Young Artist Competition 2024

Emily Andriano is a teaching assistant and graduate student at Washington State University, where she is pursuing her Master of Arts in Music for violin performance with Dr. Christiano Rodrigues. She received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Delaware, where she studied violin with Xiang Gao and Guillaume Combet, and was awarded the Outstanding Music Scholar Scholarship.  

Andriano has received further training through summer music festivals, including Round Top Festival Institute, Rocky Ridge Music Center, and DALI String Quartet Music Festival. At Round Top, she studied with renowned violinists such as Michelle Kim, Chen Zhao, Chavdar Parashkevov, Elisabeth Adkins, and Regis Pasquier. Additionally, she also performed in two chamber ensembles coached by Viktor Valkov and Christiano Rodrigues, and with the orchestra under the direction of JoAnn Falletta, Robert Spano, Joseph Young, Edwin Outwater, Charles Olivieri-Munroe, and Perry So. While she participated as a chamber student at Rocky Ridge working with Elias Goldstein, Si-Yan Darren Li, Dawn Wohn, and Karoly Schranz, she was also a counselor for three of their youth programs. In 2021, she was awarded the Quartet Assistantship for the DALI String Quartet Music Festival.  

During her time at Washington State University, she has performed as the concertmaster of the Washington State University Symphony Orchestra and Palouse Choral Society Ensemble, the principal second violin of the Washington-Idaho Symphony, and is on the substitute list for Spokane Symphony. In Spokane, she performed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert Film Series at the First Interstate Center. She has also been an adjudicator and clinician for the Washington State University Orchestra Festival. Prior to her studies at Washington State University, she performed in several ensembles at the University of Delaware, where she served as concertmaster for the University of Delaware Symphony Orchestra during her third year and was coached in multiple chamber ensembles by the Calidore String Quartet. Throughout grade school, she performed with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York, where she performed at Carnegie Hall. 

Joshua is a young musician from the Moscow-Pullman area. He is currently studying cello under Cole Tutino, and taking piano from Jennifer Faulkner. His talents vary from being an amateur composer to being the main pianist at his church. 

A native of Belarus, Yana has been following her passion for classical music through her studies in Armenia, Austria, and the United States. She holds a bachelor's degree in piano performance from Whitman College, WA, and is currently pursuing a master's degree at the University of Idaho under the instruction of Dr. Roger McVey. Yana thoroughly enjoys making music with other people and is a winner of several competitions, including concerto competitions at Whitman College and the University of Idaho.

Costa Rican pianist, Mario Jimenez, has appeared at Carnegie Hall (NY), JFK

Center for the Performing Arts (DC), National Library of Cuba, National

Theatre of Costa Rica, among others.

Mr. Jimenez is pursuing his graduate studies in piano performance at

University of Idaho with Dr. Eneida Larti. A recipient of a graduate teaching

assistantship, he teaches, performs, and currently serves as the president for

the University of Idaho collegiate chapter of the Music Teachers National

Association.

He received his Bachelor of Arts on Piano Performance and Pedagogy from

the National University of Costa Rica under the tutelage of Dr. Luis Monge. He

was also a recipient of the Distinguished Student Award from 2011 to 2014.

He later pursued a Licentiate in Piano Performance under the guidance of Dr.

Rebeca Ordóñez.

Recent performances include appearances in the Main Hall of University of

the Americas (Mexico), University of Idaho Student Chamber and Early Music

Ensemble Recitals, Auditorium of the National University of Costa Rica and

Golden Hall of the Museum of Costa Rican Art.

He has participated and performed in festivals such as Goldstein Young Artist

Program, Piano Texas and Costa Rica Piano Festival. He has received top

prizes in international music competitions.

Josephine Belzer is a senior at Pullman High School. She has been playing cello for eight years; she has taken part in her school’s orchestra, Greater Palouse Youth Orchestra, and private lessons. Josephine is delighted to be a finalist in the Washington Idaho Symphony’s Young Artist Competition.

Ukrainian-American pianist Daniel Beal has been a guest soloist with orchestras, successful in regional and international piano/music competitions, and a national finalist in the 2022 MTNA Piano Performance Competition.  He has won state MTNA competitions two years in a row, SMTA State Recitalist Competitions, numerous 1st place honors in the Spokane Piano Competition, and over two dozen gold medals at Musicfest Northwest. Daniel was awarded top prizes in international music competitions, including Platinum Prize and Characteristic Performance Award at the 2023 London Young Musician Awards, First Prize and Piano Virtuoso Special Prize at the second Royal Maas International Music Competition, and Platinum Prize at the 2023 World Classical Music Awards for an orchestral performance with the North Idaho Philharmonia. He is grateful to his parents and long-term instructor Barbara Miller for their support. Daniel volunteers at retirement centers and the public library, and has been a performer and presenter on Spokane Public Radio several times. He believes classical music has the ability to touch the heart and inspire people.

George Burke, 16, is the son of Ian and Adrienne Burke of Pullman, WA. He began studying piano at age 6 with Annette Klover. In 2020, he was accepted into Washington State University’s Piano Pedagogy Lab under the direction of Dr. Yoon-Wha Roh. George has participated in Pullman Music Teachers Association annual competitions and adjudications. He received honorable mention in 2021, runner-up in 2022, and first place in 2023. As a consequence, George performed in the Washington State Music Teachers Association Honors Recital in 2023. George also had the honor of participating in the New York International Music Concours winners recital in Carnegie Hall in 2023.

George is a junior at Pullman High School. He has been a member of the high school’s track team, orchestra, and jazz band since his freshman year. George enjoys playing multiple instruments including upright bass and electric guitar. 

Aidan Luke Steinkamp (born September 27, 2002) is a violinist from Portland Oregon.  Currently studying violin performance at the University of Idaho under Giselle Hillyer, he aspires to become Mozart but is comfortable settling for something more realistic.  He has played violin for 14 years, during which time he has been a part of string quartets, trios, orchestras, and backyard fireside fiddling, all of which he has thoroughly enjoyed.