AU Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition
Sat, February 8, 2025 @ 08:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Young Artist Competition Concert
Feb. 8, 2025, 8 p.m.
Free admission
¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Marc Élysée
The ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University Symphony Orchestra is the core ensemble of the orchestral program at ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University. In addition to their current series at the Howard Performing Arts Center, the Symphony Orchestra travels within the Great Lakes region as well as internationally. Since 2006, the orchestra has performed in Italy, Austria, Germany, France, the Philippines and Costa Rica.
Program:
Variations on a Rococo Theme…………..….P. I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Colin Cha, cello
Piano Concerto No. 3 Mvt. 1…………….……L. v. Beethoven (1770-1827)
Jonathan Clough, soloist
Piano Concerto No. 5 Mvt. 2…………….……C. Saint Saëns (1835-1921)
Jonathan Watson, soloist
Piano Concerto No. 1 Mvt. 1………………………..J. Brahms (1833-1897)
Carlos Lugo, soloist
Meet the performers:
Colin Cha is a fourth-year student majoring in Music BSM on the pre-medicine track. Although he began playing the cello at the age of 8 (and before that, the piano at age 5), he didn’t begin his journey at ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ in the music department. Starting with psychology as a freshman, Colin found that he loved his chemistry classes and quickly switched to biochemistry. But amidst all the fascinating things he learned as a biochemistry major, he still felt that something was missing. Once a dedicated cellist in high school who made it to the top orchestra in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, the TMEA All-Region and All-State orchestras, and placing 1st in the Dallas Symphonic Festival, 1st in the TMTA Concerto Competition, and 2nd in the Collin County Young Artist Competition, he finally decided to bring back his old passion: making music. He has thoroughly enjoyed his last two years studying music and though he still plans to study medicine, he will never forget the joy of being a part of the music department at ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ. When he’s not in the practice room, you can find Colin rock climbing, making delicious coffee, reading a Charlie Brown cartoon, or indulging in a thought-provoking movie.
Jonathan Clough was born in Washington state but raised in Berrien Springs, Michigan, Jonathan Clough has been making music from a very young age. Despite inheriting both his father’s penchant for singing and his mother’s pianistic talents, Jonathan planned to go into either physics or mathematics until his junior year of high school, where under the mentorship of his amazing choir director Carrie VanDenburgh he decided to pursue his dream of being a musician. Jonathan is working towards a BM in vocal performance, but is also an active participant in the piano department as both a soloist and accompanist, where he studies under the tutelage of the brilliant Dr. Chi Yong Yun. He is also active in a number of community ventures, such as serving as church accompanist for Cassopolis United Methodist Church, singing tenor in the South Bend Chamber Singers, and collaborating as a music director and pianist at the GhostLight Theatre. After undergrad, Jonathan plans to pursue a master’s degree in vocal performance in order to help fulfill his dream of being an opera singer.
Jonathan Watson began piano lessons at the age of 7 under the instruction of Janelle Poull and continued his studies with her until graduating from Escondido Adventist Academy in 2017 with an Honors Diploma. During these years, he reached level 7 in Certificate of Merit in piano. Jonathan began his studies at ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University in the fall of 2017 and has had the honor of studying piano with Dr. Chi Yong Yun, who has molded him to the musician and person that he is today. In spring 2022, Jonathan received both a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Piano) degree and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree from ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University. Since fall 2022, Jonathan has been pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Music (Piano) at ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University, under further instruction from Dr. Yun. Jonathan plans to graduate in fall 2025 and continue to perform, teach, and grow as a musician. Some of Jonathan’s favorite pastimes are reading, and watching Dr. Who, among many other things.
Carlos Lugo was born in Coro, Venezuela. He started his music studies in Escuela de Música Elias David Curiel at the age of 11. His first piano lessons were imparted by Professor Wendy Revilla. At the age of 17, he moved to Ecuador to continue his piano studies with Maestra Natalia Kovalenko. Carlos has participated in Montecito Festival in California, and Interharmony Music Festival in Italy, where he was granted the privilege of performing in masterclasses and concerts. He was one of the winners of the annual Young Artist Competition 2022 at ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University soloing with the ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University Symphony orchestra in a performance of. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.1 in C major. Currently, he is a recipient of the Dare to Dream scholarship at ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University as a student of Dr. Chi Yong Yun’s piano studio.
