Music Institute of Chicago 95th Anniversary Gala Program
95 th Anniversary gala
May 18, 2026
Congratulations to Lyric Opera of Chicago and to Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra .
With warm wishes for much success to the Music Institute of Chicago and its Gala.
The John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Family Foundation ;
Welcome to the Music Institute of Chicago’s 95th Anniversary Gala!
At the start of the Great Depression, The School of Musical Arts and Crafts opened in a converted apple orchard farmhouse near the current Crow Island Woods in Winnetka. From those humble beginnings came the Music Institute of Chicago, which has introduced tens of thousands to the joys of making their own music. Some MIC alumni have gone on to perform on the world’s most celebrated stages, some have seen impactful success in other fields, and all have had their lives enriched. Tonight, we honor nine and a half decades of students, audiences, and communities inspired by the beauty of music.
We invite you to enjoy an evening of conversation, dining, and extraordinary performances that reflect the transformative education taking place at the Music Institute every day.
Tonight, we proudly recognize honorees who embody the values that have made the Music Institute a national leader in music education:
• Nationally celebrated storytellers, producers, and passionate advocates for the arts, Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra , recipients of the Cultural Visionary Award.
• A cornerstone organization for artistic excellence and training, Lyric Opera of Chicago , recipient of the David and Dorothy Dushkin Award.
• Esteemed artist-faculty member and Grammy-nominated pianist, Marta Aznavoorian, recipient of the Richard D. Colburn Award for Teaching Excellence.
We celebrate these honorees for their generosity of spirit and their enduring commitment to strengthening individuals and communities through the power of music.
Thank you for being here, and for supporting the thousands of lives touched by MIC each year. Together we are shaping a future filled with creativity, compassion, and a lifelong love of music.
With gratitude and joy,
Timothy Patenode Board Chair
Shalisa Kline Ugaz President and CEO
reception music
GRAND STAIRCASE GUITARS
brad conroy, guitar department chair
The MIC guitar department offers traditional and Suzuki instruction in acoustic guitar for students ages four and up as well as electric guitar and ukulele. A variety of styles are offered and regular performance opportunities, master classes, chamber music, jazz combos, and summer camps provide students of all ages and levels valuable ensemble experience.
grand staircase guitars
Joey Kim • Rohan Pursnani • Catherine Tendero • Matthew VanGompel
VIRTUOSO STRINGS
julie bickel, director
The Music Institute of Chicago Virtuoso Strings is a performing and touring chamber ensemble consisting of 22 Suzuki-trained performers from the Chicagoland area. The ensemble’s repertoire includes classic works by Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms alongside music from various ethnic, cultural, and religious traditions.
See Suzuki Education for student performer listings.
cocktail hour jazz
adult jazz ensemble
james davis, coach
James Davis, trumpet • Peter Hakenen, trumpet • Mark Ketelsen, trumpet
Jonathan Gordon, tenor saxophone • Steve Tarzia, guitar
Hermann Riecke, piano • Chad Goodall, bass • Dave Weismann, drums
james davis
jazz coach & trumpet faculty
Chicago trumpeter and MIC jazz faculty, James Davis is comfortable in, and enjoys, exploring a wide array of musical environments. As a composer and improviser, Davis is involved in a diverse blend of musical communities in Chicago. His background and wide-ranging interests can be heard in his own chamber-jazz group Beveled, the improvising effects-laden LORIS, and various jazz projects. Davis hold a B.M. from the University of Texas at Arlington and his M.M. from the University of North Texas.
Learning to play and improvise as part of a small jazz group of five or six people is a multi-faceted experience that not only builds musicianship, but also builds intellectual and social skills. It’s interactive, completely engaging and a great deal of fun.
- Jon Gordon
adult studies
The Music Institute of Chicago Adult Studies program represents approximately 25% of MIC’s current student body. From young adults to those in their nineties, the adult student community is a vibrant and supportive place for adults at every level. Opportunities include private lessons; instrumental small group, music listening, and theory classes; chamber music and jazz combos; and large ensemble experiences like the MIC Concert Band and MIC Chorale. Special discounts for adults and flexible scheduling make music study easier for busy adults, and high-quality performance opportunities, master classes, adult summer camps, workshops, and free tickets to world-class performances at Nichols Concert Hall round out comprehensive opportunities available to those a part of MIC’s adult student community.
Playing the drums has enriched my life in ways I didn’t even imagine. Being part of a group and creating music is beyond exhilarating. Our group has a unique bond that keeps strengthening the longer we play together. My advice to anyone who’s even considering learning an instrument…don’t put it off, just do it…now!
- Dave Weismann
jazz studies
MIC’s jazz program includes some of Chicago’s most respected jazz musicians who bring a deep knowledge of the current jazz scene and jazz history into every class and lesson. MIC youth and adult students hone their skills and style development as they learn to play by ear and improvise. Through jazz improv and combo classes, students learn to improvise across styles including swing, blues, bebop, New Orleans, Latin, and contemporary. In addition to learning jazz standards, there are opportunities to perform original music. Students of all ages enjoy performance opportunities at Nichols Concert Hall as well as community venues in and around Chicago.
VICTOR GARCIA AND TRADITIONAL CUBAN MUSIC PROCESSIONAL
Victor Garcia, trumpet • Rocky Yera, tenor saxophone
Michael Hogg, sousaphone • Nils Higdon, percussion
VICTOR GARCIA , called “one of the most exciting young musicians” by critic Neil Tesser and an “ebullient soloist offering a formidable technique and a radiantly polished tone,” by the Chicago Tribune’s Howard Reich, is as versatile as he is creative. In addition to trumpet, Garcia sings, plays percussion, and writes and arranges. He’s held professional positions at Roosevelt University, Loyola University, and the University of Illinois Chicago.
Garcia has performed with many musical legends including: Aretha Franklin, Arturo Sandoval, Spoon, Monty Alexander, Wynton Marsalis, Victor Manuelle, Nicholas Payton, La India, the Temptations, Steve Turre, BeBe Winans, Tito Puente, Jr., Paquito d’Rivera, Christian McBride, Randy Brecker, Branford Marsalis, The Isley Brothers, and Dr. John. He released his debut album, The Grind/The Groove, in 2018 and has been part of dozens of other recordings, including three Grammy-nominated albums.
Rocky YeRA
Award-winning Cuban-born tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger Rocky Yera began his musical journey at the age of twelve. As a high school student at New World School of the Arts, he was awarded the Downbeat Magazine Outstanding Performance award. Later that same year, he was chosen as a Vail Jazz Foundation Scholarship Recipient and selected to perform in the elite Grammy High School Jazz Band for the 2000 Grammy Awards ceremony.
Yera studied jazz performance at both Miami Dade Community College and Florida International University as a full scholarship recipient during which time he won a second Downbeat Magazine Outstanding College Performance award, toured Europe, performed at the Umbria and the North Sea Jazz Festivals, and toured Japan and Korea with Tito Puente, Jr.
In 2008, Yera left New York City for Chicago, where he completed his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance at DePaul University. More recently, Yera won 1st Place in the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation Jazz Improvisation Performance Competition and became a Luminarts fellow in 2014.
Throughout his career, Rocky has performed with many well-regarded musicians including: Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, Roy Hargrove, Eldar Djangirov, Howard Levy and others at prestigious venues in New York, Chicago, and Miami. Yera currently performs actively in the Chicago area, where he can be heard at jazz clubs, festivals, and city events.
Michael Hogg
Michael Hogg started his career in Colorado where he attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. While completing his Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees, he performed with groups such as the Denver Brass, the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Denver Municipal Band Brass Quintet. Hogg came to Chicago in 1997 to complete his Master of Music at Northwestern University.
Since then, he has played with numerous groups including the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, City Lights Orchestra, Mucca Pazza, the New-Trad Octet, the Sanctified Grumblers, Davis Rogan and the Haymarket Rioters, Die Musicmeisters, the Horizon Brass Quintet, the Chamber Brass Players Quintet, the Chicago-land Pops, the Lake Forest Symphony, and Rockford Symphony. Hogg is a founding member of the Big Shoulders Brass Band, Chicago’s longest running New Orleans style Brass Band. He has performed with Dr. John, Johnny Mathis, Judy Collins, Howard Levy, Kurt Elling, Bonerama, the Wild Magnolias, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. He has served as adjunct faculty at Northwestern University, University of Illinois Chicago, and Northeastern Illinois University. Hogg maintains a busy schedule as a freelance tubist.
Nils Higdon
Nils Higdon is one of Chicago’s most prominent young percussionists, having performed at the United Center, Orchestra Hall, The Green Mill, The Logan Center, Jazz Showcase, Chicago Cultural Center, Millenium Park, Lyric Opera, and six appearances at the Chicago Jazz Festival. Nils specializes in jazz drum set, but also performs on a wide variety of percussion instruments. As a drum set artist, he has played with premier musicians such as Patrick Williams and Shawn Maxwell. Nils also plays Latin percussion with the exceptional guitarist Hector Fernández. Additionally, Nils leads his own band, The Flourish Ensemble, in which he plays vibraphone and does all of the composing and arranging.
Nils is also a passionate instructor. He works at both Riverside Brookfield and Ridgewood high schools, where he teaches applied percussion lessons and directs the drum lines.
Nils Higdon holds a Bachelor of Music degree in jazz studies from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and a masters degree in percussion pedagogy from Northeastern Illinois University.
Congratulations to Lyric Opera of Chicago on this incredible honor!
We are so proud to be a part of the Lyric family.
And thank you Music Institute of Chicago for all you do for music education! Bravi!
Sylvia Neil & Dan Fischel
PHIL PONCE
Tonight’s Master of Ceremonies, Phil Ponce, is a distinguished broadcast journalist and respected Chicago voice. Most recognized for his longtime role as Alexandra and John Nichols Chief Correspondent and Host of WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, Ponce was well-regarded for his insightful interviews with political and cultural figures, as well as his moderation of panels on topics ranging from business and medicine to the arts and education.
Born in McAllen, Texas and raised in East Chicago, Indiana, Ponce earned a degree in English from Indiana University and a law degree from the University of Michigan. After practicing as an attorney for six years, he moved into journalism in the 1980s, reporting for WRTV in Indianapolis and WBBM-TV in Chicago. He began anchoring for WTTW in 1992, and in 1997, he served a two-year stint at the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer in Washington, D.C., where he moderated local and national political debates. In 1999, he assumed permanent duties as Chicago Tonight host, where he remained until transitioning to special assignment and retirement in 2021. Beyond his work with Chicago Tonight, Ponce was a columnist for the Chicago Tribune. In addition, he served as a Visiting Professor in Residence at Loyola University, where he taught journalism classes and conducted guest lectures.
Some of Ponce’s many awards and accolades include Illinois Journalist of the Year, the Studs Terkel Award for Journalism, the City Club of Chicago’s Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle honor for his enduring contributions to broadcasting, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago Headline Club.
Ponce and his wife Ann, a painter and teacher, have three grown children. Their daughter Maria is a noted photographer, while their two sons, Dan and Anthony, are Chicago broadcast journalists.
Post-retirement, Ponce has maintained a selective media presence, including guest appearances on Fox 32’s Good Day Chicago (summer 2024), where he shared life lessons, retirement adventures, and perspectives on Chicago events.
PROGRAM
WELCOME
Phil Ponce, Master of Ceremonies
Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53
PERFORMANCE
Anthony Wu, piano
PERFORMANCE
Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
Introduction by Sarah Montzka, Associate Director of the Barston Suzuki Center and Suzuki Violin and Viola Faculty
Mellow Cello Tango Michael Kibbe (b. 1945)
Perpetual Motion Carl Bohm (1844–1920)
Minuet in G Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Hunters Chorus
Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826) arr. Shinichi Suzuki (1898–1998)
French Folk Song Folk Song
Twinkle Theme Shinichi Suzuki
Music Institute of Chicago Suzuki violin, viola, and cello students
Julie Bickel, Avi Friedlander, Sarah Montzka, Rachelle Puccini, and Sanghui Wimbiscus, Suzuki leaders
Timothy Mah, piano
DINNER
Dinner music
Fred Simon, piano
KEYNOTE
Shalisa Kline Ugaz, Music Institute of Chicago President and CEO
PERFORMANCE
Introduction by Phil Ponce
Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob XVI/52, L. 62
I. Allegro (Moderato)
Edie Park, piano
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
PRESENTATION OF THE RICHARD D. COLBURN AWARD FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE
Introduction and tribute by Edie Park
Marta Aznavooria n,
Music Institute of Chicago Artist in Residence and Piano Faculty
REMARKS
Timothy Patenode, MIC Board Chair
PERFORMANCE
Introduction by James Setapen, Conductor in Residence and Academy Artistic Director
Serenade for Strings Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)
I. Moderato
Divertimento in D Major, K. 136
III. Presto
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Academy Chamber Orchestra
James Setapen, conductor
PRESENTATION OF THE CULTURAL VISIONARY AWARD FOR CHICAGO
Introduction and tribute by Alexandra C. Nichols
Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra
PROGRAM Continued...
PERFORMANCE
Introduction by Sang Mee Lee, String Department Chair and Violin and Viola Faculty
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz.67 Béla Bartók (1881–1945)
II. Allegro molto capriccioso
Tikaani String Quartet
Sebastian Manning and Romeo Vashishth, violins
Neena Agrawal, viola • Katarina Kenney, cello
PERFORMANCE
Introduction by Phil Ponce
La Vie En Rose Édith Piaf (1915 –1963)
Jaiden Hsu, soprano
Timothy Mah, piano
PRESENTATION OF THE DAVID AND DOROTHY DUSHKIN AWARD
Introduction and tribute by Shalisa Kline Ugaz
Lyric Opera of Chicago
PERFORMANCE
A special performance featuring artists from The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Finn Sagal, baritone
Craig Terry, piano
CLOSING REMARKS
Timothy Patenode
LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO
john mangum, general director, president & ceo enrique mazzola, music director
Lyric Opera of Chicago, which is the first organization to receive the Dushkin Award, is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences. Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences.
Lyric also stands committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, and to becoming increasingly diverse across its audiences, staff, programming, and artists—magnifying the welcoming pull of the art form, the company, and the city. Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theatre, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.
The Dushkin Award was established in 1985 to honor the memory of the Music Institute's founders, David and Dorothy Dushkin. This internationally recognized award has been presented to some of the most revered and accomplished musical artists, composers, and institutions of our time, all of whom have a deeply rooted passion for music education.
PAST RECIPIENTS
2025 Paquito d’Rivera
2024 Marcus Roberts
2023 Marin Alsop
2022 Hilary Hahn
2021 Zubin Mehta
2020 Evgeny Kissin
2019 Wynton Marsalis
2018 Pinchas Zukerman
2017 Rachel Barton Pine
2016 Joshua Bell
2015 Deborah Rutter
2014 André Previn
2013 Lang Lang
2012 Stephen Sondheim
2011 Riccardo Muti
2010 Yo-Yo Ma
2009 James Conlon
2008 Steve Robinson & Bill McGlaughlin
2007 Leon Fleisher
2006 Midori
2005 William Mason
2004 Renée Fleming
2003 Sir Andrew Davis
2002 Mstislav Rostropovich
bill kurtis & donna la pietra
The Cultural Visionary Award for Chicago recognizes individuals who make an indelible impact on the community through their philanthropic, civic, and cultural leadership.
Bill Kurtis is an iconic journalist, broadcaster, and storyteller whose career has shaped American media for more than five decades. After rising to prominence as a trusted anchor in Chicago, he founded Kurtis Productions, creating acclaimed documentary and investigative series, including Cold Case Files and American Justice. Known for his unmistakable voice and commitment to thoughtful storytelling, he continues to engage audiences nationwide through documentary narration and as the longtime announcer for NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!.
Donna La Pietra is a creative producer and civic leader whose work bridges media, culture, and philanthropy. A former television and radio executive and longtime leader at Kurtis Productions, she has also played a transformative role in Chicago’s cultural community, shaping major events and initiatives for organizations including the Chicago Public Library Foundation, Millennium Park, and the Joffrey Ballet. Her vision and artistry have strengthened how cultural institutions connect with the public and tell their stories.
CULTURAL VISIONARY AWARD for chicago
The Cultural Visionary Award for Chicago celebrates individuals who possess attributes used to advance the civic and cultural presence of our great city, including a commitment to improving the quality of life for all citizens, advancing a strong spirit of philanthropy, and preparing succeeding generations to continue Chicago's rich legacy of civic and cultural pride.
PAST
RECIPIENTS
2025 J. Thomas Hurvis
2024 John and Fran Edwardson
2023 Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel and John H. Krehbiel, Jr.
2022 Nancy and Scott Santi
2021 Linda and Bill Gantz
2020 Helen Zell
2019 Caryn and King Harris
2018 Frederick H. Waddell
2017 Susan and Richard Kiphart
2016 Lois M. and Harrison I. Steans
2015 Mary B. Galvin
2014 Alexandra and John Nichols
2013 Jim and Kay Mabie
2012 Marilynn B. Alsdorf
2011 Sandra and Jack Guthman
marta aznavoorian
Multi-Grammy-nominated Marta Aznavoorian, a Music Institute alumna, piano faculty, and Artist in Residence, has built an international career as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator.
She made her professional debut at age 13 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, invited by Sir Georg Solti, and has appeared with major orchestras throughout the U.S. and abroad. A founding member of the Grammy-nominated Lincoln Trio, Aznavoorian has toured extensively and recorded for Cedille Records, including Trios from Our Homelands, Chicago Now, and the critically acclaimed Aznavoorian Duo album Gems from Armenia. A champion and lover of new music, she has worked with, and premiered, major new works by leading contemporary composers, most recently performing Stacy Garrop’s new piano concerto Invictus.
Aznavoorian has worked with renowned conductors such as Sir George Solti, Michael Tilson Thomas, Lukas Foss, Henry Mazer, Francesco Milioto, Robert Hasty, Victor Yampolsky, Kirk Muspratt, among others. She has won numerous awards, including first prize at the Stravinsky International Competition, where she was also lauded with the special prize for best interpretation of the commissioned contemporary work.
In strong demand as a chamber musician, Aznavoorian has worked with artists worldwide and frequented numerous festivals including the Tanglewood, Aspen, Marlboro, Caramoor, and Ravinia Festival, among others.
A student of the renowned teacher Menahem Pressler, Aznavoorian received her Bachelor’s degree and Artist Diploma at Indiana University and her Master’s Degree from New England Conservatory, where she studied with the late Patricia Zander.
An educator at the Music Institute and DePaul University, Aznavoorian fosters the next generation of musicians. She presents Healing Power of Music masterclasses in schools and universities throughout the U.S. and through her nonprofit Keynote Productions, she advances music education for students from underserved communities. Aznavoorian is a Steinway Artist.
RICHARD D. COLBURN AWARD FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE
The Richard D. Colburn Award for Teaching Excellence is presented to faculty members of the Music Institute of Chicago who exemplify the high standard of excellence set by Richard D. Colburn in his many musical endeavors. The Music Institute values great teaching above all and takes pride in its faculty's ability to teach not only art and technique but to create a forum for joyful playing and collaboration with other musicians. We applaud our faculty for sharing their gifts with the wider community.
PAST RECIPIENTS
2025 Sang Mee Lee
2024 Erica Anderson
2023 Barbara Ann Martin
2022 Dr. Tanya L. Carey
2021 Nina and Daniel Wallenberg
2020 Arlene and Abraham Stokman
2019 Susan Charles
2018 Stanley Davis
2017 Elaine Felder
2016 Almita and Roland Vamos
2015 Gilda Barston
2014 Claire Aebersold Neiweem and Ralph Neiweem
The Latimer Fitzgarrald Wurster Kaminski Group
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 110 North Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606
Special thanks to the following friends who sponsored tables or made leadership contributions in support of the Music Institute of Chicago’s mission. The extraordinary success of this evening would not have been possible without their remarkable generosity.
Patron of the Arts
John D. and Alexandra* C. Nichols Family Foundation
Grand Benefactor
The Negaunee Foundation
Benefactor
Edwardson Family Foundation
The Gross Family Fund
J. Thomas Hurvis and Ann Andersen
ITW
Ronald M. Kline, Compass Wealth Design
Sylvia Neil and Dan Fischel
Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation
Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan
Champion
Cathy and Bill Osborn
Renée Parquette*
Timothy Patenode* and Judy Royal
Barbara Speer and Christopher Noon
Lee Anne* and Richard Stoddart
Miles D. White
Patron
Carlos R. Cardenas* and Wintrust Commercial Banking
Hans* and Denitta Germann and Jackson National Life Insurance
Dan* and Yoo Mi Hahn
Caryn and King Harris
Linda and Wilbur Gantz
Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel and John H. Krehbiel Jr.
Shiraz* and Vijay Kotte
Swati & Siddharth (Bobby) Mehta
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Yana Nedvetsky* and Axel Vargas
The Pritzker Traubert Foundation
Scott and Nancy Santi
Segal Family Foundation
Jim Stone*
David and Eileen Zampa
Florian Zettelmeyer * and Meghan Busse and Ross* and Emily Parker Updegraff
Friend
Barbara* and Peter Sereda
Steans Family Foundation
Zalman* and Karen Usiskin
Audrey Weaver
Contributor
Saurab* and Anjani Bhargava
Paul* and Katie Brourman
Barbara Jane Irwin
Deborah F. Rutter and Peter Ellefson
Scott and Areta Verschoor
Audra Wilson*
Zhu Family Fund
* MIC Trustee
MIC Honorary Board
Listing as of May 9, 2026
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to the following donors who made gifts in honor or in memory of our honorees, trustees, faculty, staff, and treasured family and friends.
Dr. Marie Alatalo
Abby Sivan and Milt Harris
Marta Aznavoorian
Christine Aznavoorian
Gail E. Belytschko
Joanne and Bob Bernstein
Mark Broutman and Sandy Simon
Patrick Park and Michelle Lee
Joy and John O’Malley
Ethan and Olivia Zheng’s Family
Carole Doctor
Jennifer Doctor
GIFTS IN HONOR
Miss Mary Hartman of Mosinee, Wisconsin
Renée Parquette
Bill Kurtis and
Donna La Pietra
Sandra and Jack Guthman
The Negaunee Foundation
The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation
The Pritzker Traubert Foundation
Pam and Tom Sheffield
Renée Parquette
Clare and Bob Pierce
Timothy Patenode
Brian Hoffman and Janet Goelz Hoffman
James Setapen
Amy and Stuart Savitz
Shalisa Kline Ugaz
Duffie A. Adelson
Ronald M. Kline, Compass Wealth Design
Zalman Usiskin
Carol and Charles Siegel
Eric Wang and Keys to Connection
Scott and Areta Verschoor
GIFTS IN MEMORY
Elliott M. Golub
Ken and Alena Laube
Samuel C. Kline
Ronald M. Kline, Compass Wealth Design
Luiz Francisco de Souza do Prado
Bianca D’Avila do Prado
MUSIC INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
The Music Institute of Chicago (MIC) was founded in 1931 by David and Dorothy Dushkin, who believed that quality music education should be accessible to all. Renowned for its first-rate faculty and a fundamental drive to ensure equitable access to music, MIC provides high-quality music education, world-class performances, and countless moments of inspiration for the community.
Each year, MIC offers personalized music instruction to nearly 2,000 students of all ages, levels of experience, and financial means, across campus locations in Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Lake Forest, and Winnetka. MIC shares music experiences with a broader public through community service programs that bring performance and engagement opportunities to those throughout Chicago and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Nichols Concert Hall, MIC’s state-of-the-art, 550-seat performance space headquartered in Evanston, is a highly accessible resource for students and faculty, and engages more than 15,000 individuals annually through master classes, recording sessions, special events, student recitals, and concerts.
Through all its endeavors, the Music Institute of Chicago is dedicated to leading people toward a lifelong engagement with music through unparalleled teaching, exceptional performances, and valuable service activities.
PROGRAMS & PERFORMERS
SUZUKI EDUCATION
music institute of chicago barston suzuki center
The internationally recognized Suzuki Method™ is based on the philosophy that talent and musicianship can be developed in any child. MIC’s Barston Suzuki Center offers one of the largest and most comprehensive Suzuki programs in the country.
avi friedlander
Director, Barston Suzuki Center
Suzuki Cello Faculty
sarah montzka
Associate Director, Barston Suzuki Center
Suzuki Violin and Viola Faculty
Each year, over 40 experienced Suzuki faculty, including seven teacher trainers, provide high-quality private and group classses in: violin • viola • cello • piano • flute • guitar
In addition, MIC offers performance opportunities and enrichment including: suzuki winter workshops • resources for suzuki parents
chicago suzuki institute • suzuki teacher training
third coast suzuki strings faculty leaders
Karin Addis, Bianca d’Avila do Prado, John Glew, Jessica Hudson, Philip Lee, and Everardo Sanchez
MIC’s Third Coast Suzuki Strings program provides equitable access to MIC’s renowned Suzuki Education platform by transcending socio-economic and geographic barriers to provide tuition-free violin, viola, and cello lessons for children using the Suzuki Method™.
third coast suzuki strings program components
• 30-minute weekly individual lessons
• Suzuki listening and daily practice
• Fully subsidized instrument loans
• 30-minute weekly group class
• Parent participation and support
Sam Leighton
• Access to Nichols Concert Hall performances, workshops and master classes, recitals, and more
Sophie Xiong
Luna Xu
The Third Coast program currently serves 16 violinists in its Chicago program and 37 cellists in its bilingual Evanston program.
Elizabeth Zhong
Victoria Zhong
Thank you
to the Suzuki faculty who helped prepare and direct the ensembles you hear on today’s performance.
suzuki faculty leaders
Julie Bickel, Avi Friedlander, Sarah Montzka, Rachelle Puccini, and Sanghui Wimbiscus
violin
Charles Deng*
Lily Faulhaber
Neha Higa*
Nell Hoyt
Claire Jeong*
Lydia Jones*
Ingrid Klemme
Simon Klemme*
Samantha Leighton*
Mabel Nippert
Ruthie Nippert
Kay Richards
Anna Somin
Kevin Sun
Sophie Xiong*
Luna Xu*
Elizabeth Zhong
Victoria Zhong
viola
Oliver Chang*
Christopher Deng*
Ethan Higa*
Madison Leighton*
cello
Emilina Abraham
Elan Friedlander
Lucas Gonzalez
Jacob Jones
Sarai Jones
Eugene Kang
Madeleine Kao
Isaiah Lawler
Pearl Lawler
Jack Leighton*
Judah Miller
Valentina Puccini
Henry Thomas
Neave Schroer
* Virtuoso Strings Member
Third Coast Suzuki Strings Member
piano department elaine felder, piano department chair
With more than 50 piano faculty members and 600 private piano students, MIC has one of the nation's largest community music school piano departments. MIC piano instructors teach beginning through advanced repertoire for students of all ages, and abilities. Traditional and Suzuki instruction are offered as well as jazz, and pianists are encouraged to participate in MIC’s chamber music program, as well as other opportunities including the Chicago Duo Piano Festival, adult piano camp, summer youth piano intensives, workshops, master classes and more.
ANTHONY WU PIANO
Anthony Wu, 13, is an eighth-grade student at Lake Bluff Middle School. He began studying piano at the age of five under the guidance of his mother. In 2020, he continued his musical training with Dr. Pawel Checinski, and since November 2025, he has been studying with Dr. Matthew Hagle at the Music Institute of Chicago. Anthony has received numerous awards in national and international competitions. He won Third Prize in the Young Musician III Group at the 2024 Chicago International Music Competition. At the Berkley-Pendell Music Competition, he was awarded First Prize in Elementary Level 2 (2023), First Prize in Junior I Group (2024), and First Prize in Junior II Group (2025). In addition, Anthony won First Prize in the Junior II Level at the 2023 Chopin with a View International Piano Competition and Festival, where he was also honored with the Maurizio Pollini Special Award.
FRED SIMON PIANO
American pianist and composer Fred Simon has been making music for over forty years, composing for records, live performance, film, dance, and television, with instrumentation ranging from solo piano to symphonic orchestra.
Simon first gained recognition with Simon & Bard, the jazz fusion group he founded in Chicago with composer and reed player Michael Bard, which featured bassist Steve Rodby and drummer Paul Wertico, both of whom went on to join the Pat Metheny Group. Simon has recorded and/or performed with Ralph Towner (founding member of Oregon), Paul McCandless (founding member of Oregon), Larry Coryell, Lyle Mays, Iain Matthews (founding member of Fairport Convention), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra
violinist), Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico (both with Pat Metheny Group), Bonnie Herman (Singers Unlimited), Kurt Elling, Fareed Haque, David Onderdonk, The Stan Kenton Orchestra, and many others. He is a member of MIC’s jazz faculty and also teaches a popular online “Listening to Music” class for adults.
EDIE PARK PIANO
Edie Park, 16, is a Scholarship Fellow at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy, a pre-college program for talented musicians, where she studies piano with Marta Aznavoorian and Winston Choi.
Edie made her orchestral debut with the Northeastern Illinois University Orchestra after winning the 2024 Chicago Chamber Music Festival Concerto Competition, followed by a performance with the Fox Valley Orchestra in 2025. She has been invited to perform at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Beethoven-Haus, and the Royal Albert Hall in London. Her recent live performances were featured in Introductions on 98.7 WFMT and the Young Steinway Concert Series. Some of her recognitions include the Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, American Protégé International Piano & Strings Competition, VSA International Young Musicians Program, Sejong Music Competition, Ruth Monte Bach Competition, ISMTA and MTNA Piano Competitions, DePaul Concerto Competition, O’Malley Concerto Competition, Stanger Competition, ADM Concerto Competition, and FVO Concerto Competition. Edie has participated in select masterclasses with distinguished pianists including Angela Cheng, Alan Chow, Alvin Chow, James Giles, Jean-Louis Haguenauer, Wu Han, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Norman Krieger, Jerome Lowenthal, Steven Osborne, and John Perry.
From the Community Music School to the Academy, the Music Institute of Chicago has provided a safe, nurturing community for Edie to grow as a competent pianist, a passionate chamber musician, and a compassionate peer. Inspired by the sense of community she found through music at MIC, Edie is devoted to music outreach. As Executive Director of Musicians for Hope, a non-profit she co-founded with fellow MIC students, she helps bring music education to underfunded Chicago area schools through fundraising concerts, mentorship programs, and collaborations with Chicago’s major music institutions, including CSO, WFMT, and Chicago Center for Music Education.
Outside of piano, Edie is News Editor of The Forum, Latin School of Chicago’s student-run newspaper. As a young aficionado of history, she enjoys conducting academic research, interning at Harlan J. Berk Ltd., a premier numismatic institution, and volunteering at the Chicago History Museum.
the academy
james setapen, artistic director
sue polutnik, executive director
ari barak fisher, orchestra manager
This spring the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy, a nationally recognized training center for gifted pre-college pianists and string players, kicks off its 20th Anniversary season and celebrates two successful decades of providing comprehensive musical education for those who aspire to professional careers in music.
Located at the Music Institute’s Lake Forest campus, the Academy is a musical community of faculty, staff, and students who come together each Saturday, September through May, for an intensive 30-week program.
Components of the Academy program include private instruction, chamber music, orchestra, music theory, master classes, and a variety of performance opportunities. All Academy students are introduced to a broad range of teaching styles, like-minded peers, and artist faculty. A hallmark of the Academy is the frequent master classes, when the student body gathers with acclaimed artists and pedagogues who share their experience and knowledge, creating an unparalleled educational experience.
Because of the Academy’s small size (approximately 30 young musicians ages 13 to 19), the program provides each student individual attention and unparalleled support while nurturing and inspiring musical growth and fostering life-long friendships.
With the goal of creating musicians for the 21st century, the Academy provides gifted students with the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to be leaders in classical music performance and education. Academy alumni consistently become successful ambassadors for music, excelling as solo artists, chamber musicians, orchestra members, and educators.
The Academy’s robust and nationally known chamber music program has resulted in consistent gold, silver, and bronze medals in the Junior Division of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and St. Paul String Quartet Competition. Soloist awards include winners at the Irving M. Klein International String Competition, Stulberg International String Competition, International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, in addition to countless Laureates at the Sphinx Competition. Six Academy alumni have received the highly coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant.
JAMES SETAPEN CONDUCTOR
James Setapen, Artistic Director of the Academy and Conductor in Residence at the Music Institute of Chicago, has a broad background and interests which include positions as music director, associate conductor, guest conductor, university professor, opera coach and conductor, mentor to young musicians, conducting teacher, and public speaker.
From 1988 to 2007 he was Music Director and Conductor of the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra. His very successful tenure included raising and sustaining the quality of performance, developing community interest and knowledge in the orchestra, and establishing innovative and accessible programs. During his tenure, the Symphony premiered several works, expanded its outreach into the community, initiated an outdoor Labor Day concert with fireworks, and was the subject of two television documentaries which were each broadcast in over one hundred markets throughout the country.
Setapen has guest conducted many orchestras and opera companies throughout the country, including those of Denver, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Orlando, and Honolulu. He has also conducted in several cities in Italy, Germany and Austria. He was Music Director of Summer Music Monterey, a program for middle school and high school music students, for seven summers. He has also worked with the youth orchestras of Oakland, Denver, and Amarillo. He was recently guest conductor for the Vermont All-State Orchestra, the Milwaukee High School Honors Orchestra, and the Northeast Kansas Honors Orchestra. As former Associate Conductor of the Denver Symphony, Setapen won first prize in the Oakland Symphony’s American Conductor’s Competition.
ACADEMY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
first violin
Lauren Kim
Annalise Song
Romeo Vashishth
Paloma Furst Chavira
Salvador Stein
Matthew Kim
second violin
Sebastian Manning
Sylvia Pine
Alexandra Dreesen
Ingrid Updegraff
Eliana Song
viola
Neena Agrawal
Brayden Wu
Olivia Zheng
cello
Katarina Kenney
Ella Wimbiscus
Rouyi Wu
Lavie Huang
bass
Veer Gupta
Tikanni String Quartet
The Tikaani Quartet, coached by Sang Mee Lee, is comprised of violinists Sebastian Manning and Romeo Vashishth, violist Neena Agrawal, and cellist Katarina Kenney. All four students are Merit Scholarship Fellows at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy, a training center for advanced pre-college musicians. The name Tikaani means “wolf” in the Inuit language and is a symbol of strength, courage, loyalty, and teamwork: all qualities they hope to embody while collaborating as an ensemble. This spring, Tikanni won the Silver Medal at the St. Paul String Quartet Competition along with the Composer Spotlight Prize.
Sebastian Manning , 17, studies with Almita Vamos and has performed throughout Europe and the United States. He studied with Bernhard Forck at the Eufonia Baroque Academy and has been a scholarship recipient at the SoNoRo Interferenţe Festival three times. He recently soloed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as the second place winner of the Crain-Maling CSO Young Artists Competition. With the Hemingway Quartet, he won the Grand Prize at the Barnett Chamber Music Competition and participated in the Fischoff National Chamber Competition.
Romeo Vashishth , 18, studies with Almita Vamos and previously studied with Lucie Robert at the Manhattan School of Music. He has attended Aspen Music Festival and Bowdoin Music Festival in the summers. He recently soloed with the Fox Valley Symphony and won the Grand Prize in the Barnett Competition with the Hemingway Quartet.
Neena Agrawal , 16, studies with Sang Mee Lee and Teng Li and is a fellow of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative, a scholarship program for underrepresented musicians. Neena made her solo debut with the Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest and recently performed with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. She won the Arthur D. Montzka Concerto Competition, honorable mention in the O’Malley (Walgreens) Competition, and was a finalist in the 2024 American Viola Society Competition. With the Porphyrion Quartet, she won the Bronze medal at the St. Paul String Quartet Competition.
Katarina Kenney , 17, studies with Hans Jørgen Jensen and has appeared as a soloist with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Madison Symphony, Middleton Community, Wisconsin Chamber, and Wisconsin Youth Symphony. An accomplished chamber musician, she has won the silver medal and BIPOC performance award with the Pondrom Quartet, and the gold medal, BIPOC performance award, and audience prize with the Elysian Quartet at the Saint Paul String Quartet Competition. The Elysian Quartet was also a quarterfinalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
Jaiden Hsu VOICE
Jaiden Hsu is a seventeen-year-old singer and actor from the Chicago area. A long-time student of Barbara Ann Martin at the Music Institute of Chicago (MIC), he has been a Merit Scholar and Student Ambassador since 2017 and has also studied piano at MIC since 2020. Jaiden has earned top honors in numerous competitions, including the Walgreens National Concerto Competition, which led to a performance at Ravinia at age eleven. He was the U.S. winner of the 2022 IFLC International Singing Competition and toured Germany as part of the winners’ performance tour. A merit scholarship recipient at Interlochen’s Voice and Opera program, Jaiden received the Maddy Summer Artist Award and a full-tuition scholarship for the 2024 academic year. He was also a semifinalist in multiple categories at the Classical Singer Voice Competitions in 2024 and 2025. An accomplished singer-songwriter, Jaiden released two singles in 2023 and is currently recording his debut album. His theatrical credits include Aida at Lyric Opera of Chicago, SIX, and Chicago: Teen Edition, and several of Jaiden’s film credits have been selections in international film festivals. Jaiden is represented by DDO Artists Agency Chicago.
Timothy Mah PIANO
Chicago-area pianist Timothy Mah earned both his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Northwestern University as a student of Donald Isaak, Sylvia Wang, and Alan Chow, and has collaborated with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Canadian Brass. He has appeared as soloist with several Chicago-area orchestras, performed in recital for multiple
seasons as pianist of the DePaul Trio (with violinist Samuel Magad and cellist Stephen Balderston), and been featured on both WFMT 98.7 FM radio and at Millennium Park in Chicago.
As an educator, Mah has held faculty positions at DePaul University, College of Lake County, Glenbrook North and South High Schools, New Trier High School, North Shore Country Day School, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, the Hartwick College Summer Music Festival & Institute in Oneonta, NY, the National High School Music Institute at Northwestern University, the Illinois Summer Youth Music Camp at the University of Illinois, and the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
Mah recently joined the piano faculty at the Music Institute and remains an active collaborative pianist and coach for young instrumentalists and vocalists in the Chicagoland area.
FOR HOPE
A single note played today can echo for a lifetime.
At Emerging Artists Chicago, we believe that music is more than sound. It’s connection. It’s belonging. It’s the stories we tell.
Tonight, we celebrate what music makes possible.
EAC is proud to support the Music Institute of Chicago, where dreamers find their stage.
Mio Nakamura Artistic Director
John Fife Founder
As a Chicago-based community for musicians, EAC welcomes all artists who wish to cultivate their talents.
Interested in joining? Visit our website to learn more.
www.artchi.org | emergingartistschicago@gmail.com
Finn Sagal BARITONE
Baritone Finn Sagal is a second-year member of the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, gaining national recognition for his rich, expressive timbre and stylistic versatility across operatic and concert repertoire. In Lyric’s 2024/25 season, he appeared as A Policeman in The Listeners and was featured in the company’s Rising Stars in Concert showcase. Sagal is an award winner at Neue Stimmen and recipient of the 2025 Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, as well as the American Opera Society of Chicago Ginger and Jim Meyer Centennial Award. He is also a past winner of the 2017 Songbook Academy Competition, serving as Songbook Youth Ambassador with performances at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, and the Wynn Las Vegas alongside Liza Minnelli, Michael Feinstein, and Kristin Chenoweth.
Recent performances include concerts with WFMT’s Ryan Opera Center Recital Series, where his repertoire ranged from Schubert lieder and Wagner’s “O du, mein holder Abendstern” to Count Almaviva’s aria from Le nozze di Figaro. He has appeared as a guest artist with the Pasadena Symphony and performed at the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame Gala. In the summer of 2023, Sagal was a participant in the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, following his training at the Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS program in 2022.
Sagal earned his master’s degree from the Yale School of Music, where his operatic roles included Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress), Junius (The Rape of Lucretia), and the Tutor (Le Comte Ory). He holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from UCLA, where he performed the title role in Le nozze di Figaro and Pluton in Charpentier’s La descente d’Orphée aux enfers.
Praised by Michael Feinstein for his “versatility as an artist,” Sagal brings a dynamic presence to both operatic stages and concert halls. Equally at home in classic American standards and the music of Mozart and Stravinsky, he continues to distinguish himself as a compelling young artist to watch.
Grammy Award-winning pianist and arranger Craig Terry enjoys an international career regularly performing with the world’s leading singers and instrumentalists. Currently he serves as music director of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago after having served for eleven seasons at Lyric as assistant conductor. Previously, he served as assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera after joining its Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.
Terry has performed with such esteemed vocalists as Jamie Barton, Stephanie Blythe, Christine Brewer, Lawrence Brownlee, Janai Brugger, Nicole Cabell, Sasha Cooke, Eric Cutler, Danielle de Niese, Joyce DiDonato, Giuseppe Filianoti, Renée Fleming, Christine Goerke, Susan Graham, Denyce Graves, Bryan Hymel, Brian Jagde, Joseph Kaiser, Quinn Kelsey, Kate Lindsey, Amanda Majeski, Ana María Martínez, Eric Owens, Ailyn Perez, Nicholas Phan, Susanna Phillips, Luca Pisaroni, Patricia Racette, Hugh Russell, Bo Skovhus, Garrett Sorenson, Heidi Stober, Christian Van Horn, Amber Wagner, Laura Wilde, and Catherine Wyn-Rogers. He has collaborated as a chamber musician with members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra, the Gewandhaus Orchester, and the Pro Arte String Quartet.
Terry’s upcoming and recent highlights include more than 40 concerts in North America, Europe, and Asia with artists including Katherine Beck, Ben Bliss, Christine Brewer, J’Nai Bridges, Lawrence Brownlee, Andriana Chuchman, Joyce DiDonato, Christine Goerke, Will Liverman, Ana María Martínez, Whitney Morrison, Richard Ollarsaba, Susanna Phillips, David Portillo, Patricia Racette, Hugh Russell, and Laura Wilde.
He is artistic director of “Beyond the Aria,” a highly acclaimed recital series now in its ninth sold-out season, presented by the Harris Theater in collaboration with the Ryan Opera Center and Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Terry’s discography includes five recently released recordings: Diva on Detour with Patricia Racette, As Long As There Are Songs with Stephanie Blythe, Chanson d’Avril with Nicole Cabell, and French Horn Recital from 24 Preludes, Op. 11 - Alexander Scriabin with Lyric Opera principal horn Jonathan Boen. His latest recording project with Joyce DiDonato, Songplay, released by Warner Classics, received the 2020 Grammy award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album.
He has appeared on numerous television, radio, and streaming programs, including multiple appearances on both Live from Lincoln Center and Great Performances for PBS, as well as on many programs broadcast on NBC, ABC, and CBS. In May 2021, he was the pianist for the Metropolitan Opera’s Wagnerian Stars Live in Concert, transmitted from the Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany. Craig hails from Tullahoma, Tennessee, received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Tennessee Technological University, continued his studies at Florida State University, and received a Masters of Music in Collaborative Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, where he was a student of renowned pianist Warren Jones.
SPECIAL THANKS
The Music Institute of Chicago gratefully acknowledges:
Alexandra C. Nichols for her generosity and ambassadorship on behalf of the Music Institute of Chicago as Honorary Chair.
Gala Co-Chairs: Shiraz Kotte and Carlos R. Cardenas and the Gala Committee for their exceptional leadership in making this evening possible.
Gavin English, President of the Americas, Steinway and Sons, and Benjamin Salisbury, DMA, Regional General Manager of Concert & Artist Service, Steinway and Sons, for providing the beautiful Steinway concert grand piano for this evening’s performance.
William Harris Lee & Company for their continued generosity in providing quality violas to students in the Academy program as well as violins, violas, and cellos to MIC’s Third Coast Suzuki Strings program in Chicago and Evanston.
Fig Media, Inc. for their help capturing this inspiring event on film.
PJH & Associates, Inc. for their assistance in planning and organizing this year’s Gala.
