The Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts | WFMT

Cellist Julia-Hyunji Lee and pianist Umi Garrett perform works by Robert Schumann, Nadia Boulanger, Ludwig van Beethoven and Florence Price, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Praised by the La Jolla Light for her “warmth” and “musical integrity”, 25 year old Korean-American cellist Julia-Hyunji Lee is passionate about creating authentic connections and relationships through her love of music. She is a prize winner of the Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition, recipient of the Mary Alice Cox Award, first prize at the FFMC competition, and finalist of the Barbash J.S. Bach International Competition. As a soloist she has performed with the Ocala Symphony, Alachua County Symphony, and University of Florida Chamber Orchestra. Julia has been presented in performances by the Music in the Vineyards Festival in Napa Valley, La Jolla Music Society SummerFest, Montage Music Society, Santa Fe College of Fine Arts, Core Memory Chamber Music, Dame Myre Hess Series, and Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival. Deeply enthusiastic about collaboration, Julia has had the pleasure of performing alongside renowned artists such as Clive Greensmith, Noah Bendix-Balgley, Bion Tsang, Catherine Cho, Ara Gregorian, Robert McDonald, Inon Barnatan, Blake Pouliot, Merry Peckham, and Molly Carr across various international stages. Julia received a Bachelor of Music at The Juilliard School where she studied with Darrett Adkins and a Master of Music at Juilliard where she studied with the late Joel Krosnick under a C.V Starr Scholarship. She also studied baroque cello performance with Robert Mealy during her time at Juilliard. She is extremely grateful for her previous mentors, Wendy Warner and Chungsun Kim. In her free time, Julia enjoys practicing yoga and spending time with her cat, Clover. Umi Garrett is a highly accomplished solo and chamber pianist, having performed numerous recitals in the United States and internationally. Most recently, she performed Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time with principal members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra including Danny Jin, John Sharp, and Stephen Williamson at the University of Chicago, and performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall in collaboration with double bassist Nina Bernat. She was also recently featured on Interlochen Public Radio as part of a chamber music residency with Viridian Strings. She has performed regularly through presenters such as the Clark Art Institute, the Dame Myra Hess Series, Bay Chamber Concerts, and the Chopin Foundation of the United States. Umi has performed and toured with orchestras such as the Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony and Pops, Symphony Boca Raton, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Wuhan Symphony Orchestra, and the New Mexico Philharmonic. Umi was awarded first prize at The Juilliard School’s Concerto Competition, fourth prize at the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition, and awarded the John Newmark Prize for Best Collaborative Pianist for her performances with finalist Nathan Meltzer at the 2023 Montreal International Violin Competition. She has also collaborated with prize-winners at renowned competitions such as the Queen Elisabeth Competition for Violin, Primrose International Viola Competition, the Naumburg International Cello Competition, and the Sphinx Competition. During the summers, Umi is a Staff Collaborative Pianist for the Program for Piano and Strings at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, under the leadership of Artistic Director Midori. Umi has released three solo albums and released her debut chamber album in 2024 of the complete Beethoven Cello Sonatas under PARMA Recordings. Umi has received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Piano Performance at the Juilliard School where she was a recipient of the Kovner Fellowship, and previously served as a Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Yale School of Music. She is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at The Juilliard...

Pianist Amiri Harewood performs works by George Walker and J.S. Bach live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Currently studying at the Royal College of Music on a full scholarship under the tutelage of Danny Driver, Amiri Harewood holds the Ann Driver Trust Scholarship, supported by the Victor Dandaleh Foundation. He previously studied at Trinity Music Academy under Richard Evans. Amiri regularly performs across the UK and abroad. Previous engagements include solo recitals at prestigious venues including Steinway Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Institut Francais, Bishopsgate’s Institute, the Royal Albert Hall (as part of the Steinway Young Artist series), and an appearance performing on BBC Radio London. His appearances abroad include recitals at the Conservatorio in Venice, and the Mozart Music Festival in Forli, Italy. Amiri has also had the privilege of working with renowned musicians including Inon Barnatan, Vanessa Latarche and Trio Shaham-Erez-Wallfisch. The post Amiri Harewood, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Violinist Claire Bourg and pianist Kyle Orth perform works by W.A. Mozart, Maurice Ravel, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Violinist Claire Bourg has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician at prestigious venues across the United States and Europe, including Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, the Kimmel Center, and venues in Bremen, ... The post Claire Bourg, violin and Kyle Orth, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Cellist Jenny Bahk and pianist Linda Lee perform works by Lera Auerbach, Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Jenny Bahk is a 26-year-old cellist currently pursuing her Doctor of Music degree at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, studying with Brandon Vamos. She holds a Master of Music and a Master ... The post Jenny Bahk, cello and Linda Lee, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Hyerim Lee performs works by Frédéric Chopin, Grażyna Bacewicz, and Claude Debussy, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Born in South Korea, Dr. Hyerim Lee is an accomplished pianist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. She is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions, including the OSAKA International Piano Competition, Ettlingen International Piano Competition, MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition, ... The post Hyerim Lee, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Yeontaek Oh performs works by Clara Schumann & Robert Schumann, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Praised by critics for the “millimeter precision of touch,” “full of contrasts and nuances,” “rare sensitivity and dazzling virtuosity,” “finesse of touch and technical mastery,” and the “brave administration of silence,” Yeontaek Oh began playing the piano at the age ... The post Yeontaek Oh, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Amnis Piano Quartet are violinist Minkyung Lee, violist Matthew McDowell, cellist Jenny Bahk and pianist Linda Lee. Their competition wins include bronze medal at the 50th Annual Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, third prize at the Premio Renzo Guibergia Prize Competition (IT), Grand Prize and Audience Prize at the Yellow Springs Chamber Competition, the Oneppo Series Chamber Competition. They were ... The post Amnis Piano Quartet appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Joshua Mhoon performs works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Maurice Ravel, Ernesto Lecuona, Ottorino Respighi and Alexander Scriabin, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Mhoon began piano at age seven and advanced rapidly, demonstrating a rare combination of artistry, curiosity, and technical command. At just 15, he entered Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music to study with ... The post Joshua Mhoon, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Stephanie Tang performs works by Franz Schubert, Sofia Gubaidulina, Missy Mazzoli and Johannes Brahms, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. BBC Magazine Rising Star Stephanie Tang is a Chinese-American pianist with an active concert career in solo and chamber performance in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Europe. She has appeared in major international concert halls such as ... The post Stephanie Tang, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Kacper Żaromski performs works by Karol Szymanowski and Frédéric Chopin, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Kacper Żaromski was born in 1999. He is a native from Rymanow Zdrój in South Eastern Poland. He graduated with honors from the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Music School in Krosno, under the teaching of Mrs. Dorota Skibicka. He then proceeded ... The post Kacper Żaromski, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Motti Fang-Bentov performs the world premiere of Tomer Rozen‘s Suite over Mi-Sol-Re as well as Miroirs by Maurice Ravel, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Born in Beijing, China, and raised in Tel-Aviv, Israel, pianist Motti Fang-Bentov hails from a multicultural, east-west background. Described by Mitsuko Uchida as “a fine musician”, and applauded for his “depth of ... The post Motti Fang-Bentov, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Hyejin Cho performs works by Felix Mendelssohn and Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Hyejin Cho enjoys a flourishing career as a soloist and chamber musician, performing in concerts across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Rooted in her long-standing passion for the music of Robert Schumann, she developed a multi-state concert series devoted to ... The post Hyejin Cho, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Cellist Eunghee Cho and Pianist Tomomi Sato perform works by Camille Saint-Saëns and Rita Strohl, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Korean-American cellist Eunghee Cho was awarded Second Prize and the special award for Outstanding Chinese New Piece Performance at the Schoenfeld International String Competition (China). He also earned top prizes at the Chamber Music Yellow Springs ... The post Eunghee Cho, cello and Tomomi Sato, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Linda Lee performs works by Johannes Brahms and Alexander Scriabin, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Known for her bold musical instinct and striking individuality, pianist Linda Lee brings a vivid sense of expression and deep stylistic understanding to every performance. Her natural phrasing, harmonic sensitivity, and communicative presence make her a compelling artist on both ... The post Linda Lee, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Katarina String Quartet perform works by Joseph Haydn and Kevin Puts, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Grand Prize winner of the 2025 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, the Katarina String Quartet has quickly distinguished itself as one of North America’s most compelling young ensembles. The tightly-knit ensemble currently serves as the Graduate Resident String Quartet at The Juilliard ... The post Katarina String Quartet appeared first on WFMT.

Violist Laura Liu and Pianist Victor Asuncion perform works by Florence Price, William Bergsma and Johannes Brahms, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Laura Liu, a native of Miami, Florida, currently lives in New York City studying with Cynthia Phelps and Misha Amory. Liu, hailed by Classical Voice America as a “standout” with “sound deep, warm, and ... The post Laura Liu, viola and Victor Asuncion, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Cellist Dilshod Narzillaev and Pianist Victor Asuncion perform works by Robert Schumann, Afanasyevich Varelas and Johannes Brahms, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Cellist Dilshod Narzillaev has captivated audiences worldwide with his solo performances alongside prestigious ensembles, including the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall, the National and State orchestras of Uzbekistan, the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, ... The post Dilshod Narzillaev, cello and Victor Asuncion, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Pianist Han Chen performs works by Florence Price, György Ligeti and Sergei Rachmaninoff, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. A fearless performer with seemingly limitless imagination and possessed with uncanny energy, pianist Han Chen plays scores old and new with rare rigor and insight. Alex Ross, classical music critic of The New Yorker, who selected Mr. Chen’s ... The post Han Chen, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Violinist Zachary Brandon and pianist Sung Hoon Mo perform works by Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. Zachary Brandon is acclaimed for his poetic interpretation and boldly personal sound. A laureate of the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition, the International Stradivarius Violin Competition, and the Cooper International Violin Competition, he has performed ... The post Zachary Brandon, violin and Sung Hoon Mo, piano appeared first on WFMT.

Soprano Adia Evans and pianist Michael Banwarth perform works by Alfred Bachelet, Joseph Marx, Gian Carlo Menotti, H.T. Burleigh, Lori Laitman, Leslie Adams, and Ricky Ian Gordon, live from the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago. A second-year soprano with The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center from Baltimore, Adia Evans sang Theresa Alvarez/The Listeners, Girlfriend 2/Blue, and Countess Ceprano/Rigoletto ... The post Adia Evans, soprano and Michael Banwarth, piano appeared first on WFMT.