[ Performer Profiles ]

Benji photo

Benji Bae (Violin)

Benji, 16, started his violin studies at the age of 4, and currently is a private student of Professor Ronald Patterson at the University of Washington. In 2005, Benji made his solo debut performing the third movement of a Beethoven Concerto with the Seattle Youth Symphony Classical Orchestra as a winner of their concerto competition. In the summer of 2007, Benji was a featured soloist at the Emerging Artist Concert sponsored by the Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Music Festival. Benji's proudest moment was receiving the 2008 Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra Inspirational Award, it being a nod from his fellow orchestra members. For the SYSO 2007-08 season, he served as a concertmaster and was a member of the SYSO Scholarship Ensemble Yin-Yang Trio. In July 2008, Benji appeared on the nationally broadcast radio show “From the Top.” Benji will be a soloist in the upcoming 2008-09 SYSO season, playing a Glazunov Concerto, as a winner of their concerto competition. A Junior at Bothell High School, Benji is also a skilled yo-yo player, an amateur cook, and a fervent skier.

Lennart photo

Lennart Jansson (Cello)

What is the progression of 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4 over 12 years? They are the sizes of cellos played by Lennart Jansson. Five of these cellos had accompanied Lennart to youth orchestras with the last two given the honor of first cello in the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Academy Chamber Orchestra. Some had traveled to Colorado, New York, Philadelphia, Malaysia, Ireland and Brazil for solo, chamber and orchestral performances. And the luckiest ones were heard live on the radio or filmed for the Musical Encounter TV show as well as an NHK Japan documentary series. The 3/4 met the most celebrities. Rostropovich demonstrated to Lennart how to make endless bow sounds on it. Elizabeth Wilson showed that Lennart can be more regal, and composer Tigran Mansurian was overjoyed to hear the concerto from his homeland performed on it. The cello is neglected when Lennart composes music (or pursues other passions like mathematics, computers or skiing). But only briefly as most of Lennart’s works require it, like the world premiere of Suite No. 1 for Chamber Orchestra commissioned by the Academy Chamber Orchestra. The current full-size, which has performed concertos many times including once in Benaroya Hall, is glad that Lennart is 15 years old and will not need to replace it. Cello Teacher: Olga Ruvinov. Music Theory and Composition Teacher: Alan Futterman. Attends: Lakeside School.

Yukihide photo

Yukihide Nakada (Piano)

Yukihide was born in Tokyo and moved to Seattle at the age of 6. He began playing piano at the age of 9. His first piano was donated by a neighborhood church, which recognized that this boy should have a piano! He is currently a student of Mr. Craig Sheppard, UW piano professor and renowned concert pianist. A Nathan Hale High School sophomore. Yukihide enjoys chess, tennis, higher math, Latin and blackjack. He can solve a Rubik’s Cube in 35 seconds.

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