Congratulations to the Class of 2021! We have greatly enjoyed having you with us and celebrate your tremendous accomplishments. Best wishes from all of us at the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras!
Tara Alahakoon – Violin
High School: Columbus Academy
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 9
College: Amherst College
Major: Biology (Pre-Med) and English
Favorite CSYO Memory: Performing a concerto with the Youth Orchestra, in addition to all of the great repertoire over the years
Ian Bunt – Clarinet
High School: Dublin Coffman High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 3
College: University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
Major: Music Education
Favorite CSYO Memory: Playing the end of Scheherazade 4th movement before COVID
Caden Burston – Violin
High School: Fort Hayes High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 1
College: Boston Conservatory
Major: Violin Performance
Favorite CSYO Memory: Definitely our last concert. Getting to perform a full symphony despite the pandemic was incredible!
Coshel Caudill - Trumpet
High School: Hilliard Darby High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 1
College: Capital University
Major: Music Education
Favorite CSYO Memory: Our first in-person concert of the season (Dvorak)
Kaya Ceyhan - French Horn
High School: Upper Arlington High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 1
College: Undecided
Major: Molecular Genetics
Favorite CSYO Memory: Having a concert for our families at Ohio Theater during the pandemic
Victor Gu – Violin
High School: Upper Arlington High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 3
College: University of Rochester
Major: Computational Biology
Favorite CSYO Memory: Taking selfies with Mr. Lopera
Mei Jira - Viola
High School: Pickerington High School North
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 5
College: OSU
Major: Biological Sciences, minor in Music Performance and Psychology
Favorite CSYO Memory: I don't have any specific memories that are my favorite, because I have so many. However, something I have learned that I will never forget from this experience is that anything is possible if you have the right people to support you. To the rising seniors, and anyone who needs to hear this, "Carpe Diem, my friend. Go out with a bang!"
Brent Ju - Viola
High School: Upper Arlington High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 7
College: Stanford University
Major: Computer Science
Favorite CSYO Memory: Getting to perform alongside the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in 2020
Elizabeth Mak - Bassoon
High School: Hilliard Darby High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 3
College: Undecided
Major: Undecided
Favorite CSYO Memory: Hanging out in Dylan Tharpé's personal dressing room with the bassoon section before our last concert of my sophomore year. Love you guys!
Cate Mazon - Viola
High School: Hilliard Bradley High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 4
College: University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music
Major: Viola Performance and Music Education
Favorite CSYO Memory: Playing in the Ohio Theater!
Corinna Moesle - Cello
High School: Pickerington High School North
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 2
College: OSU
Major: Biochemistry
Favorite CSYO Memory: When we got to dress up as reindeer for the movie concert!
Alexander Myers - Trombone
High School: Olentangy Liberty High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 7
College: OSU
Major: Business – Real Estate and Urban Analysis, minor in Music
Favorite CSYO Memory: School tours; playing the benefit concert with the CSO; playing all the great music; making friends
Alek Prok - Bassoon
High School: Olentangy Liberty High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 5
College: University of Arizona
Major: Biology and Music
Favorite CSYO Memory: Playing España with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Robbins – Bass
High School: Olentangy Orange High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 1
College: West Liberty University
Major: Business
Favorite CSYO Memory: The first concert that we recorded together was great!
Finley Sebert - Viola
High School: Bexley High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 3
College: Carleton College
Major: Undecided
Favorite CSYO Memory: My very first rehearsal, as it is amazing to think about how much my relationship with music has changed over the years.
Molly Sheridan - Bassoon
High School: Hilliard Davidson High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 3
College: OSU
Major: Biology
Favorite CSYO Memory: Rehearsing and playing Scheherazade last year with the entire orchestra
Eric Spain - Cello
High School: Thomas Worthington High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 4
College: University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music or Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music
Major: Double Major in Cello Performance and Music Education
Favorite CSYO Memory: My favorite CSYO memory was during the last rehearsal of 2018. The cello section all decided to bring food to eat during the break time and we ended up with a HUGE table of food.
Brandon Swabby - Bassoon
High School: Hilliard Davidson High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 4
College: OSU
Major: Undecided, Law
Favorite CSYO Memory: Probably the holiday concert with the movie tunes.
COLYN TRAINI - Bass
High School: Homeschooled
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 7
College: Patrick Henry College
Major: Strategic Intelligence in Natioal Security
Favorite CSYO Memory: Performing at Carnegie Hall my first year in youth orchestra and Dr. Gillespie's hilarious sens of humor!
Ben Underwood - Violin
High School: Upper Arlington High School
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 1
College: Johns Hopkins University
Major: Computer Science
Sophia Vershinin - Violin
High School: Columbus School for Girls
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 7
College: University of Cincinnati or University of Michigan School of Music Major: Undecided
Favorite CSYO Memory: Performing the Fourth Movement of Dvorak’s New World Symphony
Kathy Zhong - Clarinet
High School: Pickerington High School North
Number of Years in CSYO Program: 3
College: Harvard University
Major: Neuroscience (Pre-Med)
Favorite CSYO Memory: Clarinet shenanigans (#pokemongo #water) and getting to play with an amazing section every year :)
Other Seniors We’ll Miss
Eamon Hurley, violin
Andy Jeoung, viola
Anna Lower, oboe
Erin Wilson, clarinet