CLASS OF 2024
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MICHELLE KOO
BIO
// School: Gunn High School
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// Years Active: 2020- Present
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// Instrument: Viola
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Michelle Koo is a senior at Gunn High School. She has been playing the viola for six years and studies with Adam Smyla. She has been invited to play at the Junior Bach Festival for the past three years. In 2021, she won first place and Best New Piece Prize, in the Northern California Viola Society (NCVS) Young Violists Competition. She is co-principal of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) has been selected to participate in the National Youth Orchestra 2 program of 2021 and 2022 and National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America of 2023 . Additionally, she was principal violist in NYO2 2022. As a soloist, she was awarded Merit by National YoungArts Foundation. Other than music, she is a fourth-degree black belt in Taekwondo. In her free time, she loves to read, draw, watch movies, and hang out with her family and dog, Barry.
EUNICE LEE
BIO
// School: Archbishop Mitty High School
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// Years Active: 2020- Present
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// Instrument: Violin
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Eunice Lee is a senior at Archbishop Mitty High School. She started playing the violin at the age of 6. In 2020, she won second place in the instrumental ensemble senior division at the US Open Music Competition. Eunice placed 4th in the Instrumental solo at the US Open Music Competition in 2017 and won an Honorable Mention from the Korea Times Annual Music Competition in 2016. Eunice was also selected as the first Violin member of the 2021 California All-State Honor Ensemble, High School Symphony Orchestra. Eunice is a member of the Santa Clara Swim Club, and she has been selected for Pacific Coast All-Star Team in 2020 and Western Zone All-Star Team in 2019 and 2017 from Pacific Swimming Association.
JADE LEE
BIO
// School: Leigh High School
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// Years Active: 2021- Present
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// Instrument: Flute
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Jade Lee, 17, is a senior at Leigh High School. She started playing the flute at the age of 10. Jade is a member of her school’s Wind Ensemble, and in the 2022-2023 school year, she served as co-Vice President of the Sky Ensemble. She also started playing the piano at age 7 and continues to play recreationally.
Beyond the scope of music, Jade actively engages with her community. She dedicates time to her school’s UNICEF chapter as the president and also volunteers for AMASE (Academy of Music and Art for Special Education), utilizing her artistic skills. Jade has a passion for science and research, attending summer research programs and internships in Material Sciences as well as Pediatric studies.
In her free time, she likes to engage in sports, ranging from golf to figure skating to horseback riding.
TEBIN KIM
BIO
// School: Archbishop Mitty High School
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// Years Active: 2021- Present
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// Instrument: Media Manager
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Tebin Kim is a senior at Archbishop Mitty High School. Besides her interests in all things media—from videography to UI design and social media management—she is also very passionate about music. She has been a percussionist for six years and has played the piano for twelve. Tebin also enjoys running cross country and track, listening to podcasts, and participating in Student Government at her school.
DANIEL YIM
BIO
// School: Bellarmine College Preparatory
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// Years Active: 2020- Present
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// Instrument: Cello
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17-year-old cellist Daniel Yim is a senior at Bellarmine College Preparatory studying with Kyeong-hwa Kim. The first prize winner of the 2023 OPUS National Music Competition and the Grand Prize winner of the ENKOR International Music Competition, he has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra since 2018 and has served as its principal cellist since 2021. Since then, he has appeared with the 2022 Junior Bach Festival, the 2022 CASMEC All-State High School Symphony Orchestra, NYO2 2022 (as its principal cellist), and NYO-USA 2023. Previously, he also served as the principal cellist of the Bellarmine Chamber Orchestra from 2020 to 2022.
Daniel also serves as the president of Bravo Strings, where he teaches economically disadvantaged students about classical music. From 2021-2022, he served as Assistant Director of Programs at Art of the Heart, distributing virtual concerts to isolated pediatric patients and the developmentally disabled.
Aside from music, Daniel enjoys hiking, creative writing, and listening to music.
ETHAN PARK
BIO
// School: Lynbrook High School
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// Years Active: 2021- Present
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// Instrument: Piano
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Ethan Park is a senior at Lynbrook High School. He has been playing piano since he was 6. He is the winner of the Music IN Artist Competition for performance and composition in 2023. He also was a prizewinner in the San Francisco International Innovative Music Competition (SFIIMC) in 2022. He finished the Certificate of Merit Advanced Level with both State Honors and Convention Recital Invite and has received the Honors Circle in the Silicon Valley Philharmonic Music Competition (SVMC). Ethan is also a percussionist, and was selected as a member of the 2021 and 2022 California All-State Symphonic Band. In 2023, he won first place at the NCPA Individual and Ensemble competition for Marimba Ensemble. Additionally, he is a member of the California Youth Symphony (CYS) Senior Orchestra as a percussionist since 2021. Aside from music, Ethan enjoys playing water polo. He has participated in several Junior Olympics, has won the MVP award in his freshman and sophomore year for Lynbrook, and currently plays for his school’s varsity team.
MELODY YOON
BIO
// School: Valley Christian High School
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// Years Active: 2021- Present
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// Instrument: Cello
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Melody is a senior at Valley Christian High School and has been playing the cello since the age of six. She is a member of Valley’s Conservatory Honors program and participates in the string ensemble at school. Melody is currently in CPYO senior orchestra and recently participated in the 2022 CASMEC All-State Orchestra. In 2021, she won 1st place in the US International Open Music Competition for young prodigy subdivision. She also won awards in the 2021 Opus Music Competition and 2022 American Fine Art Festival. Other than music, she enjoys coding and watching movies during her free time.
MAKAILA KIM
BIO
// School: Homestead High School
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// Years Active: 2022- Present
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// Instrument: Violin
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Makaila Kim is a senior at Homestead High School. She started playing violin in 2nd grade and studies with Jiwon Evelyn Kwark. She has performed as a member and soloist with Homestead Orchestra and is also a member of CYS senior orchestra, Sky Ensemble, and KAMSA. She is a founding member of Ssiat Ensemble, and she performs regularly at nursing homes with her peers. In 2022 she won 2nd place at DVC HNU competition. Outside of violin, she enjoys creating art at her studio and spending time with family and friends.
