Artists’ Profiles

Na’Zir McFadden

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Conductor

American conductor Na’Zir McFadden is the newly appointed Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In this position, he’ll work closely with Music Director Jader Bignamini and guest conductors on both the PVS Classical Series and William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series. Additionally, he’ll lead pre-concert lectures at Orchestra Hall, and conduct a variety of programs on the Educational Concert Series, Young People’s Family Concert Series, PNC Pops Series, as well as DTE Community Concerts. Upcoming engagements include a series of commissions with Orchestra 2001 and appearances with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Ballet.

Christina Sung

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Piano

Christina Sung (12) is a passionate young pianist who currently studies with Jihea Hong-Park. Christina has been a prize winner at numerous piano competitions, including first prize at the 2022 OPUS State Music Competition and the 2022 University of Utah SummerArts Piano Competition in both the Solo and Concerto divisions. She won third prizes at the 2022 Henle International Piano Competition and the 2022 OPUS National Music Competition. She was a finalist in the 2021 Sejong National Music Competition. She received the President’s Volunteer Service Award from AmeriCorps and Points of Light with over 100 hours of service this past year. Christina is fluent in four languages.

Marquessa Torbensen

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Piano

Marquessa Torbensen (18) started piano at age five. She taught piano lessons throughout junior high and high school, played weekly in the hospital lobby, and played bassoon in the Davis High School band. Marquessa received many first place honors including the Encore Keyboard Competition, Salt Lake Piano Competition, Encore Concerto Piano Competition, and UMTA concerto competition. In 2021, she was a soloist in Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra’s Aspiring Musician Concert, and in June 2022 she was selected as a winner of the Youth Guild Recital Competition. She is currently studying piano performance on scholarship at Brigham Young University under Dr. Ralph van der Beek, her teacher for the past six years.

Nesya Fertel

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Violin

Nesya Fertel (13) attends the Gifted Music School and studies violin under Eugene Watanabe. She started studying violin at the age of 3 with Emily Price. As the winner of the American Fork Symphony Salute to Youth Concerto Competition 2022, Nesya performed the Wieniawski Concerto. Nesya was selected as the 1st Place Winner in the Utah MTNA Competition Junior Performance 2021 and advanced to the regional competition. She was the First Prize Winner in Charleston Romantic Music Competition 2021 and a prize winner in the Bellagrande International Music Competition 2021. She has taken masterclasses with Brian Lewis, Alex Kerr, and Midori.

Logan Purser

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Viola

Logan Purser (16) is a violist from Lehi, Utah and studies viola with John T. Posadas, a violist in the Utah Symphony. He is also a student in the Gifted Music School’s Conservatory program. His recent accomplishments include placing 2nd in the 2022 OPUS Competition Utah Division, earning an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Southern California Viola Society Youth Competition held in conjunction with the international Primrose Viola Competition, soloing with the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra, and taking 1st at the 2021 Utah ASTA Chamber competition as the violist of the Gloria String Quartet. His passion for music is equaled only by his passion for fine automobiles.

Elisabeth Collings

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Harp

Elisabeth Collings (16) started harp lessons at age 8 as a student of Lysa Rytting and currently studies with ShruDeLi Ownbey. Elisabeth won first place in the intermediate division of the Southern Utah Performing arts festival (2021) and was on Utah Valley Symphony’s young artists program (2018). She has played twice in the Suzuki Harp Celebration concert (2015, 2021) and participates annually in the Utah Harp Festival. She is the principal harpist of the Lyceum Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of its harp ensemble. She would like to thank Dr. Nicole Brady, Principal Harpist of the Utah Symphony Louise Vickerman, and Matthew Tutsky for coaching her on this piece.

Evelyn Meiwes

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Violin

Evelyn Meiwes (15) is a violin student of William Hagen. Previously, she studied with Eugene Watanabe at the Gifted Music School. Evelyn has played with symphonies since age 8 including the Utah Symphony. Evelyn has won multiple first prizes at the UMTA Concerto Competition, Weber State Stringfest, and MTNA State Competition. Most recently, she won first place in the Junior Strings Division of the 2022 UMTA Concerto Competition and was a winner of the Utah Symphony’s Youth Guild Recital for the third time. She has also participated in master classes with Simon James, Ian Swenson, Laurie Smukler, Fabiola Kim, Danielle Belen, Benjamin Beilman, and Inmo Yang.

Violin I
Ezekiel Sokoloff
Alina Baron
David Rosado
Eva Harmon
Alice Leppert
Vaughn Myers
Elizabeth Margetts
Avery Perry
Enoc Estrada

Violin II
Sarah Kendell
Soonhwi Kwon
Claire Mayfield
Eliza Andersen
Brianna Price
Maya Dean
Dane Trimble

Viola
Sayuri Chacón
Emily Williams
Daniel Lee
Viren Ghuman
Ali Seely
Carissa Haddock
Cee Diamond

Cello
Andrew Jeppson
Kiersten Schaub
Oliver Moore
Anela Stinson
Rebecca Gabbitas
Nicholas Kelley

Bass
Adeline Hiemstra
Avrie Brown
Dallin Ivie

Flute
Clara Hainsworth
Sadie Akin
Emmy Lovell

Oboe
Gabriel Chodos

Clarinet
Nicholas Zhang
Julene Cox

Horn
Alexander Christean
Ellie McClellan
Judd Thorley
Emilee Garcia

Trumpet
Joshua Miller

Trombone
Hezekiah Bowden
Darien Oborn
Jarin Oxborrow

Tuba
Julian Wyckoff

Harp
Elisabeth Collings

Percussion
Joseph Schmuhl
Isaac Cummings
Hudson Jones
Octavio Valentan