Audrey G. Baird Stars of Tomorrow Concert
TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2025 • BRADLEY SYMPHONY CENTER presents the
Photo by Jonathan Kirn
2025 STARS OF TOMORROW
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Allen-Bradley Hall
Ryan Tani, conductor
Indre Raghavan, violin
Vivian Van de Sype Cucu, viola
Katarina Kenney, cello
Stars of Tomorrow Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions
JEAN SIBELIUS
Concerto in D minor for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 47
I. Allegro moderato
Indre Raghavan, violin
WILLIAM WALTON
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
I. Andante comodo
Vivian Van de Sype Cucu, viola
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK
Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 104, B. 191
I. Allegro
Katarina Kenney, cello
INTERMISSION
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Opus 36
I. Andante sostenuto
II. Andantino in modo di canzona
III. Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato
IV. Finale: Allegro con fuoco
Stars of Tomorrow Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions
CONDUCTOR
RYAN TANI
RYAN TANI is in his second season as assistant conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. In 2021, he completed his two-year tenure as the Orchestral Conducting Fellow for the Yale Philharmonia under Music Director Peter Oundjian, where he was the recipient of the Dean’s Prize for artistic excellence in his graduating class. Committed to meaningful community musicmaking in the state of Montana, Tani has directed the Bozeman Chamber Orchestra, Bozeman Symphonic Choir, Second String Orchestra, and MSU Symphony Orchestras. He frequently serves as cover conductor for the St. Louis, Colorado, and Bozeman symphonies and recently served on the faculty at the Montana State University School of Music.
Tani recently concluded his tenure as music director of the Occasional Symphony in Baltimore. A fierce advocate of new music, Tani curated over 20 commissions from Baltimore-based composers during his four-year directorship of OS. As resident conductor of the New Music New Haven series, he has collaborated, under the guidance of Aaron Jay Kernis, with Yale University composition students and faculty.
Tani is also a graduate of the Peabody Institute, where he studied conducting with Marin Alsop and Markand Thakar, and of the University of Southern California, where he studied voice with Gary Glaze. In 2015, he was declared the winner of the ACDA Undergraduate Student Conducting Competition at their national conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition to his studies at Yale and Peabody, Tani has also studied conducting with Larry Rachleff, Donald Schleicher, Gerard Schwarz, Grant Cooper, and José-Luis Novo. Tani currently resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he can be found in the park with his dog, playing board games with friends and family, in the library with a good book, or in the practice room with his violin.
2025 SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS JUDGES
The prize winner of the 2013 Orquesta de Córdoba conducting competition in Spain, the 2012 Black Sea Conducting Competition in Romania, and the winner of the 2015 American Prize in Opera Conducting, JUN KIM has conducted extensively in North America and Europe.
Jun Kim has appeared with orchestras such as the State Symphony Orchestra of Russia, St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Moravian Philharmonic in the Czech Republic, Symphony Orchestra of the National Opera and Ballet in Constanta, Brasov Philharmonic, Bacau Philharmonic in Romania, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Radom Chamber Orchestra in Poland, Orquesta de Córdoba, Orquesta Sinfónica Ciudad de Elche in Spain, Berlin Sinfonietta, Mahler Philharmonic in Austria, Coro Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Duluth Symphony Orchestra, and Richmond Symphony Orchestra in U.S.
In 2018, as a Beethoven conducting prize recipient from European Music Academy, Jun Kim guest conducted three concerts with the North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in two different cities in the Czech Republic. Jun Kim also won the first prize at Malta International Conducting Competition in Malta and will be returning to guest conduct the orchestra. He was selected as a Discovery Series Conductor at the Oregon Bach Festival under Maestro Helmuth Rilling and was personally selected by Maestro Kurt Masur for the Kurt Masur conducting seminar in New York. Recently, Jun Kim has been selected to participate at St. Magnus Festival in the U.K. to work with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He was also chosen to work with Cincinnati Symphony and the May Festival Chorus, and also with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with Marin Alsop.
Active as a violinist and an avid chamber musician, Jun Kim has played recitals and concerts and has been invited to give violin masterclasses and performances at universities in the U.S. and Korea and served as juror for many competitions. He has studied violin with Won-Bin Yim, Miriam Fried, and Victor Danchenko, and played in masterclasses of Cho-liang Lin, Pamela Frank, Federico Agostini, and Sergiu Schwartz.
In addition to his position at UW-Milwaukee, Jun Kim is the co-founder, artistic director, and conductor of the Washington Chamber Orchestra in D.C.
2025 SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS JUDGES
TIMOTHY KLABUNDE
TIMOTHY KLABUNDE served as former assistant principal second violin with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. MSO tours have taken him to the great concert halls of Japan, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, England, and Cuba. A native Milwaukeean, Mr. Klabunde studied violin with Leonard Sorkin and Abram Loft and chamber music with Bernard Zaslav and George Sopkin, members of the Fine Arts Quartet at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee.
He has been heard on live broadcasts for WFMT Chicago and Wisconsin Public Radio’s Sunday Afternoon Live at the Chazen. Timothy has appeared as soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, and Manitowoc Symphony, and as concertmaster of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra. He has performed at the Festival de Belles Artes in San Miguel, Mexico and the Fourth Annual International String Quartet Competition in Evian, France. From 2004 through 2017, Timothy appeared at the Washington Island Music Festival. He has also recorded for many television, radio, and stage productions. Mr. Klabunde performed for ten years as a member of the Prometheus Trio at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. He retired from the MSO after 44 years.
Since joining the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in 2023 as a section cello player, SHINAE RA has quickly advanced to the role of assistant principal cello. A graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree and The Juilliard School with a master’s degree, Ra’s musical journey has been shaped by notable leadership roles as the principal cellist of the Juilliard Orchestra, several of Indiana University’s orchestras, and the National Repertory Orchestra. She has participated in world-renowned festivals, including the Spoleto Festival, Pacific Music Festival, the New York String Orchestra Seminar, and the Lakes Area Music Festival.
Ra’s professional performance experience includes engagements with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and Columbus Indiana Philharmonic. She has performed on the stages of some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, Lotte Concert Hall in South Korea, and Suntory Hall in Japan. Her primary teachers include Emanuel Gruber, Peter Stumpf, and Natasha Brofsky. Ra is deeply passionate about music and enjoys sharing the concert experience with audiences of all backgrounds. When not performing, she enjoys cooking and baking.
AUDREY G. BAIRD
Audrey Baird’s impact upon the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and other Milwaukee area performing arts groups was significant. She chaired her first committee for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra League as ticket drive chairwoman for her suburb of Wauwatosa in the late 1950s and served as MSO League President from 1965–1967. She became an honorary director of the League Board in 1990, having also served on the board as an active member (1973–1990). Additionally, she served as president of the Women’s Council of the American Symphony Orchestra League (now the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras) from 1973–1975, which created the Audrey Baird Ticket Sales Award in her name, honoring her legendary ability to train and inspire volunteers. In 1981, she joined the MSO administrative staff as director of audience development. Her lasting contributions, dedication, and spirit are honored annually by the Audrey G. Baird Stars of Tomorrow competition and auditions.
When Baird received the Gold Baton at the League of American Orchestras conference in 1996, the presenter noted: “Audrey’s work as a volunteer leader, marketer, lecturer, and consultant has left a lasting mark on orchestra fundraising and ticket sales. She is the First Lady of volunteer ticket sales, whose unmatched skills and irresistible enthusiasm have multiplied audiences for orchestras everywhere.”
2025 AUDREY G. BAIRD STARS OF TOMORROW SOLOISTS
INDRE RAGHAVAN
INDRE RAGHAVAN began her violin studies at age seven with Janse Vincent and currently studies with professor Eugene Purdue. Indre has been a member of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO) for eight years, where she has held concertmaster and principal roles. Indre is the winner of the 2025 Bolz Young Artist Concerto Competition and soloed with Madison Symphony Orchestra in the final round, “The Final Forte.” She is also the winner of the Middleton Community Orchestra’s 2025 concerto competition and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s Young Artist competition. She was a semi-finalist of the 2024 Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Stars of Tomorrow competition and performed as concertmaster at the MSO Stars of Tomorrow concert. Indre also was a semi-finalist in the 2023 Bolz Young Artist Competition and received honorable mentions in the 2024 Bolz Young Artist Competition, 2024 Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition, 2023 and 2024 Middleton Community Orchestra Concerto Competitions, and was the winner of 2024 Middleton High School Concerto and Aria Competition. She spent the summers of 2023 and 2024 at the Meadowmount School of Music studying with professor Gerardo Ribeiro and professor I-Hao Lee. Additionally, in 2024, she attended the Sounding Point Academy at The Colburn School.
Indre has played in masterclasses for James Ehnes, Paul Kantor, David Halen, Danielle Belen, I-Hao Lee, Blair Milton, Dawn Dongeun Wohn, Julian Rhee, the Aizuri Quartet, and others. Outside of music, Indre is a member of the National Honor Society and serves as class representative in the Middleton High School (MHS) Student Senate. Additionally, she is a teen teacher of WYSO Music Makers program, serves as treasurer of the MHS Letters of Love chapter (which provides emotional support for patients in children’s hospitals across the world), communications leader of the MHS Girl Up (a women’s empowerment club), Next Chapter Academic Tutoring, and president-elect of the MHS Unicef chapter. She also loves to train at CrossFit Madtown.
VIVIAN VAN DE SYPE CUCU
2025 AUDREY G. BAIRD STARS OF TOMORROW SOLOISTS
VIVIAN VAN DE SYPE CUCU , 17, is a Scholarship Fellow at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy, a training center for advanced pre-college musicians. She currently studies viola with Davis King. She began playing viola at age four at the Cleveland Institute of Music. This coming fall, Vivian will attend Northwestern University to study with Helen Callus. Vivian made her solo debut with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) at age eleven as a 2019 Concerto Competition winner. Vivian was a member of MYSO for seven years and served as principal viola for their Senior Symphony. Additionally, she has taken top honors at the Wisconsin School Music Association’s (WSMA) Solo and Ensemble festivals from 2019-2023 and served as principal viola in the WSMA State Orchestra for three seasons. In March, Vivian took second place in the 2025 Bolz Young Artist Competition, where she played as a soloist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
Vivian is also an active chamber musician. As a member of the Elysian Quartet of the MIC Academy, she won the Gold Medal, BIPOC Prize, and Audience Prize in the St. Paul String Quartet Competition and earned an honorable mention in the Rembrandt Chamber Musicians Competition. Additionally, she participated as a quarter-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Competition. As a member of the Caspian String Quartet, she won first prizes in the 2025 Rembrandt Chamber Musicians High School Chamber Music Competition, 2025 MYA Chicago National Chamber Music Competition, and was a finalist in the 2025 Coltman Chamber Music Competition. Vivian has attended several summer music programs, including the Heifetz International Music Institute (Senior Division), Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Astona International Music Academy in Switzerland. She also attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Camp program from 2017-2022 and was the principal viola of their World Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Vivian is also a co-founder, along with five colleagues, of a non-profit organization called Musicians for Hope (MFH). The group strives to foster a love for music and nurture the academic growth of young students. MFH raises funds and resources to support underfunded music programs in elementary and middle schools through fundraising concerts. To date, MFH has raised more than $30,000. She has been honored to participate in selective masterclasses with Roberto Díaz, Paul Neubauer, Milan Milisavljević, Nathan Braude, Eric Nowlin, and James Thompson.
2025 AUDREY G. BAIRD STARS OF TOMORROW SOLOISTS
KATARINA KENNEY
KATARINA KENNEY , 16, is a Richard D. Colburn Scholarship for Artistic Excellence Fellow at the Music Institute of Chicago Academy, a training center for advanced precollege musicians. She currently studies cello with Cornelia Watkins. Katarina made her solo orchestral debut at the age of 13 in a side-byside performance with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and WYSO Philharmonia, and has since performed with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, Middleton Community Orchestra, and Madison Symphony Orchestra.
Katarina was the first prize winner of the 2024 Madison Symphony Bolz Final Forte Competition, 2024 Middleton Community Orchestra Young Artist Competition, 2023 WYSO Youth Competition, 2022 WYSO Philharmonia Competition, 2022 Madison Symphony Orchestra Fall Youth Competition, and second prize junior division winner of the 2022 Center Stage Strings Young Artist Solo Competition. As a member of the Elysian Quartet, her ensemble won the gold medal, BIPOC performance award, and audience prize at the 2024 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition, received high honors at the 2024 Rembrandt Chamber Competition, and were quarterfinalists in the 2024 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Katarina also won the silver medal and the BIPOC performance award in the 2023 SPSQC as a member of the Pondrom Quartet and received an honorable mention at the 2023 Chicago National Chamber Music Competition.
Katarina has had the honor of playing in masterclasses for Sterling Elliott, Mark Kosower, Richard Aaron, Hannah Roberts, Astrid Schween, and Clive Greensmith, among others. As a chamber musician and soloist, she has been featured on PBS Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Radio, WPR’s Midday Classics, and Chicago’s WFMT Introductions.
Katarina is a sophomore at Madison Country Day School, where she enjoys participating in Science Olympiad, Forensics, and the Social Activism and Awareness Club. In addition, she is in her eighth season with the Madison Youth Choirs, and will be attending the Yellow Barn Young Artist Program and Domaine Forget de Charlevoix International Music and Dance Academy this summer.
2025 YOUNG ARTISTS
SOLOISTS
Each of tonight’s soloists received a $1,000 scholarship to further their musical education. One soloist selected by the judges as having performed exceptionally well receives an additional $1,000 award. The remaining two soloists each receive a $250 Scholarship Award.
Katarina Kenney, cello, Madison
Indre Raghavan, violin, Verona
Vivian Van de Sype Cucu, viola, Milwaukee
SEMI-FINALISTS
Shaurya Bansal, horn, Pewaukee
Mari Cortez, flute, Verona
Lydia Morency, oboe, Germantown
Sal Stein, violin, Mequon
Faith Weigand, bassoon, Racine
HONORABLE
MENTIONS
Kayli Abbott, trombone, Eagle
Anna-Lena Derocher, violin, Shorewood
Benyamin Kim, violin, Mequon
Johana Kim, flute, Mequon
Ava Larsen, cello, Pewaukee
Jehee Lee, violin, Milwaukee
Magdalena Masur, violin, Milwaukee
Gabrielle Peck, cello, Waterford
Felix Pipal, cello, Mequon
Oliver Runnoe, cello, Milwaukee
Henry Snavely, violin, New Berlin
The following students are unable to perform with us this evening, but we wish to acknowledge their achievements in the 2025 Stars of Tomorrow Competition:
Cordelia Fredrickson, violin, Madison (semi-finalist)
Jay Suthan, violin, Menomonee Falls (honorable mention)
AUDITIONS
A project of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Stars of Tomorrow Competition is an annual statewide competition for high school string, woodwind, brass, and percussion musicians. Three winners receive scholarship awards and the opportunity to perform as soloists with the MSO.
Semi-finalist and honorable mention winners receive the honor of appearing as orchestral musicians with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. In preparation for the performance, these students participate in workshops presented by MSO musicians.
The 2025 competition was held on February 15 at the First Congregational Church in Wauwatosa. We thank all the volunteers and judges, and especially event chair, Jessica Pihart, for ensuring that the auditions were smooth and successful.
2025 Young Artists Auditions
Jessica Pihart, chair
Audition Judges
Dietrich Hemann, Madeleine Kabat, Hyewon Kim, Samantha Rodriguez, Jay Shankar, Adrien Zitoun
Semi-Final Round Judges
Jeanyi Kim, Robert Levine, Kevin Pearl
Workshop Clinicians
Beth Giacobassi, Paul Hauer
THANK YOU
Tonight’s concert is named in honor of Audrey G. Baird (1922-2017), founder of the Stars of Tomorrow Competition (formerly called the Young Artist Auditions). The MSO thanks Audrey for her legacy of passionate and constant support of music education and creating opportunities for young musicians.
Thank you to the First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa for providing a welcoming and effective space for the Stars of Tomorrow Auditions, and a resounding thank you to all the volunteers for your continued effort and support of this program. It is truly appreciated. Thank you to all of the student musicians who participated in the 2025 Stars of Tomorrow Competition, their teachers, pianists, and families.
The MSO thanks the following funders for their generous annual support that makes Stars of Tomorrow programming possible: United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), Herzfeld Foundation, Hearst Foundations, Westbury Bank, Townsend Foundation, Educators Credit Union, and the Eleanor N. Wilson and Irene Edelstein Memorial Funds as administered by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Stars of Tomorrow is supported in part by grants from the Milwaukee Arts Board and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin. Additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and Milwaukee County Arts Fund (CAMPAC).
2024.25 SEASON
KEN-DAVID MASUR
Music Director
Polly and Bill Van Dyke Music Director Chair
EDO DE WAART
Music Director Laureate
BYRON STRIPLING
Principal Pops Conductor
Stein Family Foundation Principal Pops Conductor Chair
RYAN TANI
Assistant Conductor
CHERYL FRAZES HILL
Chorus Director
Margaret Hawkins Chorus Director Chair
TIMOTHY J. BENSON
Assistant Chorus Director
FIRST VIOLIN
Jinwoo Lee, Concertmaster, Charles and Marie Caestecker Concertmaster Chair
Ilana Setapen, First Associate Concertmaster, Thora M. Vervoren First Associate Concertmaster Chair
Jeanyi Kim, Associate Concertmaster
Alexander Ayers
Autumn Chodorowski
Yuka Kadota
Sheena Lan**
Elliot Lee**
Dylana Leung
Kyung Ah Oh
Lijia Phang
Yuanhui Fiona Zheng
SECOND VIOLIN
Jennifer Startt, Principal, Andrea and Woodrow Leung Second Violin Chair
Ji-Yeon Lee, Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
John Bian, Assistant Principal (3rd chair)*
Hyewon Kim, Acting Assistant Principal (3rd chair)
Glenn Asch
Lisa Johnson Fuller
Clay Hancock
Paul Hauer
Janis Sakai*
Mary Terranova
VIOLA
Robert Levine, Principal, Richard O. and Judith A. Wagner Family Principal Viola Chair
Samantha Rodriguez, Acting Assistant Principal (2nd chair), Friends of Janet F. Ruggeri Viola Chair
Alejandro Duque, Acting Assistant Principal (3rd chair)
Elizabeth Breslin
Georgi Dimitrov
Nathan Hackett
Erin H. Pipal
CELLO
Susan Babini, Principal, Dorothea C. Mayer Cello Chair
Shinae Ra, Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
Scott Tisdel, Associate Principal Emeritus
Madeleine Kabat
Peter Szczepanek
Peter J. Thomas
Adrien Zitoun
BASS
Principal, Donald B. Abert Bass Chair
Andrew Raciti, Acting Principal
Nash Tomey, Acting Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
Brittany Conrad
Omar Haffar**
Paris Myers
HARP
Julia Coronelli, Principal, Walter Schroeder Harp Chair
FLUTE
Sonora Slocum, Principal, Margaret and Roy Butter Flute Chair
Heather Zinninger, Assistant Principal
Jennifer Bouton Schaub
PICCOLO
Jennifer Bouton Schaub
OBOE
Katherine Young Steele, Principal, Milwaukee Symphony League Oboe Chair
Kevin Pearl, Assistant Principal
Margaret Butler
ENGLISH HORN
Margaret Butler, Philip and Beatrice Blank English Horn Chair in memoriam to John Martin
CLARINET
Todd Levy, Principal, Franklyn Esenberg Clarinet Chair
Jay Shankar, Assistant Principal, Donald and Ruth P. Taylor Assistant Principal Clarinet Chair
Besnik Abrashi
E-FLAT CLARINET
Jay Shankar
BASS CLARINET
Besnik Abrashi
BASSOON
Catherine Van Handel, Principal, Muriel C. and John D. Silbar Family Bassoon Chair
Rudi Heinrich, Assistant Principal
Beth W. Giacobassi
CONTRABASSOON
Beth W. Giacobassi
HORN
Matthew Annin, Principal, Krause Family French Horn Chair
Krystof Pipal, Associate Principal
Dietrich Hemann, Andy Nunemaker French Horn Chair
Darcy Hamlin
Scott Sanders
TRUMPET
Matthew Ernst, Principal, Walter L. Robb Family Trumpet Chair
David Cohen, Associate Principal, Martin J. Krebs Associate Principal Trumpet Chair
TROMBONE
Megumi Kanda, Principal, Marjorie Tiefenthaler Trombone Chair
Kirk Ferguson, Assistant Principal
BASS TROMBONE
John Thevenet, Richard M. Kimball Bass Trombone Chair
TUBA
Robyn Black, Principal, John and Judith Simonitsch Tuba Chair
TIMPANI
Dean Borghesani, Principal
Chris Riggs, Assistant Principal
PERCUSSION
Robert Klieger, Principal
Chris Riggs
PIANO
Melitta S. Pick Endowed Piano Chair
PERSONNEL
Antonio Padilla Denis, Director of Orchestra Personnel
Paris Myers, Hiring Coordinator
LIBRARIANS
Paul Beck, Principal Librarian, James E. Van Ess Principal Librarian Chair
Matthew Geise, Assistant Librarian and Media Archivist
PRODUCTION
Tristan Wallace, Production Manager/Live Audio
Lisa Sottile, Production Stage Manager
* Leave of absence 2024.25 season
** Acting member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra 2024.25 Season