The following students have been named as nominees for the 2019 Artist of the Year in instrumental music. We received 69 nominations from teachers and private instructors at Orange County high schools and arts organizations.
This discipline has been divided into five specialties: commercial music, jazz, piano and stings, winds and percussion, and world/cultural music. The semi-finalists in each specialty will be chosen by a panel of instrumental music teachers.
The nominees are listed with an endorsement from their nominating teacher, the primary instrument(s) they play and video of the student’s work, where available.
COMMERCIAL MUSIC
Matthew Almaraz, guitar
“From the moment he first auditioned for me, his ability to adapt to correction and other musicians has been a hallmark of his playing and shines particularly in our jazz combo. He is not overbearing and accompanies his fellow musicians with care. As a musician of the current times, he never stops expanding his library of licks and continues to challenge himself with great music.” — Jonathan Pratt, Crean Lutheran High School
Nicholas Mao, piano and marimba
“Nic is truly an amazing artist and human. He is one of the kindest and caring students that I have had the pleasure of working with in the past 33 years. Nic has a passion for not just music, but the creation of it and the art that it is.” — Robert Avzaradel, Irvine High School
Caleb Tischbern, drum set
“Over the course of the past few years, I’ve watched Caleb’s passion for music grow exponentially. Caleb has not only continued to create a solid foundation and mastery on his primary instrument, but has shown a lot of creativity and success as a young arranger, songwriter, and background vocalist.” — Rachel Kramer, Orange County School of the Arts
JAZZ
Andrew Caballero, trumpet
“His ability to improvise is above average and his leadership skills are phenomenal! Not only has Andrew been an amazing performer for our school and district, he has been involved in the scouts leading him to earn the honor of Eagle Scout.” – Bincins Garcia, Yorba Linda High School
Ryan S Dong, jazz drumset and percussion
“He gets that as the drummer for a big band, he’s in charge and he takes his role VERY seriously. He gets that you should LOVE what you do. He gets that artistically, you change and grow and challenge yourself every single day.” — Whitney Tavlarides, Northwood High School
Jordan C Feng, alto saxophone
“He is very well rounded stylistically, and is involved with pop music and strives to ‘communicate’ through music to a broad spectrum of listeners. He composes music and produces electronic music that is quite creative and nothing like his jazz personality. Each instrument that he plays has a distinct musical stamp that is drastically different from his other musical identities.” — Doug Meeuwsen, Mission Viejo High School
Maxximus Gomes, guitar
“Outside of school, Max leads his own rock band called The Intros and performs original music and covers at local music venues. Regardless of the genre, Max has his own unique approach to music while maintaining the integrity of standard music expectations within our program. His vibe is welcoming and he truly embodies what it means to be a musician.” — Eric Samson, El Dorado High School
Maximilian Guardi, guitar
“Max is among the finest guitar students I’ve encountered and has already developed an individual musical voice that draws from his breadth of experience. He is well liked by staff and fellow students and brings his best to each situation.” — Dan St. Marseille, Orange County School of the Arts
Eric Kim, string bass
“He is a reliable member of our jazz combo and is capable of soloing as well as sitting in the pocket. As a percussionist, I regularly play along side of him and I always enjoy how easy it is to fit into a groove together.” – Jonathan Pratt, Crean Lutheran High School
Benjamin Lopez, string bass
“Ben is an intuitive musician who has inspired many of his colleagues and younger students. He’s the heartbeat of our jazz program and a great bass section leader in our orchestra. He has a great attitude, always helpful, polite, and positive.” — Andrew Julian, Trabuco Hills High School
Adrian Manuel, drum set, percussion
“Adrian is a very natural musician and approaches the drum set with a creative palete of sounds/colors. He is comfortable playing various styles of music and has an insatiable drive to learn. He first came to the band program as an alto sax player, but once he was given an opportunity to sit in on drum set with the freshman band, it was clear where his greater talent lay.” — Dr. Joshua Parsons, John F. Kennedy High School
Lia Mimun, alto saxophone
“She has been a featured soloist with our jazz band and has been recognized at local jazz festivals for her outstanding musicianship. Lia’s professional approach to being an instrumentalist has elevated her playing to a mature level, both technically and musically.” — Eric Samson, El Dorado High School
Fernando Penaloza, saxophone
“Kenny is always helping those around him, as well as taking care of his own continued growth as a musician. He is always prepared, goes the extra mile, and is eager to learn. He expresses very creatively through the variety of instruments that he plays, and has recently begun to explore arranging and composing.” — Fernando Penaloza, Savanna High School
Isabelle Risser, saxophone
“Her positive attitude and enthusiastic participation has made her one of the most valuable members of ensembles. She is a solid leader of one of our largest sections, a great player on both tenor and baritone sax, and very adapting to situations that arise and call for creative solutions.” — Gregg Gilboe, Huntington Beach APA
Henry Elliott Ross, acoustic and electric bass
“Henry is a versatile musician that is equally comfortable in both large and small ensembles in a variety of musical settings. He has an inquisitive mind and is quick to implement new concepts.” – Dan St. Marseille, Orange County School of the Arts
Nathan R Ruiz, trombone
“Nathan is unique in that his soul is from the swing era. He embodies the joy, creativity, and enthusiasm that swing music brought to those times. He even listens to swing era music on his record player – yes, on 78 and 33 1/3 rpm LP’s!” — Gregg Gilboe, Huntington Beach APA
Grant Wilson, saxophone
“When Grant has his instrument out, he is always striving to sound great, play great music, and communicate through his instrument. Not surprisingly students around enjoy playing with him and working to get better as well.” — Andrew Julian, Trabuco Hills High School
Stephanie Windsor, guitar
“I love to see Stephanie’s confidence grow through her music, especially when she is improvising. She has a way of using her musical voice on the guitar to convey joy, confidence and spirit.” — Sandy Gilboe, Costa Mesa High School
Kyle Dennis Wade Zagala, drum set
“Kyle is a musician extremely dedicated to his craft. He has studied with some of the best studio players in the area. In addition to his gift as a musician he is also someone who is willing and eager to take a classmate under his wing and teach them some of what he knows. He has played with all of our performing ensembles on campus and is now occasionally gigging with pros as well.” — Andrew Magana, Tesoro High School
PIANO AND STRINGS
Daniel Cadena, violin
“I have witnessed a gifted and determined young man show a remarkable amount of growth and development on his violin, piano and overall musical skills. This development not only came in the area of his musical and technical ability, but in his academics and overcoming language barriers as his English continues to develop.” — Joseph Kaye, Santa Ana High School
Kaeshav Chandrasekar, violin
“Whenever students come to me to ask me for a letter of recommendation, I write the words or qualities that first come to mind when I think of that student. For Kaeshav they are as follows: leader, poise under pressure, personable, competitive, confident, and involved.” — Jim Kollias, Arnold O. Beckman High School
Stacy Chang, piano
“Stacy often exhibited excellent leadership in my class, volunteering to lead groups and then organizing (the) group’s projects quickly and efficiently. Stacy is creative and thinks outside of box. She is not afraid to take risks and constantly challenges herself in different art forms and always strives to be best as possible.” — Judy Huang, Orange County School of the Arts
Jocelyn Chen, piano
“In all my experiences with her, she would never be satisfied with simply knowing the material. Instead, she would ask deep and insightful questions, finding application and transference to her performance and other aspects of her life, all while helping those around her understand the material better. She applies this same passion, drive and determination to both personally grow and to help others, inside and outside of music.” — Ben Case, Northwood High School
Eunhea Grace Choi, violin
“Grace has a beautiful sound and has been selected for multiple All-State ensembles and other honors. She seeks out opportunities to play small ensemble music and to create additional opportunities for music making. Her leadership has encouraged younger players to take their playing seriously and work hard toward mastery.” — Jonathan Pratt, Crean Lutheran High School
Inbae Chun, cello
“He is a skilled performer, leader, and all-around student. He is our cello section leader and leads his section in a way that commands respect and musicianship. His outside work on concertos and small ensemble music is in-depth and his ability to adapt to various size ensembles is impressive.” — Jonathan Pratt, Crean Lutheran High School
Andrew Cunningham, violin
“He works tirelessly to prepare his music and his instrument to lead the highly successful FVHS music program. He balances all of his school responsibilities and leads his peers by example. He helps students to see how fun and hard work can be balanced.” — Al Nelson, Fountain Valley High School
Caleb Lawrence Dehn, piano and cello
“Caleb is a student that a teacher wishes encompassed their entire studio. His inquisitive nature has led this young man through many different paths of music. From playing the piano, to handbells, cello, singing in choirs, composing and arranging, he has firmly proved himself to be a remarkable musician.” — Kevin Phan, private instruction
Vanesa Farooq, cello
“Vanesa is one of those rare students that comes along in a person’s career. In my 32 years of teaching, I had not previously had the pleasure to work with a student that exudes the level of musicality that we hear when Vanesa plays. Without question, I know Vanesa is certain to be a life-long performer!” — Hope Harrison, Rosary Academy
Bernadette Hattouni, piano
“Bernadette is a unique and wonderful person. Here at Rosary Academy she daily shows by example how to be a positive leader, hard worker and is kind and gracious in all her interactions with Rosary students, staff and faculty.” — Hope Harrison, Rosary Academy
Tayler Hinrichsen, violin
“A member of a self-formed string quartet, Tayler and friends have been performing as a small ensemble for several years and have done several music gigs to support and raise money for our program through performance in the community. A leader our top ensemble, Tayler contributes not only to her own musicianship, but that of others and demonstrates leadership qualities that far surpass those of many other musicians in my program.” — James Caestecker, Dana Hills High School
An Hoang, piano
“An wants to continue music into college and beyond. Music is a huge part of her life. She loves performing Liszt and Rachmaninoff but thoroughly enjoys accompanying as well. She has tons of spunk and energy that encourages people around her.” – Kristen McCullough, Bolsa Grande High School
Sophia Jin, violin
“Artist, determined, kind, and focused are a few words that come to mind when I think of the concertmaster of our top orchestra (of three) at Irvine High School, Sophia Jin. Yes, she has won numerous awards as a solo violinist and been a member of many prestigious honor groups but what she brings to the program is a unique experience she has had over the years with archery” — Robert Avzaradel, Irvine High School
Daryuish Khashayar, violin
“He is a gifted musician easily performing at the topmost level of my group while still taking the time to help his section understand more difficult passages. Daryuish participates in many outside honors ensembles receiving excellent marks in each ensemble.” — Aaron Zeilinger, Orange Lutheran High School
Anna Kim, violin
“Anna displays wonderful leadership qualities and some of her responsibilities include running sectionals, marking bowings, setting style, pitch and musicality, all the while motivating students to improve upon their musical talent. She is very respected by her peers for her musicality, dedication, attention to detail and leadership skills.” – Joslynne Blasdel, Woodbridge High School
Aimee Liang, cello
“Her accomplishments on cello and piano, at school and away from school have been equally impressive. She has already performed at Carnegie Hall as a member of our orchestra and as a winner of an international competition.” — Jim Kollias, Arnold O. Beckman High School
Haley Luong, violin
“She balances all of her school responsibilities and leads her peers by example. She helps students to see how fun and hard work can be balanced. The job of music director is an overwhelming one. Haley is a student who understands how to share responsibilities and work in leadership as a team.” — Al Nelson, Fountain Valley High School
Megan Martono, violin
“In my 29 years of teaching high school orchestra, I can confidently say she is among the top three students of my career in both musical ability and leadership. When she plays in the orchestra, everyone feeds off of her energy and enthusiasm; she definitely makes all those around her better musicians and people.” — Albert Jeung, Aliso Niguel High School
Allison To, piano
“Allison To is one of the most refined and artistic players for her age and perhaps any age. She has worked steadily and diligently on her craft and as a senior this year, we are seeing her in full bloom.” — Laura Nguyen-Brown, Pacific Academy
Jessica Ulloa, double bass
“Jessica has shown a strong interest and determination in mastering essential skills needed in performing her bass. As in most cases, she may have struggled with the intricacies and challenge of learning advanced repertoire. But through her perseverance and strong will, Jessica has proven that she has the capability, determination and stamina of learning and mastering music at a highly developed level.” — Joseph Kaye, Santa Ana High School
Lea Mateos Velasco, viola
“Lea has a quiet demeanor and a musically sensitive nature. She is very intuitive and yet works tenaciously to improve on her instrument. All her hard work has paid off, as a senior she occupies the position of principal violist in our orchestra.” — Andrew Julian, Trabuco Hills High School
Kairey Wang, classical guitar
“A guitar virtuoso. She is an absolutely AMAZING musician. Kairey is one of the most talented students I have had the pleasure of teaching. She is the rare student that has SO much natural talent AND the drive and motivation to actually succeed!” — Whitney Tavlarides, Northwood High School
Pearleen Wang, piano
“Pearleen Wang is a tremendously gifted musician, soloist and ensemble performer. Her advanced technical skills are perfectly paired with her empathy, artistry and ability to express her emotions on both piano and violin, in every genre. She always conducts herself with humility, respect, integrity and unselfishness.” — Andrew Magana, Tesoro High School
Shannon Zhuang, violin
“Shannon is a warm-hearted and giving young woman. She seems to have the natural ability to express deep meaning and emotion in her playing as she achieves at a level of technical excellence. She continues to work hard to improve and always enjoys making music in any setting.” — Andrew Magana, Tesoro High School
WINDS AND PERCUSSION
Sebastian Armad, clarinet
“Sebastian is a great student performer and leader within our instrumental music program. He is one of those students who will be giving back to the music education profession and training many student musicians for future generations.” — Troy Trimble, Fullerton Union High School
Carlos Banuelos, marching snare
“Carlos is strong in all areas of percussion, and more importantly is a strong student/person. Carlos has spent time composing music for snare drum as well where has created some exciting new music. His abilities to compose show his ability to create in addition to his abilities to perform.” — Dylan Harlan, Katella High School
David Blazer, saxophone
“David is the definition of leading by example. His great personality and character have driven him to become an incredible musician. David’s technique, tone, and musicality are all at a superior level.” — Dylan Harlan, Katella High School
Terrance Cowley, trombone, tuba, baritone/euphonium
“Terry is a serious musician who has a passion for his art. He is an excellent trombone player who plays classical equally as well as jazz. He embraces the technical musical challenges of the classical world and the improvisation musical challenges of the jazz world with equal passion and success.” — Sandy Gilboe, Costa Mesa High School
Devin Foy, trumpet
“He plays with confidence and is able to solo with little preparation. He is a reliable participant in our pep band and has continued to systematically strengthen his sight-reading abilities.” — Jonathan Pratt, Crean Lutheran High School
Ethan Gay, euphonium
“If I could sum up Ethan Gay in one word, it would be ‘driven.’ Ethan does not shy away from a challenge, he takes it head on. This seems to be his approach to music, school, and life.” — Sandy Gilboe, Costa Mesa High School
William Gerber, tenor trombone
“He possesses a natural talent for music and is also academically accomplished. In the past, I have had students who either excel at improvisation or who take a more methodical approach to musical performance. William is rare in that he possesses both abilities. He intuitively loves music, yes, but he also has an insatiable curiosity about the “why” and “how” behind it.” — Bradford Harris, Woodbridge High School
Sam Ghahremani, B-flat clarinet
“As an artist, Sam is a rare combination of innate talent and hard work. I have rarely seen a high school student so dedicated to his craft as a musician and an artist.” — Nicole Kroesen, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble
Zoe Giblin, bassoon
“Zoe has led by example, often by being one the most prepared, and working in conjunction with the other musicians in setting artistic goals for the ensemble for each concert. The 21st century demands young people to be well-rounded, and well-read. Ms. Giblin has subscribed to that ethos. As an artist-musician, the critical thinking, and development of what author Daniel Pink calls, ‘A Whole New Mind’ has been something Ms. Giblin has undertaken as a musician both in high school and beyond.” — Gregory Whitmore, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble
Dean Huisken, percussion (tenor drums and jazz drum set)
“Dean is one of those rare students that not only is a talented musician (percussionist) and an accomplished Vocalist but also just an amazingly kind hearted, gracious and positive person. Dean has devoted many hours to the instrumental music department but the same energy and dedication to the vocal music department.” – Bradford Harris, Woodbridge High School
Hridhay Karthikeyan, percussion
“This student has gone above and beyond the call of duty in regards to music and high school life in general. He wrote a four movement work that is going to be debuted during our winter drum line season. He had an idea and he chased it to fruition.” — Matt Bausman, Arnold O. Beckman High School
Renny Kim, alto saxophone
“Renny is an extremely talented alto saxophone player who has performed with our orchestra, concert band, and jazz band. His technical expertise is extremely high and his ability to transpose and adapt to difficult music situations is extremely helpful.” – Jonathan Pratt, Crean Lutheran High School
Justin Jonghyun Lee, clarinet
“From the moment I met Justin, I knew there was something very special about him. He is the kind of student that not only strives for his own improvement, but inspires others around him to strive to improve. He is always looking to better his understanding of his craft, both technically and contextually speaking, in order to make a deeper connection with his art.” — Ben Case, Northwood High School
Gabriel Fernando Lopez Rojas, clarinet
“He has a positive attitude always, is a welcoming member of our music ‘family,’ and contributes every way he can. I’m not sure of his future plans, but I’m confident he will be looking for new opportunities to expand his musical repertoire, as music is a large part of who Gabriel has grown to be.” — Gregg Gilboe, Huntington Beach APA
Jeremy Mojado, bass trombone
“Jeremy is driven and self motivated. He has achieved almost all of his goals without my help or me pushing him to do so. He is the bass trombonist in the the all-Southern California AND all-state orchestras, a remarkable achievement for someone who has not taken consistent private lessons. He plans on playing professionally and he has the drive and talent and intellect to do it.” — Scott Domingues, Loara High School
Andrew Vu Nguyen, soprano clarinet, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, marching snare
“Andrew is always seeking new and more demanding platforms to perform and always brings his knowledge and experience back to Bolsa Grande to improve his program here. Andrew’s future goals are set on becoming a professional musician in a symphony orchestra. To boot, Andrew is a positive presence in everything that he does.” — John Miller, Bolsa Grande High School
Joseph Nguyen, piano, marimba
“As an artist, he is always challenging himself to continue improving and finding new ways to develop his skills. Though a bit shy and quiet, he is always surrounded by friends and ready to share and create music.” — Fernando Martinez, Mater Dei High School
Heejun Park, clarinet
“Many players of his caliber tend to be arrogant, or simply uninterested in bringing along other musicians. Heejun, on the contrary, has the respect of his peers because of his humility and willingness to help his fellow clarinetists through his helpful comments. In a school filled with many of the most talented local students, Heejun manages to stand out as one of the best of the best.” — Mathieu Girardet, Orange County School of the Arts
Cole Quizon, alto saxophone
“Cole has a wonderful sense of humor that when coupled with his talent form stronger ensembles because of his participation. Cole is one of a few students in my career that has dedicated all of his time to becoming the best he can in every subject he is a part of.” — Aaron Zeilinger, Orange Lutheran High School
Nathaniel I Romero, tuba
“He has a natural charisma that makes his peers want to follow him and want to succeed. The fact that he is one of the most talented musicians I have ever had the pleasure of working with does not hurt his case either. Whatever instrument he has in front of him, you know that he has a mastery of it.” — Matt Bausman, Arnold O. Beckman High School
Dianne Seo, flute
“Dianne is the greatest student flute player I have ever come across. Since the day I first heard her play as a sophomore, it was obvious she was already well on her way to pursuing a career as a flutist. … She is incredibly talented, and has the work ethic and personality to back it up.” — Mathieu Girardet, Orange County School of the Arts
Jae Kyung Shin, clarinet
“Jae Kyung Shin is a fantastic student, dedicated to his studies, intellectually curious, and a service to his community. He is dedicated to the development of his artistic skill set, spending countless hours in the practice room and in rehearsal, and in this capacity, has gone above and beyond what could be considered a ‘normal’ school music education.” — Nicole Kroesen, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble
Johnathan Stetson, tuba/euphonium and bass trombone
“Johnathan Stetson exemplifies all of the attributes sought after by those in higher education, and those whose organizations look to support students like him as he successfully ascends towards his academic and life goals.” — Gregory Whitmore, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble
Trish Tran, flute
“She helps students to see how fun and hard work can be balanced. The job of band director is an overwhelming one. Trish is a student who understands how to share responsibilities and work in leadership as a team. Trish volunteers countless hours to lead her peers as band president. She works tirelessly to prepare her music and her instrument to lead the highly successful FVHS music program.” — Al Nelson, Fountain Valley High School
Andy Zheyuan, alto saxophone and soprano saxophone
“A very respectful student and always knows his part before coming into class. Without a doubt, a class act. Andy also has proven to his fellow students for his caring attitude and devotion to our program.” — David Weinberg, Aliso Niguel High School
WORLD/CULTURAL MUSIC
Jennifer Silva Perez, tuba/sousaphone
“Jenny is a fantastic student academically and that transfers over to her studies in music as well. Her musical skills have allowed Jenny to participate in the top ensembles at Katella High School as well as some outstanding mariachi groups off campus.” — Dylan Harlan, Katella High School
