News Flash!
Our BMC Young Musicians’ String Competition Winner, Huisun Hong, will be featured in the upcoming Cambrian Symphony’s April 5th performance titled: American Voices.
Yes! Our BMC April 2024 String Competition winning student, Huisun Hong will be performing Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, third movement with Cambrian Symphony! Also on the Cambrian Symphony program is music by Copeland, Gershwin, Joplin and others.
Huisun Hong, cello
Huisun Hong, 18, is a senior at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California. He began playing the cello at the age of eight and currently studies under Eric Sung at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Pre-College Division. Huisun is a co-principal cellist of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and has been a member since 2021. In 2024, he was the runner-up in the orchestra’s concerto competition and had the honor of representing the youth orchestra at a performance for the donors and sponsors of the San Francisco Symphony’s Pierre Monteux Society. A 2024 National YoungArts Winner and a 2023 MTNA California State competition winner, Huisun has also performed as a soloist with the Palo Alto Philharmonic and performed Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the California Youth Symphony this past season. Throughout his journey, Huisun has earned numerous awards, including top prizes in the KAMSA Competition, the Etude Club of Berkeley’s Young Artist Competition, the Pacific Music Society Competition, and the Burlingame Music Club’s Young Artists Competition. Additionally, he was invited to perform at the Junior Bach Festivals in 2020, 2021, and 2022. As an avid chamber musician, Huisun plays in the Aves Trio as part of the Young Chamber Musicians program. The trio took first and grand prize at the 11th Coltman National Chamber Music Competition and won the first prize in the ENKOR and MTAC VOCE State Competitions. The group has participated in masterclasses with the Horszowski Piano Trio, Miró Quartet, and pianist Stephan Prutsman and was selected for From the Top’s Learning and Media Lab Fellowship. In May 2025, the trio will perform at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Young Musicians Concert in New York. Huisun has had the privilege of studying under many renowned cellists, including Laurence Lesser, Andres Diaz, Paul Katz, Clara Kim, Hans Jensen, Lluis Claret, Steven Doane, and Zvi Plesser. His summers include attending the Bowdoin International Music Festival, NYO2, Encore Chamber Music, NYO-USA, and the Morningside Music Bridge Program. This summer, he will return to participate in the Morningside program on a full scholarship.
Attend if you can! Support our student! It looks like a great program!
BMC Board of Directors
Katelyn Deng played with Cambrian Symphony on February 1, 2025
One of our BMC Young Musicians’ Competition Winners will be featured in the upcoming Cambrian Symphony’s February 1st performance titled: Stories through Music.
Our BMC April 2024 piano competition winning student, Katelyn Deng performed The Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1, first movement with Cambrian Symphony! Also on the Cambrian Symphony program is Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique. Admission is free with donation gladly accepted.
Katelyn Deng, piano, age 16, is a 10th grader from Fremont, California. She started piano at the age of 4 and has been studying with Mrs. Kai Chi Zhu for over eight years. Recently, Katelyn won First Prize in the 2023 Pacific Musical Society & Foundation Competition, and First Prizes in the 2024 United States Open Music Competition, both the Complete Concerto and Solo Showcase category. She was awarded 3rd prize in the 2024 Young Artist Competition by Fremont Symphony for the complete concerto category.
Katelyn was accepted as a finalist for the Henry and Carol Zeiter Piano Competition and invited to perform at the University of the Pacific in late January, ultimately winning Honorable Mention. In November, Katelyn tied for 1st place in the 2024 Al Navaroli Competition; and Katelyn was honored to perform with the South Valley Symphony, conductor Anthony Quartuccio, in March.
She has performed in masterclasses taught by Steinway Artist, Natsuki Fukasawa, Curtis Institute Professor, Meng-Chieh Liu, Leeds Piano Competition First Place winner, Sofya Gulyak, and highly-decorated pianist, Armen Babakhanian. Additionally, she has participated in the Junior Bach Festival for four consecutive years. Besides music, Katelyn enjoys writing, reading books, and watching movies or documentaries.