Welcome to the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra! 

The 2024 Bravura Philharmonic’s Annual Young Artists Concerto Competition will take place this weekend, with live auditions being held Sunday, March 24, at the Schare Recital Hall of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Our adjudicators will listen to 19 of our in-person contestants, after having previously viewed the video contestants.

Contestants could choose to compete in person or participation via video submission. There are 50 contestants this year: 31 video submissions and 19 in-person contestants. They represent 8 different states across the United States. Our wonderfully talented contestants include 21 violinists, 12 pianists, 10 cellists, 1 violist, 3 clarinetists, 2 flutists and 1 vocalist.

The adjudicators will choose a maximum of four Gold Medal Winners to perform their concerto at the winners’ concert with the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday, June 2, 2024. We will also declare silver and bronze medal winners in recognition of their fabulous performances and their dedication.

Results

Gold

Hong Cheng, age 17, Clarinet | Luigi Bassi: Concert Fantasia on themes of Rigoletto

Julie Kim, age 17, Violin | Prokofiev: Concerto No.2 in g minor, Op.61 1. Allegro Moderato

Jayden King, age 9, Violin | Paganini: Violin Concerto No.1 in D Major, Op.6 1. Allegro Maestoso

Derek Lee, age 16, Piano | Chopin: Concerto No.1 in e minor op.11

Silver

Ryan Chung age 13, Violin | Saint-Saens: Concerto No.3 in b minor, Op.61 1. Allegro non troppo

Natalie Oh, age 15, Violin | Mozart: Violin Concerto No.4 in D, K218 1. Allegro

Henry Tushman, age 17, Piano | Mozart: Piano Concerto No.21 in C Major, K467 1. Allegro maestoso

Bronze

Audrey Ang, age 14. Violin | Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto No.3 in b minor, 1. Allegro non troppo

Lilah Hahn, age 10, Piano | Mozart: Concerto No.12 in A Major K.414 mvt. 1

Yerim Park, age 17, Clarinet | Debussy: Premier Rhapsodie, L.116

Ivy Yin, age 9. Violin | Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in e minor. Op.64

Andrew Zhang, age 8, Piano | JS Bach: Piano Concerto No.5 in f minor, BWV1056

JUDGES FOR THE 2024 COMPETITION

Having made her debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of just 20, 22-year-old pianist Avery Gagliano is an artist with ‘distinctive young talent’. Bringing sincerity and emotional depth to the stage, Avery came to international acclaim as the First Prize and Best Concerto Prize winner of the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition, and as the only American semifinalist at the 18th International Chopin Competition in 2021.

Recent and forthcoming highlights include her debut with the Rochester Symphony, Galveston Symphony, and Louisville Orchestra, and recitals at the Luxembourg Philharmonie, Ehrbar Saal (Vienna), La Grange au Lac (Évian), Miami International Piano Festival, and Sanibel Music Festival. She appeared in recitals throughout Europe last season as part of Sir András Schiff’s Building Bridges series, and has also appeared on renowned stages including the Verbier Festival, Gilmore Festival, Bravo!Vail Festival, Ravinia Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Carnegie Hall, and Warsaw Philharmonic Hall. Her debut album, Reflections, was released on the Steinway & Sons label in 2021. Originally from Washington D.C., Avery currently resides in Philadelphia where she studies at the Curtis Institute with Robert McDonald. She has also studied with Gary Graffman and Jonathan Biss while at Curtis. At the invitation of Sir Schiff, she will join his Performance Programme for Young Pianists at the Kronberg Academy next fall.

Dr. Hyojin Lee has appeared as a soloist with the Daegu Philharmonic Orchestra, Slovak Košice National Philharmonic, Hungary Savaria Symphony, Soli Deo Orchestra, Kyungbook Symphony, Keimyung University Orchestra, Multimedia Art Ensemble ARS, and the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra. She has given solo and chamber recitals at venues including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center in New York, Auer Hall in Indiana, and the Nicholas Music Center, NJ. She has served as principal cellist of the Indiana Concert Orchestra, Daegu Contemporary Music Orchestra in South Korea, and the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, and as guest principal cellist of Daegu Opera House Orchestra and the Ital’ Opera Orchestra in South Korea. Dr. Lee has won multiple prizes in national and international competitions including the National Music Competition sponsored by TBC Broadcasting Corporation, National Youth Competition sponsored by Keimyung University, and the Jinhae Goonhang Music Festival Competition in South Korea. She served on the cello faculty and as a chamber music coach in the Rutgers University Extension Division, and during the summer at the ASTA/NJ Chamber Music Institute. She is a chamber music coach for the Bravura Youth Orchestra, as well as being on the faculty at the 4string Music Festival in New York and the Northern Light Music Festival in Minnesota. Dr. Lee has a vibrant cello studio, and her students have won first prizes in international competitions in Korea and the United States. They have also been very successful in the New Jersey All State and Regional Orchestra auditions. Dr. Lee is the string chair of the New Jersey Music Teachers Association.

Chiu-Tze Lin, music director and conductor of the award-winning Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, is a versatile and multifaceted musician - conductor, pianist, and teacher. While serving as the conductor of the Manalapan Battleground Symphony, she received the Victor Grossinger Award for Innovative Programming. Ms. Lin was inducted into the Steinway Teachers Hall of Fame, the first time that such honors were bestowed by the Steinway company. She is also a Music Teachers National Association Foundation Fellow, a recognition given only to individuals who have made significant contributions to music education in the country. Ms. Lin was selected as a “Hottest Artist in New Jersey” in 2001 by the Asbury Park Press. As a concert pianist, Ms. Lin has been acclaimed by the New York Times for her “strong technique, a hearty tone that sounded big and unforced [which] provides the greatest musical pleasure.” She is a Steinway Artist who has performed in Asia, Europe, and across the United States. Ms. Lin has appeared as a touring soloist with the Chicago Symphony and was a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony. Her second CD featuring works of Bach solo piano works has been described by New York Concert Review as a "... most satisfying performance ... with eloquence and sensitivity." Her recordings have been broadcast across the country. Ms. Lin directed the first international summer music festival sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Culture. She conducted the Shanghai Musicians Chamber Orchestra in the Sino-American Cultural Exchange Concert. The performance was featured on CCTV, which transmits across China and around the world.