and Friends
Koko Dyulgerski and Leah Kovach, Violamore Duo
Co-Artistic director of TCMF, Bulgarian violist Koko is currently based in Denver, where he performs with Opera Colorado, the Colorado Symphony, and was recently appointed Principal Viola of the Central City Opera Orchestra. Koko received his Master of Music degree from Rice University in Houston as a student of Ivo-Jan Van der Werff, and previously studied under Kevork Mardirossian. During his time in Houston, Koko played regularly with the Mercury Baroque, Houston Grand Opera, and Houston Symphony Orchestras.
Also an avid chamber musician, Koko is co-founder of the Violamore Duo with his wife Leah Kovach. As a mentor, Koko loves teaching young violinists and violists and inspiring them to reach their full potential.
Co-Artistic director of TCMF, Bulgarian violist Koko is currently based in Denver, where he performs with Opera Colorado, the Colorado Symphony, and was recently appointed Principal Viola of the Central City Opera Orchestra. Koko received his Master of Music degree from Rice University in Houston as a student of Ivo-Jan Van der Werff, and previously studied under Kevork Mardirossian. During his time in Houston, Koko played regularly with the Mercury Baroque, Houston Grand Opera, and Houston Symphony Orchestras.
Also an avid chamber musician, Koko is co-founder of the Violamore Duo with his wife Leah Kovach. As a mentor, Koko loves teaching young violinists and violists and inspiring them to reach their full potential.
Violist Leah Kovach grew up in Salt Lake City and is co-Artistic Director of the Torrey Chamber Music Festival. Leah is currently based in Denver, where she is a member of the Colorado Symphony and was recently appointed to the Central City Opera Orchestra. Leah holds degrees from Indiana University and Rice University, where her primary teachers were Atar Arad and James Dunham. Leah has performed with orchestras and ensembles across four continents, including the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
In high school, Leah was lucky to participate in the Utah Youth Symphony and study with Utah Symphony musician Julie Edwards. She is excited that TCMF is providing educational and ensemble opportunities for young musicians in other areas of the state!
In high school, Leah was lucky to participate in the Utah Youth Symphony and study with Utah Symphony musician Julie Edwards. She is excited that TCMF is providing educational and ensemble opportunities for young musicians in other areas of the state!
TCMF Composers in Residence, 2022 Season
Aaron Peterson, Composer
Award-winning composer and performer Aaron Peterson is the quintessential 21st-century composer. Having started his music career as a classically-trained trumpeter, he is now involved in projects that range from composing for short film and animation to producing music for indie-pop artists. Peterson scored his first animation short with ‘A Life in the Day’, a story about the 24-hour lifespan of a mayfly, which went on to win the Best Young Adult and Children’s Film at the 2016 Int’l Wildlife Film Festival. The project kickstarted his love for scoring to animation. In 2019, he began scoring for Portland-based animation house Vooks, a streaming app library that animates children’s books to help young readers. A handful of the 30 titles he has scored will be added to Netflix’s streaming platform in the Fall of 2022. In addition to composing for animation, Peterson has composed for various short films in fiction and documentary genres. In 2019, he scored the short film drama ‘Umbilical’ which went on to receive various accolades, including screenings at the Hollywood Screenings and Sunset Film Festivals. The music for this score was readapted for string sextet as a commission for the 2019 season of the Torrey Chamber Music Festival, which hosted its world premiere. Using piano as a foundation for composition, Peterson began a recording project under the alias 'aaronk' in late 2021, which has been featured in Spotify’s New Classical Releases as well as their Atmospheric Piano playlists. Having written two EP’s for this project, the inaugural album is slated for release in the Fall of 2022. Peterson performs as the frontman vocalist, synthesizer player and trumpeter for Portland’s indie-pop outfit New Body Electric, which has published a handful of albums, EP’s and singles. This project, a duo of Peterson and drummer/guitarist Evan Smoker, has garnered more than 2 million streams on Spotify, and has landed in advertisements for brands like Haagen-Daz and Apple. Peterson remains active in pop music production for indie artists in the Portland area, with artists like Nosila and Princexa. Peterson holds a Bachelor's of Music degree from Chicago College of Performing Arts in classical trumpet performance, and has studied under film composers and orchestrators like David Spear (Alaska, Ghostbusters) and Hummie Mann (Robinhood: Men in Tights, Dracula: Dead and Loving it). Writing and producing music primarily in his home studio and on his Kawai felt piano, Peterson’s interests outside of music include playing indoor soccer, renovating his Portland, Oregon home with his partner, artist Leah Vautar, and finding inspiration in other creatives in Portland.
Award-winning composer and performer Aaron Peterson is the quintessential 21st-century composer. Having started his music career as a classically-trained trumpeter, he is now involved in projects that range from composing for short film and animation to producing music for indie-pop artists. Peterson scored his first animation short with ‘A Life in the Day’, a story about the 24-hour lifespan of a mayfly, which went on to win the Best Young Adult and Children’s Film at the 2016 Int’l Wildlife Film Festival. The project kickstarted his love for scoring to animation. In 2019, he began scoring for Portland-based animation house Vooks, a streaming app library that animates children’s books to help young readers. A handful of the 30 titles he has scored will be added to Netflix’s streaming platform in the Fall of 2022. In addition to composing for animation, Peterson has composed for various short films in fiction and documentary genres. In 2019, he scored the short film drama ‘Umbilical’ which went on to receive various accolades, including screenings at the Hollywood Screenings and Sunset Film Festivals. The music for this score was readapted for string sextet as a commission for the 2019 season of the Torrey Chamber Music Festival, which hosted its world premiere. Using piano as a foundation for composition, Peterson began a recording project under the alias 'aaronk' in late 2021, which has been featured in Spotify’s New Classical Releases as well as their Atmospheric Piano playlists. Having written two EP’s for this project, the inaugural album is slated for release in the Fall of 2022. Peterson performs as the frontman vocalist, synthesizer player and trumpeter for Portland’s indie-pop outfit New Body Electric, which has published a handful of albums, EP’s and singles. This project, a duo of Peterson and drummer/guitarist Evan Smoker, has garnered more than 2 million streams on Spotify, and has landed in advertisements for brands like Haagen-Daz and Apple. Peterson remains active in pop music production for indie artists in the Portland area, with artists like Nosila and Princexa. Peterson holds a Bachelor's of Music degree from Chicago College of Performing Arts in classical trumpet performance, and has studied under film composers and orchestrators like David Spear (Alaska, Ghostbusters) and Hummie Mann (Robinhood: Men in Tights, Dracula: Dead and Loving it). Writing and producing music primarily in his home studio and on his Kawai felt piano, Peterson’s interests outside of music include playing indoor soccer, renovating his Portland, Oregon home with his partner, artist Leah Vautar, and finding inspiration in other creatives in Portland.
Michael Begay, Composer and Narrator
A Diné performer/composer of Chamber Music, Experimental Sound, Native American Flute, and Metal music. Not only is Michael Begay an accomplished guitarist and bassist, but also plays piano, and various instruments both Native American and orchestral.
A graduate of the Grand Canyon Music Festival’s Native American Composer’s Apprentice Project (NACAP); Mr. Begay has studied under both Native and nonnative American Composers: Brent Michael Davids (Mohican), David Mallamud, Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (Chickasaw), Libby Larson, and Raven Chacon (Diné).
Originally based on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona, Michael moved to Baltimore, Maryland, after being accepted to The Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute of Music, to further his studies in music composition. Currently, Michael Begay is studying music composition in the studio of Oscar Bettison at Peabody and is currently working on various compositions ranging from Chamber Music, Electronic Ensemble, Solo and Orchestral works.
A Diné performer/composer of Chamber Music, Experimental Sound, Native American Flute, and Metal music. Not only is Michael Begay an accomplished guitarist and bassist, but also plays piano, and various instruments both Native American and orchestral.
A graduate of the Grand Canyon Music Festival’s Native American Composer’s Apprentice Project (NACAP); Mr. Begay has studied under both Native and nonnative American Composers: Brent Michael Davids (Mohican), David Mallamud, Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (Chickasaw), Libby Larson, and Raven Chacon (Diné).
Originally based on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona, Michael moved to Baltimore, Maryland, after being accepted to The Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute of Music, to further his studies in music composition. Currently, Michael Begay is studying music composition in the studio of Oscar Bettison at Peabody and is currently working on various compositions ranging from Chamber Music, Electronic Ensemble, Solo and Orchestral works.
TCMF Artists 2017-2022 Seasons
Allison Drenkow, Cello
Allison Drenkow has been a member of the Colorado Symphony since 2018 and cherishes performing in her home state. In recent years, Allison served as a member of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon, and prior to moving back to Colorado, was the cellist of the contemporary ensemble, ‘Semiosis Quartet’. While based in Boston with the quartet, she was a Featured Artist at the National New Music Gathering & Tanglewood’s inaugural Linde Center Chamber Music Series.
Some of Allison’s most treasured musical memories from the past few years include performing chamber music with Roberto Díaz, taking the stage at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg during its opening season, and joining members of the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and more in a Carnegie Hall concert supporting Music for Life International. Allison has held principal positions with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival in Japan, and National Festival Orchestra (USA). She has also performed internationally at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany, the Banff Centre in Canada, and
studied intensively at the Heifetz International Music Festival and Académie du Domaine Forget in
Quebec.
Allison holds degrees from New England Conservatory and Peabody Conservatory as a student of Natasha Brofsky and Alan Stepansky.
Allison Drenkow has been a member of the Colorado Symphony since 2018 and cherishes performing in her home state. In recent years, Allison served as a member of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon, and prior to moving back to Colorado, was the cellist of the contemporary ensemble, ‘Semiosis Quartet’. While based in Boston with the quartet, she was a Featured Artist at the National New Music Gathering & Tanglewood’s inaugural Linde Center Chamber Music Series.
Some of Allison’s most treasured musical memories from the past few years include performing chamber music with Roberto Díaz, taking the stage at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg during its opening season, and joining members of the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and more in a Carnegie Hall concert supporting Music for Life International. Allison has held principal positions with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival in Japan, and National Festival Orchestra (USA). She has also performed internationally at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany, the Banff Centre in Canada, and
studied intensively at the Heifetz International Music Festival and Académie du Domaine Forget in
Quebec.
Allison holds degrees from New England Conservatory and Peabody Conservatory as a student of Natasha Brofsky and Alan Stepansky.
Audrey Pride, Violin
Violinist Audrey Pride is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. Audrey attended Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and received her bachelor’s degree in violin performance studying with Mark Kaplan. She continued on to Northwestern University to complete her master’s degree with Blair Milton, and at the same time, was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. Additional studies include the Aspen Music Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Maestro Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Music Festival, the New World Symphony, and the National Repertory Orchestra. Audrey is a former member of the Dayton Philharmonic, and also taught violin in their after-school El Sistema-inspired program. Currently, Audrey is a core member of the Knoxville Symphony, and through the KSO, can be seen performing on many stages and in many classrooms throughout Eastern Tennessee.
Violinist Audrey Pride is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. Audrey attended Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and received her bachelor’s degree in violin performance studying with Mark Kaplan. She continued on to Northwestern University to complete her master’s degree with Blair Milton, and at the same time, was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. Additional studies include the Aspen Music Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Maestro Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Music Festival, the New World Symphony, and the National Repertory Orchestra. Audrey is a former member of the Dayton Philharmonic, and also taught violin in their after-school El Sistema-inspired program. Currently, Audrey is a core member of the Knoxville Symphony, and through the KSO, can be seen performing on many stages and in many classrooms throughout Eastern Tennessee.
Rachelle Hunt, Violin
Since making her solo debut with orchestra at the age of nine, American violinist Rachelle Hunt has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. She is a member of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony (hr-Sinfonieorchester) in Germany since 2011. Ms. Hunt has been a top prize-winner in numerous international and national competitions, including the Kingsville and Corpus Christi International Competitions. She has been presented as a soloist and chamber musician at such venues as the Concert Hall and Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, the Sendesaal of the Hessischer Rundfunk (Germany), the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, and Casa de la Música (Ecuador), as well as being featured on the nationally broadcast “From the Top” on NPR, several German radio stations, and TV in Venezuela and Colombia. Her recordings of chamber works appear in the Mozart Archives as well as the ARD Mediathek in Europe, and she is regularly featured on digital concert venues such as ARTE Concert and Stage@Seven. After graduating from Rice University, summa cum laude, she was awarded a Fulbright Grant to study at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Germany, where she earned both the Konzertexamen Diploma and Chamber Music Certificate with the highest honors. She is adjunct faculty at the Conservatory in Frankfurt (Dr. Hoch's Konservatorium). Learn more at www.rachelleviolin.com.
Since making her solo debut with orchestra at the age of nine, American violinist Rachelle Hunt has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. She is a member of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony (hr-Sinfonieorchester) in Germany since 2011. Ms. Hunt has been a top prize-winner in numerous international and national competitions, including the Kingsville and Corpus Christi International Competitions. She has been presented as a soloist and chamber musician at such venues as the Concert Hall and Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, the Sendesaal of the Hessischer Rundfunk (Germany), the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, and Casa de la Música (Ecuador), as well as being featured on the nationally broadcast “From the Top” on NPR, several German radio stations, and TV in Venezuela and Colombia. Her recordings of chamber works appear in the Mozart Archives as well as the ARD Mediathek in Europe, and she is regularly featured on digital concert venues such as ARTE Concert and Stage@Seven. After graduating from Rice University, summa cum laude, she was awarded a Fulbright Grant to study at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Germany, where she earned both the Konzertexamen Diploma and Chamber Music Certificate with the highest honors. She is adjunct faculty at the Conservatory in Frankfurt (Dr. Hoch's Konservatorium). Learn more at www.rachelleviolin.com.
Chris Jusell, Violin
Hailed by the Denver Westword for his “acrobatic” and “robust” playing, Chris Jusell is a Philadelphia-based violinist. He is Principal Second Violin of the Philadelphia Ballet orchestra and a member of the Opera Colorado and Central City Opera orchestras. He began his studies on the violin at the age of 11, and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Colorado State University. He plays and has toured with Nathaniel Rateliff, and formed the ambient jazz band Fuubutsushi with three friends during the pandemic, releasing five remotely-recorded and critically-acclaimed albums. Chris also conducted a youth orchestra in the mountains of Colorado for five years, and enjoys restoring and making furniture.
Hailed by the Denver Westword for his “acrobatic” and “robust” playing, Chris Jusell is a Philadelphia-based violinist. He is Principal Second Violin of the Philadelphia Ballet orchestra and a member of the Opera Colorado and Central City Opera orchestras. He began his studies on the violin at the age of 11, and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Colorado State University. He plays and has toured with Nathaniel Rateliff, and formed the ambient jazz band Fuubutsushi with three friends during the pandemic, releasing five remotely-recorded and critically-acclaimed albums. Chris also conducted a youth orchestra in the mountains of Colorado for five years, and enjoys restoring and making furniture.
Annamarie Reader, Cello
Annamarie Reader is an active freelancing cellist based in Houston, Texas. Whether it is through performing or teaching, her ultimate goal is to inspire young audiences to experience the joy of music and equip them with the necessary tools as they learn how to express themselves through music.
Ms. Reader has appeared with various ensembles in Houston including the Houston Symphony, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Mercury Baroque, Ars Lyrica and Divisi Strings. In the summertime, she is thrilled to be in the cello section of the Bellingham Music Festival in Bellingham, Washington. Ms. Reader is a member of the Ion String Quartet in Houston, performing contemporary works. While maintaining an active private teaching studio, she also holds a position on the faculty of Houston’s Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts.
Originally from Kansas, Ms. Reader received her Master of Music from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music where she studied with Desmond Hoebig. She studied with Melissa Kraut at the Cleveland Institute of Music where she earned her Bachelor of Music along with a certification in Suzuki cello pedagogy. Ms. Reader was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center for two seasons, during one of which she received the Samuel Mayes Memorial Cello Award.
Annamarie Reader is an active freelancing cellist based in Houston, Texas. Whether it is through performing or teaching, her ultimate goal is to inspire young audiences to experience the joy of music and equip them with the necessary tools as they learn how to express themselves through music.
Ms. Reader has appeared with various ensembles in Houston including the Houston Symphony, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Mercury Baroque, Ars Lyrica and Divisi Strings. In the summertime, she is thrilled to be in the cello section of the Bellingham Music Festival in Bellingham, Washington. Ms. Reader is a member of the Ion String Quartet in Houston, performing contemporary works. While maintaining an active private teaching studio, she also holds a position on the faculty of Houston’s Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts.
Originally from Kansas, Ms. Reader received her Master of Music from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music where she studied with Desmond Hoebig. She studied with Melissa Kraut at the Cleveland Institute of Music where she earned her Bachelor of Music along with a certification in Suzuki cello pedagogy. Ms. Reader was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center for two seasons, during one of which she received the Samuel Mayes Memorial Cello Award.
Delcho Tenev, Violin
Delcho Tenev began his music education in the “Dobrin Petkov” school under Prof. Darina Dankova in his hometown of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. At age 14 he moved to the U.S. and attended high school at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, studying with Prof. Todor Pelev. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and then earned a Master’s degree and Professional Performance Certificate from Lynn University. Delcho joined the violin section of the Colorado Symphony in September of 2015 and is happy to be playing great music with such a wonderful orchestra, as well as exploring the beautiful city of Denver.
Delcho Tenev began his music education in the “Dobrin Petkov” school under Prof. Darina Dankova in his hometown of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. At age 14 he moved to the U.S. and attended high school at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, studying with Prof. Todor Pelev. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and then earned a Master’s degree and Professional Performance Certificate from Lynn University. Delcho joined the violin section of the Colorado Symphony in September of 2015 and is happy to be playing great music with such a wonderful orchestra, as well as exploring the beautiful city of Denver.
Katie Tertell, Cello
Cellist Katie Tertell lives in the village of Clara Vale in Northern England and enjoys a rich and varied experience as a freelance artist in Europe and America. A former member of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Katie works with numerous European symphony and chamber orchestras, chamber ensembles and collectives. In addition to performing, Katie is a passionate pedagogue and teaches cello at Durham University (Durham, England). She is Artistic Director and Founder of the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival and co-creator of Cello Power, an educational community for cellists and musicians to grow and thrive in a supportive and fun environment.
Katie performs regularly in international music series and festivals and is increasingly interested in folk and cross-genre music. Her Northumbrian-based ensemble, Semibreve Collective, received critical acclaim for their rural Autumn 2020 tour of North East UK that served communities left isolated and vulnerable by the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Katie reached audiences near and far through radio broadcasts on RTE, BBC and beyond on a near weekly basis, as well as in a number of award winning discs. In January, 2021 she received a competitive “Developing Your Creative Practice Grant” from Arts Council England to further support her new creative work. Past awards include a Leverhulme Bursary through the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (UK, 2014), as well as numerous scholarships and competition prizes during her studies in the US and UK, including a full-tuition scholarship at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. She has appeared as a concerto soloist on several occasions in both countries and looks forward to performing the Brahms Double Concerto later this season.
Cellist Katie Tertell lives in the village of Clara Vale in Northern England and enjoys a rich and varied experience as a freelance artist in Europe and America. A former member of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Katie works with numerous European symphony and chamber orchestras, chamber ensembles and collectives. In addition to performing, Katie is a passionate pedagogue and teaches cello at Durham University (Durham, England). She is Artistic Director and Founder of the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival and co-creator of Cello Power, an educational community for cellists and musicians to grow and thrive in a supportive and fun environment.
Katie performs regularly in international music series and festivals and is increasingly interested in folk and cross-genre music. Her Northumbrian-based ensemble, Semibreve Collective, received critical acclaim for their rural Autumn 2020 tour of North East UK that served communities left isolated and vulnerable by the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Katie reached audiences near and far through radio broadcasts on RTE, BBC and beyond on a near weekly basis, as well as in a number of award winning discs. In January, 2021 she received a competitive “Developing Your Creative Practice Grant” from Arts Council England to further support her new creative work. Past awards include a Leverhulme Bursary through the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (UK, 2014), as well as numerous scholarships and competition prizes during her studies in the US and UK, including a full-tuition scholarship at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. She has appeared as a concerto soloist on several occasions in both countries and looks forward to performing the Brahms Double Concerto later this season.
Ben Tomkins, Violin
Benjamin Tomkins received his master's degree in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Stephen Rose. He is currently a first violinist at the Cabrillo Festival in Santa Cruz, CA and a Master Mentor at the Denver School of the Arts. When not performing and teaching, he is a regular political and social commentator for a newspaper, a composer, and enjoys cooking for his wife Robyn and offering little bites to their dog Amelia under the table.
Benjamin Tomkins received his master's degree in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Stephen Rose. He is currently a first violinist at the Cabrillo Festival in Santa Cruz, CA and a Master Mentor at the Denver School of the Arts. When not performing and teaching, he is a regular political and social commentator for a newspaper, a composer, and enjoys cooking for his wife Robyn and offering little bites to their dog Amelia under the table.
Yi Zhao, Violin
Born in Henan, China, Yi Zhao joined the Colorado Symphony as Assistant Concertmaster in 2014. Since joining the Symphony, Zhao has taken active roles to enrich the musical culture of Colorado. She has appeared as a solo artist with major community orchestras such as Lakewood, Broomfield, and Littleton Symphony Orchestras, and is a frequently featured chamber musician at the Englewood Arts, Walden Chamber Music Society (Salida), and Epic (Colorado Springs) Series.
During summertime Zhao performs at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. The Festival Orchestra is comprised of musicians from top orchestras around the world, and Zhao is proud to represent the Colorado Symphony among its ranks. Prior to her invitation to the Tetons, Zhao and her colleagues, Coleman Itzkoff and Andrew Staupe, have been invited to the 2014 La Jolla Music Festival as the Pegasus Trio. There she has shared the stage with many world-renown artists such as Cho-Liang Lin, Yefim Bronfman, Inon Barnatan, Alex Kerr, Desmond Hoebig, Richard O’Neill, Leonard Slatkin, and the Miró Quartet. In addition, she has performed with Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carerras at the Sun Festival in Singapore and concert series at the Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the Peabody Institute with Michael Kannen.
Zhao received her Bachelor of Music under the tutelage of Qian Zhou at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore in 2007 and earned her Master’s under the guidance of Cho-Liang Lin at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University in May 2013. During these times she was also a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and Music Academy of the West, and worked with other renowned pedagogues such as Pamela Frank, Emmanuel Ax, Glenn Dicterow, Jorja Fleezanis, and Kathleen Winkler.
Zhao performs on a 2020 Collin Gallahue violin.
Born in Henan, China, Yi Zhao joined the Colorado Symphony as Assistant Concertmaster in 2014. Since joining the Symphony, Zhao has taken active roles to enrich the musical culture of Colorado. She has appeared as a solo artist with major community orchestras such as Lakewood, Broomfield, and Littleton Symphony Orchestras, and is a frequently featured chamber musician at the Englewood Arts, Walden Chamber Music Society (Salida), and Epic (Colorado Springs) Series.
During summertime Zhao performs at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. The Festival Orchestra is comprised of musicians from top orchestras around the world, and Zhao is proud to represent the Colorado Symphony among its ranks. Prior to her invitation to the Tetons, Zhao and her colleagues, Coleman Itzkoff and Andrew Staupe, have been invited to the 2014 La Jolla Music Festival as the Pegasus Trio. There she has shared the stage with many world-renown artists such as Cho-Liang Lin, Yefim Bronfman, Inon Barnatan, Alex Kerr, Desmond Hoebig, Richard O’Neill, Leonard Slatkin, and the Miró Quartet. In addition, she has performed with Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carerras at the Sun Festival in Singapore and concert series at the Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the Peabody Institute with Michael Kannen.
Zhao received her Bachelor of Music under the tutelage of Qian Zhou at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore in 2007 and earned her Master’s under the guidance of Cho-Liang Lin at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University in May 2013. During these times she was also a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and Music Academy of the West, and worked with other renowned pedagogues such as Pamela Frank, Emmanuel Ax, Glenn Dicterow, Jorja Fleezanis, and Kathleen Winkler.
Zhao performs on a 2020 Collin Gallahue violin.
