Follow the successes of current CSS Students and Alums!
Luka Coetzee
In October 2023, Luka received the first prize at the esteemed 7th International Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki, Finland. She is also the first prize winner of the 2022 Pablo Casals International Award and the 9th Johansen International Strings Competition. She is a top prize winner at the 8th Dotzauer International Competition for Young Cellists, the 6th UNISA International Strings Competition, the 2019 Orchestra Symphonique de Montreal Competition and the 2021 Shean Strings & Piano Competition. SLearn more about Luka here
William Thain
William Thain was recently appointed Concertmaster of the Lansing Symphony after receiving his master’s degree in violin performance studying with Danielle Belen at the University of Michigan. In 2022 he was the recipient of the Performing Arts EXCELerator Fellowship through U-M as a co-founder of the Montréal-based Ensemble Urbain, a conductorless ensemble specializing in performing works by underrepresented composers. An aspiring and passionate teacher, William joined the faculty of the U-M pre-college program as a violin instructor in 2022. Prior to his time in Ann Arbor, he completed a bachelor’s in violin from McGill University in Montréal and an ARCT Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in his hometown of Toronto. Learn more about Will here
Ivalas String Quartet
Hailed by The Strad for playing with “tremendous heart and beauty,” the Ivalas Quartet has been changing the face of classical music since its inception at Center Stage Strings in 2017. Currently, The Ivalas Quartet is the Graduate Resident String Quartet at The Juilliard School in New York City, where they study under the Juilliard String Quartet. They were previously in residence at the University of Colorado-Boulder under the mentorship of the Takács Quartet. Learn more about Ivalas here
Annamaria Vasmatzidis
Annamaria recently won a position with the Colorado Symphony after graduating with a master’s degree from the University of Michigan in the studio of Danielle Belen. She attended Center Stage Strings for two summers and recently served as Co-Principal Second Violin with the National Repertory Orchestra under the direction of Michael Stern, where she also performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante. Learn more about Annamaria here
Adam Millstein
Adam is the Program Manager of the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices. He acted as curator for the Initiative’s 2021 Schulhoff and More project where he organized and performed on filmed recordings of composer Erwin Schulhoff’s music. This music can be found on the Shapeshifter: Music of Erwin Schulhoff album with the Delos label. Learn more about Adam here
Simone Porter
Violinist Simone Porter, winner of a 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant, has been recognized as an emerging artist of impassioned energy, interpretive integrity, and vibrant communication. After performing last season with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the LA Times declared Simone “on the cusp of a major career.” In the past few years she has debuted with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic; and with a number of renowned conductors. Learn more about Simone here
Emad Zolfaghari
Emad has received many prestigious awards, including first prize at the 2023 Irving M. Klein International String Competition, the François Schubert Grand Prize at the 2022 OMNI Music Competition, second prize at the 2022 Johansen International String Competition, and in 2023 was the first violist to receive first prize at the International Morningside Music Bridge Competition. Learn more about Emad here
Brandon Leonard
Brandon Leonard is the First prize winner in the 26th Annual National Sphinx Competition’s Junior Division. As a member of the Sycamore Trio, Brandon won 1st prize at WDAV’s Young Chamber Musicians Competition and 2nd prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 2022.
Learn more about Brandon here
Sameer Agrawal
In 2022, Sameer was awarded the second prize in the Cooper International Competition, and was also a semifinalist in the Johansen International Competition. In addition, he was a 2022 National YoungArts winner. He currently studies with Midori Goto at the Curtis Institute of Music. Sameer graduated after five years as a Merit Fellow at the Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago, a pre-college training program for advanced string and piano students, where studied with Sang Mee Lee. He also was an inaugural Fellow of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative, a mentorship and scholarship program for underrepresented groups in classical music. Learn more about Sameer here
Esme Arias - Kim
Esme Arias-Kim was declared the first-place winner of the 2023 Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, following her performance of Chausson’s Poème for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25. As this year’s winner, she will appear as a soloist in a Chicago Symphony Orchestra Youth Concert during the 2023/24 Season. Learn more about Esme here
Amaryn Olmeda
Winner of first prize and the audience choice award at the 24th Annual Sphinx Competition, violinist Amaryn Olmeda is a rising star sought after for her bold and expressive performances as a soloist and collaborator. Learn more about Amaryn here
Stuart Carlson
Stuart Carlson is a published arranger/composer – Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” for solo violin, “Amazing Grace” for violin and piano, “Carols of Christmas” for string quartet and “Carols of Christmas” for string orchestra. You can also check out Stuart’s 2022 album projects: “Portrait of a Landscape: SEASONS” (bluegrass and classical songs) and “Carols for Christmas” (string quartet performances) ALONG WITH his original arrangement of “The Last Rose of Summer” complete with Irish instrumentation (and the same amazing musicians) and new lyrics.Learn more about Stuart here
Johanna Nowik
In 2018 Ms. Nowik was a quarter-finalist in the Primrose International Viola Competition, and in 2017 she was awarded first place in the strings division at the Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition. Johanna was a section member of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra from 2021 until 2023, where she often served as guest principal and guest assistant principal. She began her full time title position as assistant principal of the Washington National Opera in the fall of 2023. Learn more about Johanna here
Allison Taylor
Violinist Allie Taylor currently holds a one-year position with the Boston Symphony, having recently performed with the New World Symphony after completing her studies at The University of Michigan with David Halen. In addition to her career as a violinist, she is also a recognized and recorded singer. A 3-time DownBeat Magazine Student Music Award winner (in the Jazz Vocal and Pop/Rock/Blues categories) and a 2-time semifinalist in the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative Competition. Learn more about Allie here
Dana Johnson
Violinist Dana Johnson finished her masters degree at the University of Michigan with Danielle Belen and soon after began her full time title position as section leader 2 of the Arctic Philharmonic in 2o19. She has since recorded numerous records with that ensemble. Learn more about Dana and the Arctic Philharmonic here
Julia LaGrand
A passionate young arts leader, Julia serves on the board of the National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division and has worked to create programming with organizations including the Kennedy Center (a dynamic panel of Disabled musicians) and NPRs From the Top (a special episode featuring young Disabled classical musicians). Julia’s awards include the International Young Musician Finalist Award from the Kennedy Center’s VSA program, first place in the Bella International Music Competition and the Joyce Walsh Disability Award. She appeared on NPR’s From the Top in 2021 as a featured performer and returned in 2023 as a Co-host and Content Advisor for programming featuring Disabled musicians. A Braille reader and writer, Julia is a 12-time finalist of the National Braille Challenge. More about Julia here
