Meet the Finalists
WDAV’s Young Chamber Musicians Competition 2022 FinalistsSenior Division
Kyklos Quartet
Musicians (left to right): Minchae Kim (violin), Yun Lee (violin), Nathaniel Hoyt (cello), and Arielle Fentress (viola)
The Kyklos Quartet, based in Cleveland, was founded in 2021 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Comprised of violinists Minchae Kim and Yun Lee, violist Arielle Fentress, and cellist Nathaniel Hoyt. The Kyklos Quartet has played in masterclasses lead by members of the Emerson and Orion Quartets and members of the Cleveland Orchestra. In 2022, the group was selected by audition to be one of four quartets to participate in the Advanced String Quartet Program at CIM, where they are mentored by Si-Yan Darren Li, Philip Setzer, and Todd Phillips.
Trio Gaia
Musicians (left to right): Grant Houston (violin), Andrew Barnwell (piano), Yi-Mei Templeman (cello)
Trio Gaia, New England Conservatory’s newest Professional Trio-in-Residence, is dedicated to offering audiences dynamic, personally relevant experiences inside and outside the concert hall. Recently, the trio won 2nd prize in the 2021 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition and were awarded the Vianello Family Audience Prize in the Plowman National Chamber Music Competition. Prior to serving as trio-in-residence, Trio Gaia served as an Honors Ensemble and, in recognition of their work sharing classical music in the community, as NEC Community Performances & Partnership fellows.
Junior Division
Sycamore Trio
Musicians (left to right): Tobias Liu (violin), Grace Peng (piano), Brandon Leonard (cello)
The Sycamore Trio branches under Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, where Tobias Liu is concertmaster, Brandon Leonard is principal cellist, and Grace Peng is the pianist. They are coached by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians through the Franklin Pond Chamber Music program.
Aveta Trio
Musicians (left to right): Eunseo Oh (violin), Elliott Kim (cello), Sarah Yuan (piano)
The Aveta Trio was formed in 2020 as part of Young Chamber Musicians, a pre-college chamber music training program at Kohl Mansion in Burlingame, California. Coached by Susan Bates and Jeffrey LaDeur and the YCM coaching staff, the Aveta Trio is the 2021 Gold Medal winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (Junior Division). They have performed at the 2021 San Francisco International Piano Festival and the Rossmoor Chamber Music Society – Next Generation series.