CLASS OF 2026
claire choi | violin
Claire Choi is currently a sophomore at Valley Christian High School and started playing violin in 2nd grade. This is her second year as a first violinist in California Youth Symphony’s Senior Orchestra. She has won awards in various music competitions such as USOMC, KAMSA, the Silicon Valley Music Competition, and has also participated in the All-State high school Symphonic Orchestra in 2023. During the past two summers, she attended the Heifetz Institute Junior Division and the Tanglewood Institute. Outside of violin, she enjoys doing art and playing the piano.
Bryan Im | Viola
Bryan Im is a junior at Bellarmine College Preparatory. He is a violist for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. Prior to joining SFSYO, he was the principal violist for the Golden State Youth Orchestra and has performed in Czech Republic and Austria for the 2022 Tour. He has also won the Solo Competition with GSYO and performed during the 2022-2023 season. Bryan has received awards from the KAMSA Competition, Charleston Music Competition, OPUS Music Competition, ENKOR Int’l Music Competition, Norcal Viola Society Competition, and the Burlingame Music Competition. Bryan was also invited to perform at the Junior Bach Festival 2024. Bryan has received valuable coaching and guidance from esteemed musicians and chamber groups such as Paul Neubauer, Matthew Lipman, Masumi Per Rostad, and the Viano Quartet.
During the summer of 2022, Bryan participated in the Summer Music Institute at Tateuchi Hall and studied with the Associate Principal violist of the San Francisco Symphony, Yun Jie Liu. In the summer of 2023, Bryan studied solo viola with Michelle LaCourse and Rayna Yun Chou at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. This past summer, Bryan participated in the Music@Menlo Young Performers Program. During his free time, Bryan enjoys watching sports and listening to music.
Andrew kim | oboe
Andrew Kim is a junior oboist at Branham High School. He has been playing oboe since 6th grade and piano since 2nd grade. He is currently in the Branham High School Wind Ensemble where he plays oboe and English horn and Pep Band where he plays alto saxophone. Besides school, Andrew participates in the Senior Orchestra of California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra as the principal oboist. He won the 2024 CPYO Concerto Competition.
Andrew was accepted into the California All-State Honor Band for three consecutive years and the Santa Clara County Honor Band for two years. In addition to the oboe, Andrew played piano, passing MTAC level 10 with state and branch honor awards.
Andrew has competed in prestigious music competitions and has been recognized with various awards.
Andrew has been a short-track speed skater since first grade. He participated in numerous races and was awarded 2nd place in the California State Championship. He holds a Fundamental Coach Certificate for speed skating. Alongside music, he enjoys Robotics and Rubik’s cubing.
Annabelle Lee | Violin
Annabelle is a sophomore at Los Altos High School. She has been playing violin since she was in 2nd grade under Chag-hee Lee, and is currently studying under Davis Law. She won 2nd place in the 2020 American Fine Arts Festival and 3rd place in the 2021 Silicon Valley Music Competition. Annabelle was an assistant concertmaster of GSYO's Senior Symphony during the 2022-23 season. She was invited to perform in a masterclass led by David Kim, the concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, alongside three other GSYO violinists. She also performed for and helped mentor GSYO's Summer Conservatory. She was a member of PACO and is currently playing with Senior Symphony, GSYO. She enjoys reading, writing, and drawing while listening to K-pop.
Arissa Lee | cello
Arissa is a 10th grader at Los Altos High School. She started playing the cello in 3rd grade under Nancy Kim, and now studies under Jonathan Koh. Arissa has won second place in American Fine Arts Festival 2020 and Silicon Valley Music Competition 2022, as well as placing 3rd for the 2023 KAMSA Competition, Senior Division. Arissa was selected for the Junior Bach Festival 2021 and 2022, and was also invited by Junior Bach to perform as a young artist at the 45th SF Sanctuary Salon Concert 2022. In addition, Arissa was the assistant principal cellist of the 2022-2023 CASMEC All-State High School String Orchestra. This summer, Arissa was offered the position and served as a volunteer teaching assistant in the CSMA Summer Honors Strings Program at Castro Elementary School. She is currently a member of the CYS Senior Orchestra. In her spare time, Arissa enjoys listening to music and watching Netflix.
Hannah LEe | Violin & Piano
Hannah is a junior at Archbishop Mitty High School. Hannah began learning piano at the age of 5 and violin at the age of 7, and currently studies violin under Ms. Zhao Wei. In 2019, she was awarded first place in the instrumental division of the Pacific Musical Society Competition. Hannah has been admitted to the California All-State Orchestras in 2022 and 2023 and served as assistant concertmaster for the 2024 High School Symphony Orchestra. Hannah has also taken part in KAMSA’s youth orchestra as well as HopeBox’s Charity Youth Orchestra, where she served as concertmaster for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Additionally, she was a participant of the 2023 Bowdoin International Music Festival, where she studied under Peter Winograd and Kurt Sassmannshaus. Hannah is the assistant concertmaster of California Youth Symphony's Senior Orchestra and a member of YCM. Outside of music, she likes to spend time baking, scrolling on TikTok, and binging on TV shows.
Kayla Lee | Violin
Kayla Lee is a junior and Honors Fellow at Valley Christian High School, currently studying under Ms. Zhao Wei at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Some of her musical accomplishments include winning first place in the USOMC, KAMSA, Silicon Valley Music Competition, and receiving recognition as a winner of the YoungArts National Arts Competition. In addition, Kayla has soloed with the KAMSA Youth Orchestra, Temple Hill Symphony, and the CYS Associate Orchestra. She also participated in noteworthy programs including tours with NYO-USA to South America, NYO2 to the Dominican Republic, and the Bowdoin International Music Festival in past summers. Kayla is currently the co-concertmaster for the CYS Senior Orchestra and enjoys playing with her piano trio at Young Chamber Musicians.
Olivia Park | Flute
Olivia Park, a junior at Archbishop Mitty High School, plays the flute, piccolo, and alto/soprano saxophones in her school's jazz band and pit orchestra. She is a two-time recipient of the Mitty Undergraduate Award for Performing Arts and leads the pep band as drum major. Olivia played for the All-State High School Wind Symphony, December CODA Honor Symphony Orchestra, and All-State High School Symphony Orchestra as a principal. She is also the principal flutist in the CYS Senior Orchestra and was a featured soloist at the 2023 CYS Associate Orchestra Spring Festival, winning the Concerto Competition. Olivia has won several competitions including 1st place at the ENKOR International Music Competition, KAMSA and Silicon Valley Music Competition. Besides the flute, she studied piano, earning an advanced-level Certificate of Merit with state honors. Last but not least, she holds a 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo, has won state and national titles, and volunteers as a junior instructor at her studio.
Andrew Son | CLARINET
Andrew is a sophomore at Bellarmine College Preparatory. He has been playing the piano for about 10 years, and clarinet for five years. He is currently preparing for the piano CM level 10 test. He has also won third place at the 2023. Silicon Valley Music Competition. As a clarinetist, he has joined CYS Associate Orchestra and is the principal clarinetist in the Bellarmine Symphonic Band. In his spare time, he likes to swim, play with his dog, and play board games.
nolan woo | Cello
Nolan Woo is currently a sophomore at Saratoga High School. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Kyeong Hwa Kim, he started playing the cello when he was 7 years old. Nolan is a member of the CPYO Senior Orchestra, the Saratoga Symphony Orchestra, and the 2023 California All-State HS Symphony Orchestra. Furthermore, he was awarded Grand Prize in the Silicon Valley Music Competition and has also received First Place in competitions such as the American Fine Arts Festival Concerto Competition, the American Protégé International Concerto Competition, the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition, the US Open Music Competition, the US International Music Competition, and the CPYO Concerto Competition. In 2022, he performed at Carnegie Hall, and, in 2023, he soloed with CPYO. Furthermore, he attended the ENCORE Summer Academy as a member of the Senior Camerata and studied with esteemed pedagogues, such as Hans Jørgen Jensen, Brannon Cho, and Dmitry Kouzov.