I am a junior at Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, New York. I began playing cello when I was 8 years old, and I started to take private lessons with a broad range of teachers. When I first picked up the cello, I was a part of the advanced orchestra program and participated in many other advanced musician programs. I was the concertmaster of the St. Johns Lane orchestra and achieved a path of musical excellence. Currently, I am a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Advanced String Quartet at Bethlehem Central High School. I also joined the Empire State Youth Orchestra when I was 10 years old and I am currently enrolled in the Symphony Orchestra, which is the highest ensemble for the ESYO program. In addition to that, I am a part of the ESYO young leader program, and I am a member of the Europa Quartet. I have also participated in numerous concerts, festivals, competitions, and fundraisers as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra musician. Last year, I got 2nd place in the American Protégé-International Concerto Competition and performed live at Carnegie Hall. I also competed in the Lois Lyman Concerto Competition and was a finalist in the Uel Wade Music Scholarship twice. My current career highlight as a musician up to this point was a performance for the inauguration of Governor Kathy Hochul at Empire Plaza.
You can find Ian’s 2024 Spring Music Competition cello performance here.