Meet the Orchestra

Amelia is 16 and has played the cello for 11 years. While the cello is her main focus, she also enjoys playing bass guitar and singing. She is a junior at Stratford High School. She has attended music camps such as French Woods, NEMC, and AFA Music Camp. Amelia is currently a student with Artan Zhuri in the Stratford Symphony Orchestra as well as a private student of Daphnee Johnson. She enjoys theater and photography in her free time. Amelia also enjoys the arts of all mediums and hopes to be able to facilitate art through music throughout her life. She has a cat named Austria, and has a unique interest in fashion.

Noah – age 17, has been playing percussion for nine years. He currently attends Oak Ridge
High School, where he participates in wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, marching band, and
orchestra. Noah has played with the Houston Youth Symphony, Region Band, and Region Orchestra, AFA, and Conroe Symphony Orchestra. He has advanced to State Solo and Ensemble three times, achieving Superior Ratings each time. Noah’s private instructor is Terry McKinney, and his high school director is Jerriald Dillard. Noah enjoys traveling to California to see family, frequenting theme parks, and participating in marimba festivals and competitions. Noah will soon become a Music Performance major and plans to win a job in a professional orchestra.

Dominic Block is 18 years old and has been playing violin since the age of nine. He is a senior at Cathedral High School. He has been a member of Virtuosi of Houston for three years, and also loves to play with the Opus 1 Chamber Music School, where he often plays the viola. He has attended various festivals and camps such as AFA, Stringwood, Opus360, and the Texas Music Festival. He has studied violin privately with Melissa Williams and currently with Dr. Matt Lammers. Dominic also loves playing basketball, soccer, and rugby.

Nathaly is 17 years old and a senior in J. Frank Dobie High School. She is a Violist and has played Viola for eight years. She also plays multiple more instruments like the Violin, accordion, guitar, electric bass, and ukulele. She won her first scholarship in her ninth-grade year from the Black Violin Foundation. In her first UIL Solo and Ensemble contest in eighth grade, she played a grade 3 solo and got a 1. In her 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade years, she played a grade 1 solo and won the superior award. She also auditioned for the TMEA Region 19 Orchestra and for her first-time auditioning, she earned fourth chair. In her second year of auditioning, she earned first chair. In her third year, she played first chair for the symphony TMEA Region 19 orchestra. She’s been the first chair in her regional orchestra ever since. Nathaly is also currently part of the Dobie Varsity High School Orchestra, which is under the instruction of Angela Badon, Stephen Payne, and Tam Doung. She is also currently studying Viola privately with Sarah Mason. She has studied with her for two years. When Nathaly is not practicing, she likes to write, research, garden, volunteer, and exercise.

Arjun Chandupatla (17), a rising senior at Tompkins High School, has been playing violin for over eight years, under the guidance of Mr. Guangxun Hua and piano with Dr. Winnie Fan. He is an active member of Tompkins High School orchestra under the direction of Mr. Matthew Porter and Ms. Sarah Marts. A dedicated musician, Arjun has performed in the TMEA All-State Symphony Orchestra for three years. Arjun has been a violinist at Houston Youth Symphony since 2018, and has recently been named the co-
winner of HYS 2025 Concerto Competition string division. He was also the concertmaster of the 2024 All-Region 23 Symphony Orchestra, an honorable mention at the 2023 Clear Lake Symphony Youth Concerto Competition, a winner of the 2023 and 2024 Katy Young Artist Competition, and a finalist at the 2021 Houston International Music Competition. Arjun is also an accomplished pianist and an avid chamber musician, with his string quartet named State Champion at the 2025 UIL State Chamber Music Competition. Aside from music, he is an outstanding student, origami enthusiast, bird watcher, and an avid reader.

Taison, 17, started playing piano at age six, and then picked up percussion in sixth grade. Now a senior at Jersey Village High School, he’s the pit captain and center marimba for the marching band, plays in the Wind Ensemble, and fills in occasionally on vibraphone, piano, guitar, and drumset with the JV Jazz Band. He also plays guitar and viheula with Mariachi Juvenil de CFISD and performs in the annual CFISD Mariachi Concerts. Taison currently takes lessons from Jonathan Carr for percussion and Erich Loftis for jazz piano, and his solo and ensemble rankings have been “superior” every year. He has made the TMEA Region Band every year since seventh grade, both Region Band and Region Orchestra since 10th grade, and as a senior, also made Region and Area Jazz Band as a pianist. Taison spends his free time practicing marimba, vibraphone, drums, piano, guitar, or accordion, playing rhythm games or Tetris, composing music, or fly-fishing. He’s currently ranked within the top 400 Tetris players in the US and is among the top 1% of fly casters globally.

Silas, 17, has been playing the French Horn since he was ten years old. Silas is in the 12th grade attending Oak Ridge High School. He has been a part of the Interlochen Summer Camp Intensive three times and has attended the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute twice. Silas is a second time All Region Participant, performed for the All Region Orchestra, and was a part of the TMEA invited ensemble participants with his band under the direction of Jerriald Dillard. In addition, he is a section leader for the Oak Ridge High School Marching Band. Currently, Silas takes lessons from Former Professor of Horn at Sam Houston, Peggy Demers, and Associate Principal Horn at the Houston Symphony, Robert Johnson. Silas is a part of NHS, RhoKappa, MAO, and his Stem program at school – ACES. When he’s not playing horn, Silas likes to play video games, hangout with his family, and bike.

Eli, under the instruction of his international-award winning private lesson teacher Katherine Rivas, attends the prestigious Seven Lakes High School, where he is a three year member of the marching band program serving two years as the flute soloist. The Seven Lakes Band has received many awards such as earning placement as a UIL 6A Marching Championships State Finalist, several placements as a UIL 6A Marching Championships State Qualifier, placement as a finalist in the Bands of America San-Antonio Superregional Championship, and the prestigious John Phillips Sousa Sudler Shield Award. In addition to his dedication as flute soloist for his school’s marching band, Eli is a three year member of their Wind Symphony, Symphony Full Orchestra, and a one year member of their Musical Pit Orchestra, where he was the lead flutist in the production of his school’s 2025 musical Mary Poppins. He is also a 2023 and 2024 member of the TMEA Region 23 All-Region Band, and in 2025, he earned a first division in the UIL State Solo and Ensemble contest. Outside of music, Eli enjoys student teaching at his private lesson teacher’s studio as a teaching assistant, and he enjoys cooking and gaming.

Addison, 15, has played violin and piano since she was five and is a junior at BYU-OHS. A student of Dr. Kirsten Yon, Associate Professor of Violin, University of Houston Moores School of Music, Addie previously studied with Cornelia Crappell, a graduate of the Hochschule fuer Musik Nuernberg-Augsburg and LSU. Addie performed with Katy Youth Symphony from 2019-2024 and served as concertmaster since 2022. She participates regularly in STXSA/HASPA Ribbon Festivals, UNT ISMI camp (2023-2025), and various orchestra and church high adventure camps. In 2023/24 and 2024/25, Addie earned 2nd chair and 5th chair respectively in the first violin section in the TMEA Region Symphony Orchestra, and a 1 rating in both Region and All-State TPSMEA Solo and Ensemble contests. A National Honor Society member, Addie volunteers at memory care facilities, animal shelters and a non-profit fine arts organization’s beginning strings program weekly. Addie enjoys writing, embroidery, camping, and drawing.

Leonardo, 17, is a senior at Cypress Woods High School, where he plays the viola with the Varsity Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Kristin Isaacson and Logan Thoeni. He started playing in sixth grade, and he has been a member of both the middle and high school TMEA Region 27 symphony orchestras. Leonardo participated in several orchestra camps in Houston, and in Majano, Italy, where he played for the “Centro Ricerca Divulgazione Musicale”. Additionally, he earned top ratings at UIL Solo and Ensemble for five years, and he achieved a Division 1 Rating at UIL State Solo and Ensemble in both May 2024 and 2025, with the help of his private lesson teacher, Laura Cividino. Lastly, Leonardo was born in Italy, and he loves to play soccer and tennis with his friends.

Joaquin is 16 years old and is a junior at Morton Ranch High School. He plays the cello in the school’s Sinfonia Varsity Orchestra, directed by Mr. Katz. Joaquin began playing the cello at the age of three at the Conservatory of Music in Cinco Ranch. When he was around five or six years old, he transitioned to the Suzuki Academy, where he studied with his first teacher, Ms. Qiu. He is currently working with Ms. Wendy Butler of the Houston Ballet and Grand Opera. Recently, he performed at the Summer 2025 Latin Cello Camp as a soloist and in a duet. He has been a part of various competitions since then, like All Region, KYAC, and Solo & Ensemble. In his free time, Joaquin enjoys playing games, working out, and spending time with his girlfriend, pets, and family. He is currently teaching lessons to one student at his school and instructs four other cellists in the Nucleus Orchestral Program. Joaquin loves to travel and explore new places, but his favorite destination is Colorado because he enjoys the snow.

April Guo is a sixteen-year-old harpist born in Calgary, Canada. April has been playing the piano since she was five years old and started playing the harp when she was in sixth grade. She has qualified as the first chair harpist in the Symphony Orchestra and earned a bronze and silver medal for the Solo and Ensemble contest in 2022. She transferred to the Awty International School as an eighth grader, and joined Virtuosi of Houston, where she continues to play her instrument to this year as a sophomore. She is learning the Harp with the help of Mrs. Susanna Wang and studying piano with Dr. Yan Shen. Aside from her musical studies, April lives in a household that loves traveling with two dogs, and plays volleyball competitively.

Anderson is 13 years old and in the eighth grade at Spring Branch Middle School, where he began playing the double bass at age 11 in the sixth grade. He performed in the middle school Philharmonic Orchestra in TMEA Region 27 last year and has earned the fourth chair position in their Symphony Orchestra this year. He has scored top ratings in his UIL solo and ensemble performances, and received his middle school’s prestigious Principal Award in seventh grade. Anderson gained invaluable musical foundations from Aaron Krouse in elementary school and has worked on the double bass with inspiring mentors and teachers, including Gabriel Sweet, Sharon Montes, his prior classmate, Parker Balombin, and his dedicated Spring Branch Middle School orchestra director, Kathleen Hemphill. Anderson loves all things musical, but also enjoys reading, building with LEGO bricks, solving Rubik’s Cubes, as well as other brain puzzles, playing golf, and spending time with his friends and family.

Joshua Kurian, age 15, is a ninth-grade student at Dulles High School. He began studying the cello at age 10 and currently studies with Mrs. Hasmik Vardanyan. Joshua has been a Region 13 Top 3 chair holder for two consecutive years and has earned UIL Grade 1 ratings each year. In 2024, he performed with the Fort Settlement Middle School Orchestra at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. At Dulles, he performs under the direction of Mr. Peter Pomajevich and Mrs. Jennifer Hillen. Outside of music, Joshua enjoys coding, mathematics, fitness, and reading. He is committed to continued musical and personal growth, striving for excellence both on and off the stage.

Brayden, age 14, is a freshman at St. John’s School. He has played oboe since sixth grade and
piano since first grade; he currently studies with Anne Leek and Kana Mimaki. He is a member
of the SJS Band, directed by Nick Thomas, and has also played with the Houston Youth
Chamber Orchestra, AFA Philharmonic, and Interlochen Intermediate Symphony Orchestra. In
2025, he participated in the TPSMEA Honor Band and earned an honorable mention at the TMTA Performance Contest. Brayden also enjoys performing piano duets as a member of the Piano Destroyers and playing volleyball and tennis with his school team.

Max Liu, age 16, is currently a junior at Clements High School. He has played oboe for five years, since 6th grade, and currently studies with Dr. Anne Leek. Max was previously the principal oboist of the Houston Youth Chamber Orchestra and the principal oboist of the TMEA Region 13 All-Region Band and All-Region Orchestra in 2024. This past summer, he attended the High School Oboe Intensive at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. He also played piano for 8 years. Max was born in Houston and enjoys spending time with his guinea pig and writing stories.

Faith Alexis, age eighteen, began playing the violin when she was four years old. She currently studies under the direction of Mrs. Korinne Hamblin of Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to playing the violin, Faith has been studying piano for many years under the direction of Mrs. Annette Chan of Houston, Texas. She has played both violin and piano in chamber music groups through the Opus 1 Chamber Music School. Last year she was a member of the Sinfonia orchestra with Houston Youth Symphony. She is currently in 12th grade, taking online classes from Oxrose Academy, Homeschool Connections, and Mary, Queen of the Home Academy. When not practicing or studying, Faith enjoys drawing (especially landscapes, animals, and people), reading (poetry and fantasy), writing, listening to music, being outdoors, and spending time with friends and family. This is her second year with Virtuosi and she is excited for the coming season!

Victoria Mercy, age fifteen, began playing the violin off and on when she was about five years old, but consistently only since she was about nine years old. For several years, she studied under Miss Olivia Thompson of Ozark, Missouri. She recently began studying under the direction of Mrs. Korinne Hamblin of Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to playing the violin, Victoria has been studying piano for many years under the direction of Mrs. Annette Chan of Houston, Texas. Last year, she was a member of the Sinfonia Orchestra with Houston Youth Symphony. She is currently in tenth grade, taking online classes with Oxrose Academy, Homeschool Connections, a theology class at the School of Mary with the sisters of Filiae Laboris Mariae, and a private history class with Mr. Philip Campbell of Michigan. When not practicing or studying, Victoria enjoys playing with the family pets and gardening. This is her first year with Virtuosi, and she is excited for the coming season!

Kelvin Nguyen, age 16, started playing the Double Bass when he was 10. He currently attends J. Frank Dobie High School as a junior. Kelvin has consistently placed in the top 5 chairs for the Region 19 Orchestra throughout intermediate and high school, placing 1st this year. In addition, he has participated in UIL Solo & Ensemble since 7th grade. Having previously studied under Michael Bonas (retired), Kelvin has been studying the double bass under the direction of Bryan Dawn. Kelvin is currently in the varsity orchestra under the instruction of Angela Badon, Tam Duong, and Stephen Payne. When not practicing his instrument, Kelvin enjoys volunteering, reading, model kits, and biking.

Matthew is 18 years old and plays the violin. He began playing the violin when he was 9 and currently attends J. Frank Dobie High School as a 12th grader. He attended AFA Summer Music Festival in 2022, Texas Strings Festival in 2024, and the Baylor High School Band and Orchestra Camp in 2025. He received 1’s in UIL in 8th, 9th, and 11th grade, and took part in various TMEA Region 19 Orchestras from 8th to 12th grade. Matthew is currently part of the Dobie varsity orchestra, which is under the instruction of Angela Badon, Stephen Payne, and Tam Duong, and has studied violin with Abigail Bracewell since November 2021. In his free time, he enjoys baking, collecting fountain pen ink, and making origami.

McKenna, aged 13, is from Fulshear, TX. She began taking violin lessons at age 3 with Danette Warren and currently studies with Dr. Mauricio Oliveros. McKenna is an eighth grader at Dean Leaman Junior High where she is concertmaster of the varsity orchestra. She is also a member of Houston Youth Symphony. McKenna has performed as a soloist with the Houston Civic Symphony and the Symphony North of Houston. She took second prize in the Virtuosi of Houston Concerto Competition in 2024 and 2025 and received an Honorable Mention in the Houston Youth Symphony Concerto Competition in 2025. She was also selected as the concertmaster of the TMEA Region 13 Junior High Symphony Orchestra in 2024 and 2025. McKenna is also a two-time National Champion Fiddler and holds state titles in Colorado, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, reading, swimming, rock climbing and playing piano and mandolin.

Anh phi Phan is a 14-year-old viola player who started learning the instrument at the age of 11. He is currently a 9th grader at Morton Ranch High School. Anh phi made the symphony region ensemble in both eighth and ninth grades, earning eighth chair in eighth grade and 14th chair in ninth grade. Under the guidance of his dedicated orchestra director, Gabriel Katz, and inspired by his private lesson teacher, Daniel Castorena, Anh phi continues to pursue his passion for music. In his free time, Anh Phi enjoys practicing, sleeping, and swimming.

Cesar is a seventeen-year-old junior at Morton Ranch High School, where he plays violin under the direction of Gabriel Katz and Antonio Roca. Cesar began playing the violin in sixth grade under Zachary Miller and currently studies privately with Abimael Meléndez. His former private teachers, Brian Howe, Vladislav Evstafiev, and Weigo Yin have also greatly contributed to his musical growth. He has participated in the Katy Youth Symphony Summer Program, Houston Youth Symphony, TMEA region camps, and the Morton Ranch High School Mariachi Luna de Jalisco. Cesar has earned superior ratings at solo and ensemble competitions, including All 1’s at the TSSEC State Level for his 16-string quartet. Outside of music, he competes in varsity tennis and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), where he placed first at area, second at state, and qualified for nationals, earning the Businessman of the Year Award, presented by Karla Foit. A fan of the Houston Texans and Houston Astros, he enjoys sports, traveling, and making music with friends. Cesar hopes to attend Rice University and pursue careers in engineering and music.

Arianna age 13, was born in New York City and moved to Houston with her family ten
years ago. She began violin studies at age four with Katrina Savitski and continues to be her
student. An eighth grader at River Oaks Baptist School, Arianna is concertmaster of the advanced orchestra. In the 2024–25 season, she was a member of the Houston Youth Symphony String Orchestra and was selected for the TMEA Region 23 Junior High Philharmonic Orchestra. A former Junior Olympic gymnast who competed in multiple state championships, Arianna now devotes more time to violin and has begun competing in tennis tournaments. Outside of music, she enjoys playing tennis and cooking.

Cristopher, age 17, is a senior at J. Frank Dobie High School. He plays the violin and began at the age of 11. He plays a few other instruments, such as acoustic/electric guitar and the ukulele. In eighth and ninth grade, he attended the AFA summer music festival in their high school symphony orchestra. In the summer of tenth grade, he attended the Texas strings music festival in Austin. In his first UIL solo and ensemble contest he was an 8th-grader, he played a grade 2 solo and received a 1. In his 9th grade year and up, he has received a 1. He also auditioned for the TMEA Region 19 Orchestra in 9th grade and was appointed as the concertmaster for their philharmonic orchestra. Additionally, the next year he earned the principal second violin in their symphony-level orchestra. Cristopher is currently part of the Dobie Varsity Orchestra, which is under the instruction of Angela Badon, Stephen Payne, and Tam Doung. He also currently studies privately with Medea Guldedava . He has been studying with her since his 9th grade year. This school year, he made it into his high school’s varsity choir and jazz band. In his free time, he enjoys collecting vinyls and playing guitar

Daniella plays the cello and is a member of the J. Frank Dobie High School
chamber orchestra. Daniella attended a field trip to hear the Houston Symphony when she was in elementary school. It was at that moment that she fell in love with orchestra performance.
She decided to enroll in orchestra as soon as she entered middle school. Her musical journey continued during Intermediate school and, more recently, High School. Daniella has met many talented instructors and musicians over the years, who continue to make an impact on her musical development. She had six years of instrumental experience, three years TMEA region orchestra, and studies with HS Orchestra Director – Angela Badon, and private instructor – Dr. Wei Bing. Daniella loves music performance, traveling with family, and volunteering to help those in need.

Oliver is a dedicated double bassist with six years of performance experience, currently studying under Andrew Moritz. A senior at Jersey Village High School, he performs in the JVHS Chamber Orchestra directed by Matthew Beland and the JVHS Jazz Band under Dr. Ryan Williams.

Oliver has twice earned a coveted seat in the TMEA All-State Orchestra (2024, 2025) and has received top honors at UIL Solo and Ensemble competitions for five consecutive years. In the summer of 2025, he attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Double Bass Workshop and Young Artists Orchestra, studying with Ira Gold, Virtuosi alum and Double Bass Professor at the Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute.

Beyond the stage, Oliver is preparing to pursue double bass performance in college, balancing essays, rehearsals, and auditions with time spent cheering for Houston’s hometown teams and enjoying moments with his family.

Theodore, an aspiring cellist, age 17, is a Senior at J. Frank Dobie High School in Pasadena ISD. He is currently a part of Dobie varsity orchestra under the instruction of Angela Badon, Stephen Payne, and Tam Duong. Theodore is the private student of Dr. Bing Wei. He is currently ranked first in the TMEA Region 19 Symphony Orchestra, where he will serve as principal cello. Theodore is a TMEA Texas All-Stater and has been a member of Virtuosi for 3 years. This past summer, he attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, where he was selected to participate in the chamber music intensive program and the Symphony Orchestra. In his spare time, Theo enjoys arranging musical works for cello ensemble, attending various symphony concerts, and playing with his cats, Benny and Jerry.

Zechariah began playing the bamboo flute at age three, learning from his father, who performed to support his family in China. Growing up surrounded by music, Zechariah transitioned to the modern concert flute in middle school and quickly developed a passion for performance. He continues to share his love for music through both solo and ensemble playing, blending cultural tradition with modern artistry.