2024 Concerto & Aria Competition Winners

Wing Sze Chan

Pianist

Claire obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Music (Honors) from Hong Kong Baptist University and is currently a graduate student at California State University, Northridge in Piano Performance. She received masterclasses with Warren Lee, Sabrina He, Derek Parsons, Peter Vinograde and Victor Goldberg. She has a Trinity LTCL diploma in Piano Performance and won first place in the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival in Solo Piano. She also won the Prize for Best Liszt Performance at the American Liszt Society SoCal Chapter Festival 2023. She studied piano with Cherry Tsang and is currently studying with Dmitry Rachmanov.

Margaret Daly

Soprano

Margaret Daly is a classical singer based in West LA, studying with Juliana Gondek. In June, she will sing the role of Venus in Santa Monica College’s production of Orpheus in the Underworld, directed by Dr. Janelle DeStefano and conducted by Mercedes Juan Musotto. Outside of opera, she is a passionate environmentalist and works for ClientEarth, a nonprofit dedicated to using the power of the law to protect the Earth for – and with – its inhabitants.

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Brooke Iva Lohman

Soprano

Hailed as “witty, adorable, and one to watch”, soprano Brooke Iva Lohman is lauded for her clear, high range, crisp, clean fioritura, and moving character portrayals. She is quickly gaining attention as an adept interpreter of some of the most demanding coloratura repertoire for soprano. 

Ms. Lohman has sung with LA Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Pacific Opera Project, Glendale Opera, Orange County Opera, Mission Opera, Independent Opera, and Pacific Lyric Association. Notable performances include Zerbinetta, Gilda, Adele, The Snow Maiden, Queen of the Night, Olympia, Atalanta, and Madame Herz. 

Upcoming performances include Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor) in March 2024. Brooke lives in beautiful Altadena, CA with her husband and three cats. For more information, please visit BrookeIvaLohman.com. 

Enosh Kofler

Violinist

A seasoned orchestral and chamber performer, Enosh Kofler became associate concertmaster of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra in 2023 and was previously a member of the Israel Philharmonic. He also enjoyed a four-year tenure with the Jerusalem Symphony, with which he appeared as a soloist, and served as assistant concertmaster of the American Youth Symphony. Enosh has performed on some of the world’s most illustrious stages, including Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, Teatro Colón, Berlin Philharmonie, Paris Philharmonie, and many more. Enosh took center stage at the 2024 Grammys, as part of a string quartet, in a special performance dedicated to world peace.

Born in Spain, Enosh Kofler relocated to Los Angeles at a young age, where he began his music education. He continued his studies at the New England Conservatory, and completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, where he was awarded the America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship. 

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Enosh returned to Los Angeles. As a sought-after performer of both classical and pop styles, Enosh appeared as guest concertmaster and soloist with the Wordless Orchestra at the Beacon Theatre in New York, soloist with the American Contemporary Ballet, collaborated with Sigur Rós, Luis Miguel, Pink Martini, and recorded for Beyoncé, among others. 

Enosh shares his passion for music as a teaching artist for Harmony Project, an organization dedicated to bringing world class music instruction to low-income families and under-resourced communities, as well as to his private students. 

Adam Kummer

Saxophonist

Adame started playing the saxophone in the 3rd grade, and continued all through high school (Grant Elementary, John Adams Middle School, Santa Monica High School). He completed the MTAC Certificate of Merit program (music theory and performance) under the tutelage of Emily Senchuck through Level 8, after which I completed the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program through Level 10 (these included repertoire preparation, orchestral excerpts, etudes, technical tests, aural skill evaluation, and sight reading). Adam also studied under James Barrera, professor of saxophone performance at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSU Long Beach. In addition to playing in the highest wind ensemble level possible from 3rd grade to 12th grade, he played in honor bands (such as the All-Southern Honor Band) in high school. Adam was in the SAMOHI marching band for all 4 years, and Jazz Band 1 for 3 years. He participated in the SCSBOA Solo and Small Ensemble Festival all throughout high school, receiving Superior, Superior CP (Command Performance), Superior CP, Superior CP for his solo performances from Freshman through Senior year respectively, and Superior CP for his participation in small ensembles. Adam is currently in the Applied Music Program at SMC, and he plans to transfer to a four-year university to get a degree in Saxophone Performance.

Angela Rhodes

Soprano

Angela Rhodes is a native of Los Angeles, California. She found her passion for music in 2018 while taking her first voice class with Dr. Janelle DeStefano at Santa Monica College, inspiring her to pursue her studies in classical music. During her studies at SMC, she completed the Applied Music Program while participating in SMC’s Concert Chorale, Chamber Choir, and Opera Theatre. After completing the four-semester program in December 2021, Angela continued to participate in the SMC Choirs and Opera Theatre while assisting the directors of the operas. She then graduated with an A.A. Degree in Applied Music with a focus in Classical Voice in June 2023.

Angela recently transferred to California State University, Northridge (CSUN) where she is currently studying for her B.M. in Vocal Performance under the instruction of Shigemi Matsumoto and the mentorship of Mercedes Juan Musotto. She also currently participates in the SMC Symphony Orchestra as a percussionist.

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Lev Sakae Taira

Violinist

Lev Sakae Taira is a 15-year-old violinist and vocalist (baritone) from Los Angeles. He began violin studies at age 4 with Gherman Markosian and he currently studies violin at the Colburn School with Aimée Kreston. He began his vocal training with Michael Chipman at the Colburn School and currently studies with Derrick Lawrence. In 2022, Lev received the LA violin scholarship to attend the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp where he was the concertmaster of the orchestra for the camp’s final session. In the summer of 2023, Lev attended the Meadowmount School of Music where he studied under Ann Setzer. He has performed in masterclasses for Michael Barenboim, Lisa Sylvester, and Geneva Lewis. Lev has been a prize winner in several competitions including Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra concerto competition, Interlochen Concerto Competition, Bellagrande International Music Competition and more.

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Yan Shun Joseph Wong

Pianist

Yan Shun Joseph Wong is a young pianist originally from Hong Kong that is actively pursuing a career in piano performance.

Wong started professional training from an early age and holds a B.A. (music) degree in piano performance from Hong Kong Baptist University, as well as a Masters of Music in Piano Performance from Southern Oregon University.

During the course of pursuing the Masters Degree, Mr. Wong was awarded multiple scholarships, and studied with concert pianist and pedagogue Dr. Alexander Tutunov at Southern Oregon University. Since his arrival to Ashland, Mr. Wong has enjoyed multiple achievements.

Mr. Wong has performed in many festivals. In the Summer of 2018, he participated in the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York City, where he had the opportunity to play for Nina Lelchuk, Mykola Suk, Massimiliano Ferrati and Jeffrey Swann.

In the Summer of 2019, Mr. Wong was recommended by Steinway artist Yoonie Han to have his orchestra debut in Perugia Music Festival, Italy, in which he played Chopin’s Piano Concerto 2 with the Virtuoso Brunenses Orchestra under the baton of maestro Gaddiel Dombrowner. During the Festival, Mr. Wong played in masterclasses for Nino Merabishvili, Arthur Greene, Ron Trachtman, Alexey Sokolov and Masahiro Kawakami.

In 2022, Mr. Wong was awarded a full scholarship to cover his expenses during the University of Florida International Piano Festival, where he had multiple performances.

As of 2023, Mr. Wong has received numerous invitations to perform in venues across the US, some of which included Carnegie Hall in New York, SOKA Performing Arts Centre in Los Angeles, Azusa Pacific University, Portland State University, University of Florida, the Rogue Valley Manor, Mountain Meadows community, as well as SOU’s Music Recital Hall. In the 2022 MTNA national competition, Mr. Wong was selected as the alternate for the State of Oregon. Mr. Wong is also a young Kawai artist for the International Association of Professional Music Teachers.

In addition, Mr. Wong took part in masterclasses and worked with artists including Corey Hamm, Andrew Von Oeyan, Andrew Cooperstock, Sze Yau Chan, Eric Fung, David Fung, and Dirk Mommertz.