January 9-12, 2025
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Stephanie Patterson, host
2025 Vivaldi Competition
January 9-12, 2025
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Stephanie Patterson, host
The Semifinalists
Catherine Brenmark
Catherine Brenmark is a third-year undergraduate bassoonist and Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, where she studies with Dr. Peter Kolkay. At school, Catherine is actively involved in ensembles and organizations such as the Vanderbilt University Orchestra, Wind Symphony, New Music Society, and the Kleine Wind Quintet. She was recently named the 2024 winner of the MTNA Tennessee Woodwind Young Artist Competition.As a session musician in Nashville, Catherine has recorded music for companies such as Disney and Sony and can be heard on movie, TV, and game soundtracks such as Destiny 2. She has attended summer festivals such as the Madeline Island Chamber Music Festival, the Kinhaven Young Artist Seminar, the Bay View Wind Institute, the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, the Mostly Modern Festival, and the Akropolis Chamber Music Institute.Catherine is especially interested in audio technology and has produced numerous projects featuring multitrack recording and electroacoustic live performance at Vanderbilt, where she received the 2023 Dave Darlington Award for Outstanding Creative Work in Music Technology.Catherine is originally from Plainfield, Illinois, where she began learning bassoon in the sixth grade.
Alexis Cerise
Alexis Cerise is a New York City based bassoonist, pursuing her Masters of Music from The Juilliard School, studying with Kim Laskowski. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Alexis attended the University of Kentucky for her undergraduate, studying with Peter Simpson and Dr. Allison Nicotera.
Alexis is committed to bringing high-caliber classical music to communities inside and outside of the concert hall. She is in her second year as the Bassoon Fellow for Juilliard's Music Advancement Program, and the Morse Teaching Artist Fellowship. Through both of these programs, Alexis engages with dozens of students every week, and provides mentorship, education, and assistance to small groups, class settings, and one-on one settings. Through these programs, Alexis hopes to inspire a new curiosity in music in young people, and to help them recognize their place in classical music.
An avid performer, Alexis has performed with The Juilliard Orchestra, AXIOM, Juilliard Opera, and the Juilliard Chamber Orchestra. While at UK, Alexis served as the principal bassoon of the UK Symphony Orchestra (UKSO), UK Wind Symphony (UKWS), and UK Opera Orchestra for 4 years. As the winner of both the UK Wind Symphony and UK Symphony Orchestra concert competitions, Alexis made her solo debut with the UKSO, playing Hummel's Grand Concerto for Bassoon, and performed the first movement with the UKWS.
During her time at UK, Alexis cultivated a private studio of middle and high school students. During these 4 years, she worked with almost 20 students in total, with many selected to attend various programs, including the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts, KMEA All-State, and the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras.
When not practicing, performing, teaching, or making reeds, Alexis is an avid reader, frequenter of new coffee shops, and explorer of her new home of NYC.
Yolotzin Cruz Cedillo
From 2022 to 2024, Yolotzin Cruz Cedillo held the position of second bassoonist with The Israel Camerata Jerusalem. She has been invited to perform with various ensembles, including the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra in Vienna, Synchron Stage Orchestra, and the Israel Chamber Orchestra, among others. She has performed at prestigious venues such as the Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and the Israeli Opera.
In 2022, she made her solo debut in Vienna, performing Weber’s Bassoon Concerto with the Concentus21 Orchestra.
Yolotzin has won numerous competitions, including the first absolute prize at the “6th International Music Competition of the City of Palmanova,” and the Fidelio Chamber Music Competition in Vienna. She was also a finalist in the “First International Bassoon Orchestral Excerpts Competition.” Additionally, she has received scholarships such as the CONACYT-CULTURA scholarship from the Mexican government and the first prize in the Santander Estudios Legacy scholarship, from Santander Bank.
Yolotzin has advanced her teaching career by giving masterclasses at the Bassoon Festival of the FaM-UNAM and at the Escuela Superior de Musica INBA, in Mexico City.
Ariana Kim
Ariana Kim is currently a senior at Orange County School of the Arts. Starting bassoon at the age of six at the Tampere Conservatory in Finland, she was an annual Conservatory winner. Prior to being selected as a soloist for the PSYO concerto competition, she was a soloist for the OCSA concerto competition (2023), performed as a fellow for NPR’s From the Top (2023-2024), and was a semifinalist in The Music Center’s Spotlight (2023). She was selected as a member of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO-USA) in 2024, and has attended multiple music programs as a scholarship student such as the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in 2021 where she studied with William Short, and Brevard Music Center in 2022, studying with Catherine Van Handel, Andrew Brady, and Glenn Einschlag. She has participated in all-state and all-southern groups since middle school, most recently playing in the California All-State Symphony Orchestra in 2023 and 2024. Ariana has played in masterclasses for Daniel Matsukawa, principal of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Whitney Crocket, principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Eric Stromberg, Professor at Kansas University. She currently studies with Minho Lee.
Abigail Lopez
Hailing from Aurora Illinois, Mexican-American bassoonist Abigail Lopez is currently in her final year of undergraduate studies at the The Oberlin Conservatory of Music. At Oberlin she is a student of Drew Pattison, and will complete her B.M in December of 2024.
Abigail has appeared with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, and Ashland Symphony Orchestra. She has participated in numerous music festivals across the U.S such as the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, and Brevard Music Center. In May of 2025, Abigail will participate in the Shostakovich Festival Leipzig in Germany, alongside the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Gewandhausorchester. Abigail has also recently performed at the Bang on a Can Long Play Festival with the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble.
As a soloist, Abigail has achieved accolades including top prizes in the 2023 IDRS Norma Hooks Young Artist Competition, and was a semi-finalist in the 2023 Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition.
Abigail is a proud alumni of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative (CMPI). Inspired by her experiences, Abigail is passionate about giving back to the community that helped her and ensuring that future generations have access to the same opportunities. She is committed to breaking barriers in the classical music industry and making lessons and resources more accessible to underrepresented communities, aiming to give back and create a more inclusive environment for young musicians.
Outside of performance, Abigail serves as Artist Liaison for the Oberlin Artist Recital Series, managing logistics and hospitality for visiting artists.
Kathleen Moran
Kathleen Moran is from Los Angeles, California and began a Doctor of Musical Arts in Bassoon performance at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) in Fall 2023 where she previously received a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Music summa cum laude in Bassoon performance. At CCM, she studies with Martin Garcia and previously studied with Christopher Sales and William Winstead. Prior to CCM, she was a bassoon student of John Campbell for six years in Los Angeles.
Kathleen is the Librarian for the May Festival Chorus (the official chorus for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra), Graduate Assistant Librarian of the Wind Studies Department at CCM, and was an Assistant Librarian at the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina in the summers of 2023 and 2024. She attended summer music programs as a performer at the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute, Miami Classical Music Festival, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Interlochen, and Idyllwild. She is currently a member of New Downbeat, a new music collective featuring women musicians who perform music by living composers. Kathleen is the contracted third bassoon and contrabassoon for the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and has performed on contrabassoon with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony Orchestra (Indiana).
Kathleen has served as CCM’s Tribunal Vice President and as a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra Committee. Kathleen’s ultimate career goal is to become an Ensemble Music Librarian while continuing to perform in various ensembles on bassoon and contrabassoon. When not in a practice room or music library, you can find her taking dance classes at the Cincinnati Ballet.
Isabella Perez
Isabella Perez is a Mexican-American bassoonist and third-year undergraduate bassoon performance major at The University of Texas at Austin, studying with Kristin Wolfe Jensen. Originally from San Antonio, TX, she previously studied with Sharon Kuster, Principal Bassoon of the San Antonio Symphony. Ever since discovering the bassoon at age 12, she has been heavily influenced by San Antonio’s vibrant music scene– taking exciting music gigs around the city with her high school woodwind quintet and playing with the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Philharmonic as Principal Bassoon for many years. She had also been selected to play in the Texas All-State Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band ensembles. In 2022, Isabella was a recipient of the TMEA Texas Music Scholar Award, the Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence, and the San Antonio Blues Society’s Sam Baird Scholarship as a high school senior. She had also been accepted to the Interlochen Arts Camp and the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute that same year. As an active musician, Isabella is now a member of the prestigious University of Texas Wind Ensemble, University of Texas Symphony Orchestra, and frequently plays with local community orchestra groups in the Austin area. She also enjoys playing in the University of Texas Bassoon Ensemble, spreading her love for music across the city alongside her wonderful colleagues. With the UT Bassoon Studio, she has had the opportunity to participate in community outreach events with Austin Soundwaves, invited to play at KMFA radio station, with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, and at the 2023 Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition and Symposium. Outside of the music school, Isabella loves to spend her time crocheting, going out for boba tea, or discovering new places to eat around Austin!
Marty Tung
Chicago native Marty Tung communicates an enduring passion for music and the bassoon through chamber, solo, and orchestral activities. They currently serve as the bassoonist for Carnegie Hall's two-year fellowship program Ensemble Connect. As part of their fellowship with Ensemble Connect, Marty teaches third through fifth grade weekly at P.S. 130 in Brooklyn, performs concerts at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall and Juilliard's Paul Hall, gives interactive performances at various NYC venues such as schools and community centers, and holds residencies at Skidmore College and the Pocantico Center. Marty holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of Music, where they studied with Frank Morelli. Marty has also studied with Andy Sledge, Philip McNaughton, Kristy Tucker, Gina Cuffari, and William Buchman. A graduate of Yale College with a bachelor’s degree in music and humanities, Marty was the recipient of the Wrexham, Sharp, and Selden awards for performance excellence and contributions to the field of music.
Marty has performed under conductors such as Marin Alsop, Peter Oundjian, and Leonard Slatkin, and in venues across the United States, Europe, and Australia. In recent summers, they have participated in engagements at the Aspen Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and the National Orchestral Institute. As a musician, Marty strives to both advocate for contemporary music and center the works of composers from underrepresented groups, and they plan to start entrepreneurship projects commissioning previously marginalized composers to create bassoon and wind chamber music. In their spare time, they enjoy growing plants, rock climbing, and watching as many films as they can.
Mio Yamauchi
Mio Yamauchi is a bassoonist and pianist, with a focus on accompaniment, and is originally from Dallas, TX. She is mainly based from Denver now, although she is based in Dallas during the summers and holidays.
She is currently in her 4th year at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music under the tutelage of Martin Kuuskmann, having performed in various ensembles such as the Symphony of the Rockies, Boulder Symphony, Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and chamber groups such as a woodwind trio, reed quintet, and a woodwind quintet and was awarded for her junior recital at Lamont this past year. She has performed in masterclasses for Andrew Brady, Lola Descours, Andrea Cellachi, and Sophie Derveaux, as well as for ensembles such HUB New Music, Imani Winds, and the Akropolis Reed Quintet.
She has participated in and played in a woodwind quintet at Domaine Forget Charlevoix's woodwind intensive and a wind octet and piano trio at the International Chamber Music Academy in Ochsenhausen, Germany. She has also been in summer festivals such as Prague Summer Nights, where she served as co-principal bassoon, and Akropolis’ Chamber Music Institute, where she performed in a double reed quintet, and premiered a new work in a bass quartet consisting of 2 bass clarinets and 2 bassoons.
Yesol Joanna Yi
Yesol Joanna Yi is a 19 year old bassoonist from Seoul, South Korea. She began her studies at the age of 13 under the guidance of Si Hyun Lee, Associate Principal of the Suwon Symphony Orchestra. Joanna Yi was also under the tutelage of Suzanne Nelsen, Second Bassoon of the Boston Symphony Orchestra while she attended the Walnut Hill School for the arts. During all four years of High School, she also attended New England Conservatory Preparatory School where she was a part of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and the Honors Woodwind Quintet. Joanna performed in masterclasses for Suzanne Nelsen, Marc Goldberg, Rebekah Heller, and Tom Novak. During the summer of 2021 and 2023 she attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for the Young Artists Instrumental Program and Young Artists Orchestra. Joanna was awarded 1st place in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Concerto competition in 2023 where she performed as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She was also a finalist in the Boston Pops Fidelity Investments Young Artists Competition in both 2021 and 2022. In high school, Joanna was awarded the New England Conservatory Preparatory School’s woodwind department award and graduated with academic honors. She is currently attending The Curtis Institute of Music as a second year under the guidance of Daniel Matsukawa, Principal Bassoon of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Preliminary Round Judges
Maribel Alonso
Michael Garza
Galit Kauntiz
Kara LaMoure
Carin Miller
Imani Mosley
Marlène Ngalissamy
Maya Stone
Rocio Yllescas Jacobo