All Classical Radio | On Deck with Young Musicians

Nicholas Peterson-Hunt is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Texas with Barbara Butler. Recently, he performed Légende by George Enescu with the Salem Youth Symphony after winning the concerto competition. Some of his accomplishments include winning the Oregon Solo Trumpet Championship three years in a row, advanced into semi-finals at the National Trumpet Competition in the high school solo division and placing second at the National Trumpet Competition in the high school ensemble division.

Cadyn Lanier, a senior at Hockinson High School, has been principal flute in their school’s Wind Ensemble for three years and plays piccolo in the marching band. They have been involved with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony for seven years, including touring Spain and Portugal this summer. Cadyn hopes to pursue a career in the music industry and is passionate about the behind-the-scenes, especially audio engineering and recording & production.

Kaylee Nah, 15, is a sophomore at Sunset High School studying the violin under Hae-Jin Kim since the age of five. She has been a member of Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) since 2018 and currently serves as co-concertmaster of the PYP orchestra. Kaylee is a recipient of the Monday Musical Club Phillips Award for best instrumental performance and has won first place in many competitions such as the OMEA State Championships, MetroArts Young Artists Debut! Competition, and the MTNA Junior String competition, placing as one of the seven national finalists. Kaylee has participated in masterclasses of Ray Chen, Vadim Gluzman, and Benjamin Beilman, to name a few. She attended the Heifetz International Music Institute and the Interlochen Arts Camp, where she served as concertmaster of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra on a full scholarship. She was also concertmaster of the 2024 OMEA All-State Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her violin studies, Kaylee has been studying piano since the age o

Samuel Tselnik is a senior percussionist from Grant High School, where he leads the percussion ensemble and drumline. He started out playing classical piano but split his interests into jazz piano and concert percussion in middle school. Outside of school band, he participates in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony as well as honor bands including WIBC, All-State, and All-Northwest, and also hosts jam sessions for young, beginner jazz musicians. Once the school year ends, Sam goes to spend the summer performing with Drum Corps International

Luka Schrock is a 16-year-old multi-instrumentalist that’s been surrounded by music his whole life. Attending Roosevelt High School in North Portland, he actively participates in the Jazz and Concert bands that the school has to offer. Additionally, he takes part in a community orchestra outside of that. He looks forward to what music has to bring him in the future.

Miriam Haralson, a senior at St. Stephen’s Academy, has enjoyed playing flute for the past eight years and is a member of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony’s Concert Orchestra and has played with their flute ensemble in previous years. Miriam first began learning piano, but when given the opportunity to try flute, she focused her time on the one she loved more. Alongside music, Miriam loves to read about practically any subject and tries her best to stay on top of school, working at Chick-fil-a, and hanging out with friends. She is currently applying to Hillsdale College to study Physics and Philosophy.

Sophie Ohle is a 16-year-old junior at Parkrose High School in Portland, Oregon. She has been playing the oboe for 4 years and currently studies with Karen Wagner. She is the Assistant Principal oboist of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony and also plays oboe in the Pacific Rose Ensemble, a student founded and student led chamber group. At Parkrose, she inspires her peers as the Drum Major of her marching band and the Vice President of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. In her free time, she loves to play tennis, snowboard, and do her and her friend’s nails!

Elishiya Crain-Keddie is a senior at the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics and is in her third year at the Young Composers Project. She plays principal cello for both of her school’s top orchestras and has been selected for the LCRMEA Honors Orchestra every year she has been eligible. Elishiya’s compositions have been awarded by Luna Composition Lab and the Washington State MTA, and played by the Oregon Symphony, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, and the NYC-based contemporary ensemble Bang on A Can. Additionally, she participated in the NowBeat Project and composed a string duet performed by Juilliard students. In her free time, she enjoys doing math, drinking boba tea and travelling, especially to Disney parks.

Jadelyn Donoho is an 18-year-old flutist who is currently a Senior at Arts and Communication Magnet Academy. She started playing the flute at the age of 12 and now studies under Dr. Sydney Carlson and Zach Galatis. She is currently assistant principal flutist in the Portland Youth Philharmonic and previously played in the Conservatory Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. She also qualified for the 2024 OMEA All State Symphony Orchestra and has recently placed third in the GPFS Young Artist Competition.

James Lee is a 16-year-old classical and jazz pianist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. A junior at Wilsonville High School, James is an active member of the Symphonic Band/Pep Band as a percussionist, the Jazz Band as a pianist and drummer, and regularly accompanies classmates for OMEA competitions. This summer, he graduated from the OMTA Syllabus program “with distinction” under Heidi Evans, having also participated in solo and concerto piano festivals, masterclasses with renowned pianists Jeeyoon Kim and Kate Boyd, and recently earned honorable mention in the 2024 OMTA State Composition Festival.

Della Simone is a jazz, pop, and classically trained vocalist hailing from Portland, Oregon. She has traveled all over the world with the Portland State Chamber choir, of which she is currently co-president. She performs regularly at local venues including The Old Church (TOC) Concert Hall, Mendelssohn’s, and Corkscrew Wine Bar. She is set to graduate from Portland State in June 2025 with her degree in Jazz Studies. She is a student of Sherry Alves (vocals) and George Colligan (piano)… and she also bakes! We get to hear all about her growth in music and about some special musical inspirations including John Prine. This interview was conducted by Lisa Lipton.

Andrew Lee is a 17-year-old junior at Sunset High School in Portland, Oregon. He has been playing the violin for ten years and currently studies with Carol Sindell. Andrew joined the Portland Youth Philharmonic in 2021, serving as assistant principal second violin, and before that, as the concertmaster of PYCO. As a soloist, he was featured as a soloist in the Eugene Symphony Park Concert Summer Series, has won the third place winner of the 2023 Oregon State Solo Contest and the 2023 ASTA Competition, and an alternate winner of the MTNA Junior String Competition. Andrew also is the co-founder of Euphonos Ensemble, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bettering the community through music. Andrew is a 2023 graduate of the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute at the Kennedy Center, where he studied with Jennifer Kim. He served as associate concertmaster of the 2023 Oregon All-State Orchestra and was a member of the 2023 All-Northwest Orchestra. This summer he attended the Center Stage Strings Institute at the University of Michigan.

Natalie Alexander is a 17-year old clarinetist with both the Metropolitan Youth Symphony and Portland Youth Philharmonic, and she envisions a future full of music. She wants to do it all: orchestra, chamber music, teaching. In this episode of On Deck, Lisa Lipton talks with Natalie about her interest in women composers, about leadership, and about taking advantage of every moment left in her high school career.

Rohan Focer is a Senior at Tigard high school and has been playing the flute for 6 years. He has been a member of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony‘s Flute Ensemble for two years now and took lessons from Denise Westby. He has participated in the Flute Alliance Flute Boot Camp for two summers and enjoys composing and robotics

Annie Rhew is a 16-year cellist with the Portland Youth Philharmonic. She’s been playing cello since age 8 and has since won MANY awards. Annie was also the “Healing Through Music” volunteer at OHSU for 2 summers and is currently working as a music therapy volunteer at a local hospice care group. Lisa Lipton chats with Annie about why music is the central focus of her life, and about her interest in health care.

Marcus Hanlon has loved music since before he knew what an instrument was. He’s played the bassoon for over six years, three of which have been with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony. He also loves science and is combining his love of electrical engineering and music by transcribing various pieces of music for Tesla coils. In the time and space between the notes, he tells host Adam Eccleston that he enjoys kite flying, stargazing, and scooter rides around his hometown: Portland, Oregon. He has been accepted to Colorado School of Mines and is ready for the next adventure around the corner! Many thanks go to his parents for pushing him to always strive for more.

18-year old oboist Mia Hale started off playing music with the violin and piano, but has made the switch to the double reed family! In this interview with Lisa Lipton, we dive deeper into finding what inspires her in music. Mia is a recent graduate of Parkrose High School and will be attending the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance this fall as an oboe performance major. Mia’s current teacher is Oregon Symphony Assistant Principal Oboe, Karen Wagner. As a recent winner of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony annual concerto competition, Mia details what she enjoys most about playing the oboe.

Emory Yu Guyer is an incoming freshman at University of Oregon Honors College. They will major in Music Education, and double minor in Spanish and Finance. Having graduated recently from Lakeridge High School, they were the jazz band’s bassist, wind ensemble’s flute section leader, and pep band’s student director. This year, both their jazz rhythm section and jazz combo won first in the All State Competition. They have played flute for 7 years and bass for 5. Outside of music, they enjoy spending time in nature with friends, as well as crafting. Emory would like to thank their family for sitting through all their performances. And Emory wants to give a special thanks to their mom for all the love and support.

Emily Wen, a junior at Sherwood High School, plays in her school Wind Ensemble and marching band, and the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra. This is Emily’s 6th year playing the flute and 5th year studying under Denise Westby. She is the principal flute of the Sherwood High School Wind Ensemble and the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra and recently placed fourth at the OSAA state solo contest.

Charles Martin is an 18-year old composer, pianist, actor, entrepreneur and writer. In this episode of On Deck, Raul Gomez-Rojas talks with Charles about all of his interests, as well as his decision to perhaps skip college and make a living in the music world without a degree. Charles began taking piano lessons when he was 4, and since then has discovered a passion for composing and performing. Charles has had his music performed by numerous groups around Portland including the Portland Youth Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Chamber Music Northwest’s “Young Artist Institute”, the Pacific Rose Ensemble, as part of an organization he has founded called “The Young Composer’s Concert Series”, Fear No Music’s “The Young Composers Project” workshops, and others. Beyond being an accomplished young composer, Charles has a passion for musical theater. Since he was 7 years old he has performed in Annie, Peter Pan and other premiere plays around Portland. He is also actively involved with a local theater group called Commission Impact Theater, for which he will be scoring their next play “Saul: Son of Kish”. In the meantime, he is an active composer, writing for Michael Allen Harrison’s “The Ten Grands”, Commission Impact Theater, Chamber Music Northwest’s Young Artist Institute, as well as his own concert series.