The "Back to BACH" Project
Students for the Arts!
Sean Yu
Member Since Fall 2016
Sean Yu is a 14 year-old cellist, who is in his 5th year at The Juilliard School Pre-College division. He has been studying with Minhye Clara Kim since the age of nine. Sean won 4th prize at the 10th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Astana, Kazakhstan in June 2017. He was selected to appear on a National Public Radio’s “From the Top” with Host Christopher O’Riley and performed at NEC’s Jordan Hall in October 2016. “From the Top” featured video of Sean’s performing and posted on their Facebook and YouTube. At age 12, Sean was accepted into the Perlman Music Program, where he spent his summer intensively studying chamber music, cello performance, and orchestral music under the tutelage of Merry Peckham, Astrid Schween, Zvi Plesser and Itzhak Perlman. Sean was invited to perform in the Intrepid Museum of NYC for the “Remembering Our Fallen” veterans’ 9/11 memorial in 2016.
He has been playing monthly at the Drug Rehabilitation Center at the Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital in NYC since 11 years old. He performed Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations on a Rococo Theme as a soloist with St. Thomas Orchestra at White Plains, NY in 2017. In 2016, Sean won 1st prize at the Camerata Artists International Competition and performed as a soloist with the Camerata Orchestra at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York City. Sean performed at the Merkin Concert Hall again after winning grand prize at the Manhattan International Music Competition and first prize at the International Grande Music Competition in 2016. Sean was also awarded 1st prize at the 17th New York Music Competition and performed at the Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall) in 2014. He has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and a member of the Juilliard Pre-College String Ensemble at many prestigious venues including the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Peter J. Sharp Theater, Jordan Hall, Paul Hall, Morse Hall, Wilson Theater and Merkin Hall. Sean joined the "Back to BACH" Project in 2016, and he will start as regional director in Westchester County, NY in the fall of 2018.
Charissa Soh
Member Since Fall 2018
Charissa Soh is a violinist and studies with Ms. Minji Kwon and Professor Hyo Kang. She is a student at the Juilliard School in the pre-college division and has been a part of several master classes. Some of Charissa’s hobbies include taking care of animals and making crafts. Charissa enjoys performing for others and doing community services such as playing for her local senior centers and doing girl scouts. Charissa joined the "Back to BACH" Project in the fall of 2018.
Katelyn Moon
Member Since Fall 2018
Katelyn Moon, who is thirteen years old, is in the 8th grade at the Dwight School in New York. She has been playing the violin since she was six years old. Katelyn was accepted to Juilliard Pre-College at the age of eleven and she is currently studying under Dr. Ann Setzer. Katelyn received First Class Honors of Royal Conservatory Music Development Program for her performance in violin study at the age of eight. She also appeared as a soloist with the Camerata Virtuosi New Jersey Orchestra at Merkin Concert Hall when she was nine. Katelyn performed several times at major venues including the Weill Recital Hall, Zankel Hall, and Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. She has won numerous awards including First prize at the New York International Music Competition in 2014, Third prize in 2015 and Second prize in 2016 at the International Grande Music Competition, and Bronze at the International Virtuoso Competition in 2016. She has also placed third at the Juilliard Concerto Competition in 2017. Other awards that she has won is First prize of the eMuse Competition in 2018, the Third prize in the New York International Artists Competition-NYIAA and many others. During the summer, she has attended and performed at the Meadowmount School of Music in Westport, New York. At Meadowmount, she performed in a masterclass with James Ehnes. She has been the concertmaster of the String Ensemble orchestra at Juilliard Pre-College and participated at the chamber music program. Katelyn joined the "Back to BACH" Project in the fall of 2018.
Enako Matsumoto
Member Since Fall 2018
Violinist Enako Matsumoto currently studies with Itzhak Perlman and Li Lin at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division. She began playing the violin at the age of three in Tokyo. At the age of seven, she was selected to perform as the youngest “youth performer” in the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra at Suntory Hall. Her early studies took place at The Toho Academy of Music, whose notable alumni include Maestro Seiji Ozawa. At the age of nine, she was invited to participate in the International Summer Academy "Mozarteum" in Salzburg, Austria and was chosen to perform as a soloist at the program’s closing concert. Enako moved to the United States when she was ten years old. She has performed at many renowned venues including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and numerous concert halls at The Juilliard School. In the summer, she participates in The Perlman Music Program, and she often performs in various events throughout the year. A devout opera lover, Enako is a tenth grader at The Trinity School in Manhattan, and she especially enjoys her math, science, and computer science classes. Enako joined the “Back to BACH” Project in the fall of 2018.
Dylan Hamme
Member Since Fall 2018
Dylan Hamme is a violin student of Catherine Cho at The Juilliard School Pre-College Division. He was the assistant concertmaster of The Juilliard Pre-College Symphony during the 2017-18 season. He attends the Visual and Performing Arts Academy of Bergen County Academies. At age eleven, Dylan was featured on NBC’s Today Show performing with violinist Joshua Bell. That same year, he performed as soloist with the Bergen Sinfonia, along with former New York Philharmonic violinist Alan Schiller. He made his concerto debut in 2015 with David Gilbert and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Dylan has been a prizewinner in numerous solo competitions including the International Virtuoso Competition (IVC), the New York Chamber Players Orchestra Young Artist Competition,¬ and the NJ IGO Young Artist Competition. He was also awarded the Patinka Kopec Endowed Precollege Violin Scholarship. As a chamber musician, he won first prize in the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Chamber Music Competition. Dylan’s solo and chamber music recitals include chamber music, solo, and orchestra performances at The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music. He was the featured artist in the 2018 inaugural Young Artists Concert Series at First Presbyterian Church of Verona, NJ. He performed on the 2018 IVC Gold Winners’ Concert in New York City. Dylan attended Berkshire Summer Music. He has performed in master classes of renowned violinists including Joseph Silverstein, former concertmaster of the Boston Symphony, Jennifer Koh, an international soloist, and Patinka Kopec, co-director of the Pinchas Zuckerman Performance Program at Manhattan School of Music. An accomplished singer, Dylan made his vocal debut with The New York Philharmonic at age eight, appearing as the hedgehog in their acclaimed 2011 production of The Cunning Little Vixen. As a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Children's Chorus for seven years, Dylan appeared in many operas and was one of the three solo boys (spirit guides) featured in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2016 production of The Magic Flute. Dylan joined the “Back to BACH” Project in the fall of 2018.
Victoria Moon
Member Since Fall 2018
A native of Seoul, Victoria Yeseung Moon, started playing the cello at the age of 8. She currently studies at the Juilliard Pre-College Division under the pedagogy of Ms. Clara Minhye Kim. Since beginning her music studies, Victoria has participated in and won many competitions. She won first place at the Universal Competition in 2016 and first place at the Soong Eui Music Competition where she served as the principal cellist of the Soong Eui Orchestra for their 2014-2016 seasons. Victoria also won third place at the SungJung Competition in 2016, first place at the Strad Music Competition, second place at the Herald Competition, second place at the Ye-eum Competition, and second place at Eumyun Competition in 2016. She was also the principal cellist of the Juilliard String Ensemble in 2018. Victoria joined the “Bach to BACH” Project in the fall of 2018.
Ethan Resnik
Member Since Fall 2018
Ethan Resnik is sixteen and has been playing the piano for ten years. He has composed over 40 classical piano compositions, including a piano concerto. At age eleven, Ethan made his Carnegie Hall debut and has performed several times since, playing piano and alto saxophone, including three original piano compositions. Ethan has earned first place in several international music competitions and was invited to perform in Russia. He enjoyed participating in the Concert Festival International Summer Tour 2018 in Paris and as a guest artist in Engelman Recital Hall in NYC. He will be performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor Op. 23, Third Movement, with the North Shore Symphony
Orchestra in November, 2018. He spends Saturdays at Juilliard Pre-College for composition. For over two years, he has performed weekly hour-long concerts for residents at an assisted living facility. Ethan initiated two solo piano performances, raising over $3000 for Patient Access Network Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project. Most recently, he organized and participated in a charity music concert that raised over $2700 to help a classmate who was critically injured in an accident. “I will continue to use my music to inspire positivity in our world.”
Michelle Kwon
Member Since WInter 2018
Michelle Kwon is currently twelve years old and is studying Cello at the Juilliard Precollege under the tutelage of Ms. Amy Barston. Michelle was recently accepted into Juilliard Precollege at the age of 11. She has been playing cello for five years, since the age of eight. During her music studies, she has attended numerous competitions including the Crescendo International Music competition, the Korean Radio Broadcast Music Competition, placing first, and the New York Music Competition (YWCA), securing first prize. Moreover, Michelle has performed at many prominent concert venues such as Weill Recital Hall and Isaac Stern Hall of Carnegie and Lincoln Center. As a chamber musician, she attended the KRB music competition and was awarded first in the Manhattan International Music Competition. In Michelle joined the “Back to Bach” project in the winter of 2019.
Dexter Doris
Member Since March 2019
A native of New York, Dexter Doris has been playing the violin since he was 4. He started in the Suzuki program at his pre-kindergarten and has been playing ever since. At 5, he had played through most of the Suzuki books and was admitted to the Bard Conservatory Pre-College Program. After 3 years in the program, his family moved to the metro NYC area where he has continued his studies with renowned teachers Sally Thomas and Ann Setzer. He now studies at the Juilliard Pre-College program in New York City under Ann Setzer. As a winner of numerous competitions, Dexter won the New York State Music Teachers Association (NYSMTA) competition and has been their state champion ever since 2017. Following that year, Dexter made his orchestral debut with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra where he played Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No. 4. In addition to solo violin, Dexter loves to play chamber music and has had groups in the past that won awards in local chamber music competitions. He also enjoys playing piano and took lessons for 3 years at Bard. In the Summer, he attends Meadowmount School for Strings in Westport, NY where he has studied there for almost 6 years.
Daniel Choi
Member Since January 2020
Oboist Daniel Choi was born in New York and began to play the oboe at age ten. He has won several awards, including First Place in the Vivo Youth Competition in 2016 and Silver Medal at the Winners’ Concert, First Place in the International Grande Music Competition in 2016, First Place in the American Protege Competition in 2016, and Gold Medal in the Young Maestro Competition in 2017 as well as the Best Performance Prize at the Winners’ Concert, Second Place in the 2018 Camerata Competition, Third Place in the 2019 92Y Concerto Competition, and First Place in the 2019 Great Composers Series Masters of Sonatas Winds category. He started attending Juilliard at age twelve. He enjoys playing the oboe because he believes that the instrument’s dulcet rich sound allows him to freely express the inner ideas and emotions of various conductors. Currently, Daniel is a freshman (Class of 2023) at Riverdale Country School in New York. He is a member of a student-led intra school chamber group called Flume as well as a member of the school math team.