Committed to sharing their musical values with the next generation, the quartet has given masterclasses and coachings at New England Conservatory Preparatory Department, Fischoff Chamber Music Academy, Upper Valley Chamber Music, and Wright State University, as well as a residency teaching and performing at the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival.

The Balourdet Quartet was formed in 2018 at Rice University in Houston, Texas under the tutelage of James Dunham, Norman Fischer, and Cho-Liang Lin. It currently works primarily with Paul Katz at the New England Conservatory, as well as Miriam Fried and members of the Cleveland and Borromeo Quartets. The quartet takes its name from Antoine Balourdet, chef extraordinaire at the Hotel St. Bernard and beloved member of the Taos School of Music community.

Francisco Fullana
Spanish-born violinist Francisco Fullana, winner of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, has been hailed as an "amazing talent" (Gustavo Dudamel) and "frighteningly awesome" (Buffalo News). His solo violin album Bach’s Long Shadow, was named BBC Music Magazine’s Instrumental Choice of the Month. Its five star review stated: ‘Fullana manages to combine Itzhak Perlman's warmth with the aristocratic poise of Henryk Szeryng'.

A native of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands of Spain, Francisco is making a name for himself as both a performer and a leader of innovative educational institutions. As a soloist, he has performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Bayerische Philharmonie led by the late Sir Colin Davis, the Sibelius Concerto with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, and the Brahms Violin Concerto with Venezuela’s Teresa Carreño Orchestra under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.

Fullana is one of the first international solo violinists to fully embrace and absorb the baroque language of historical performance. His passion for the gut strings has blossomed into fruitful collaborations with Baroque groups all over the world. Last season, Fullana was the Artist-in-Residence with the Grammy-winning ensemble Apollo’s Fire, performing 18 concerto performances on tour, including stops at Carnegie Hall and Severance Hall among many others. They recently released Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on Avie Records to great success: The album debut at #2 of the Billboard Charts and was named Top Ten Album Of the Year by the Sunday Times. BBC Music Magazine’s review stated: ‘Francisco Fullana reveals Vivaldi’s poetry with effortless refinement.’ The partnership continues this spring, performing Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons on tour around the UK, including stops at Aldenburgh Festival & St. Martin in the Fields.

Born into a family of educators, Francisco is a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Madrid, where he matriculated under the tutelage of Manuel Guillén. He received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School following studies with Donald Weilerstein and Masao Kawasaki, and holds an Artist Diploma from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he worked with the renowned violinist Midori.

Francisco Fullana performs on the 1735 "Mary Portman" ex-Kreisler Guarneri del Gesù violin, kindly on loan from Clement and Karen Arrison through the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Dominic Cheli“You can tell that his interests extend not just to playing the piano, but to being an artist citizen.” (Ohio News). Dominic Cheli embraces the role of an artist-citizen in his multifaceted career as performer, educator, composer, and director. He is described as an “inspired keyboardist” (artsfuse) whose playing is “spontaneous yet perfect, the best of how a young person can play.” (Symphony Magazine). His rapidly advancing career included his Walt Disney Concert Hall Debut with the Colburn Orchestra where Dominic was “mesmerizing, (he) transfixed the audience.” (LA Times).

In 2017, Dominic was named 1st prize winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York City. He gave his Carnegie Hall Recital Debut in 2019 and has had a busy performing and recording career ever since. Upcoming engagements include appearances with the Seattle Symphony, a debut at Alice Tully Hall, and his 4th appearance at Carnegie Hall.

As a recording artist, Cheli’s albums have been met with acclaim. Musicwebinternational hailed Cheli’s 1st album, featuring the music of Muzio Clementi, as “definitive performances” and his 2021 album, Liszt: Schubert transcriptions, as “utterly brilliant”. He recently completed work as a composer, audio editor and performer on the documentary Defying Gravity (2021).

With a fascination and appreciation for the benefits of technology especially in our new virtual age, Dominic was appointed LIVE Director of Tonebase Piano in 2021. As a result, he is the host and presenter of numerous virtual lectures, performances and workshops each month to the 5,000+ subscribers on the platform.

Committed to engaging with his surrounding community, Dominic regularly performs and brings curated programs/educational residencies to schools and retirement homes. He also performs with Street Symphony, an organization centered in practices of relationship, renewal, re-entry, and recovery, presenting musical programs in Skid Row built on sustained relationships and partnerships with Skid Row organizations and community individuals.

Dominic received degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Yale University, and the Colburn School studying with Zena Ilyashov, Andre-Michel Schub, Peter Frankl, and Fabio Bidini. Mr. Cheli is a Yamaha Artist and recently appointed faculty member of the Colburn Community Music School. In his spare time, Dominic enjoys cooking and training for Ironman triathlons.

SooBeen LeeViolinist SooBeen Lee has been praised by The Washington Post for her “poised presence, a luxurious sound, spot-on intonation, and a bow arm that surely will be the envy of her peers”. She has already appeared as soloist with every major Korean orchestra, including the Seoul and Busan Philharmonics and KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) Symphony Orchestra. Other distinctions include performances for former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, at the Blue House for the King and Queen of Malaysia, with China’s Wuhan Philharmonic at the Seoul Arts Center, and for many state guests in Korea.

As First Prize Winner of the 2014 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, SooBeen was also honored with The Slomovic Soloist Prize for support for her Washington, DC recital debut at the Kennedy Center, the Michaels Award, which provided support for her New York recital debut, and three performance prizes including the Korean Concert Society Prize. SooBeen made her New York concerto debut performing the Chausson Poème with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Alice Tully Hall.
SooBeen’s festival engagements have included appearances at the Heifetz Music Festival, Chopin Music Festival in Poland, City of London Festival, Busan International Music Festival, Great Mountains International Music Festival, Seoul Spring Festival, and Japan’s Ishikawa Summer Music Academy, where she worked with YCA alumnus Koichiro Harada.

In the coming season SooBeen will make concerto appearances with the Aiken Symphony and the Oregon Symphony. She will be presented in recital and chamber music performances by the Tri-County Concerts Association (Wayne, PA), FPC Concerts (Myrtle Beach, SC), and the Morgan Library & Museum. As part of Young Concert Artists’ special season finale performance at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in May 2023, SooBeen will perform alongside fellow YCA roster artists and distinguished alumni including pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, violinist Chee-Yun, and harpsichordist Anthony Newman.

SooBeen began studying the violin at the age of four. At eight years old she won the National Competition of the Korean Chamber Orchestra, she won First Prize at the Russia International Youth Violin Competition the following year, and she captured First Prize at the 2013 Moscow International David Oistrakh Violin Competition. SooBeen currently studies with Miriam Fried at the New England Conservatory, where she performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto as winner of their Concerto Competition.