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Musical Performers

A highlight of the Rising Stars Gala will be musical performances by winners of Discover Classical's Young Talent Search. Learn more about the musicians below. Discover Classical's Young Talent Search is sponsored by Charles and Patti Demirjian and Vernon and Janet Fernandes.

Annie Li, violinist
Evelyn Ni, pianist
Jackson Riffle, percussionist
Christina Taylor, violinist
Alice Zheng, pianist

Annie Li, violinist

Violinist Annie Li is a 16-year-old high school sophomore from Mason, and a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. When she was five years old, her parents gave her a choice about what instrument to study. Annie says, "Since my dad also played the violin, I was kind of just drawn to the instrument." When Annie performs, it's important for her to "not just play the notes, (but) really make sure that I'm expressing my emotions." Annie enjoys nature and science classes, and in the future she hope to play in a college orchestra and tutor young musicians. Listen to Annie's ArtsFocus interview:

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Evelyn Ni, pianist

Evelyn Ni is 15 years old and has been playing piano since she was five. At times she was ready to give up the instrument, but then she began studying with Benita Tse-Leung. "She just rekindled that fire inside, and I really enjoy playing music now," Evelyn says. A freshman at Cincinnati Country Day School, Evelyn studies French, which enhances her understanding of piano pieces like Jeux d'eau by Maurice Ravel. "Game of water," she translates. "The piece really evokes the playfulness of water." In addition to achieving the technical mastery needed to play the correct notes, Evelyn really loves to add her own interpretation to a piece. "Music is just so complex," she says. "There are so many different colors and tones and moods you can express." Listen to Evelyn's ArtsFocus interview:

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Jackson Riffle, percussionist

Jackson Riffle was a winner of Discover Classical's Young Talent Search in 2016. "It was the first competition I ever entered," he recalls. "It was a meaningful experience." Since then, Jackson graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelor's degree in Piano and Percussion Performance, and earned a Master's in Music from the University of Georgia. He's played as soloist and orchestra member with many ensembles in the Midwest and the South, and is active as an educator at the high school and college level. As a composer and arranger, Jackson writes for numerous schools and marching bands in the U. S. During the Rising Stars Gala, he'll play two percussion instruments: some rags on the xylophone and transcriptions of Bach violin pieces on marimba (and maybe a few surprises). Listen to his ArtsFocus interview:

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Christina Taylor, violinist

Christina Taylor is 17 but she's already been playing the violin for about 14 years. She's co-concertmaster of the Springfield Youth Symphony and has earned top prizes from the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs. Christina recalls, "I actually didn't like violin for quite a few years," until her teacher suggested she think about how music tells a story. Christina says that approach "helped me enjoy it a lot more," and now she hopes to make a career in music therapy. Besides music, Christina also enjoys hobbies like ice skating, crochet and calligraphy. "I like to do things involving art," she says. Listen to Christina's ArtsFocus interview:

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Alice Zheng, pianist

Pianist Alice Zheng is an 11-year-old fifth grader at Mason Intermediate School, and she's been playing piano since she was five years old. Alice says piano lessons with Benita Tse-Leung are really fun, and her teacher helps her envision mental images that make her playing more colorful. Alice is an avid reader and she enjoys crafts, and she recently began playing the violin. She said, "Since I spend my time on piano, I wanted to learn something new." Alice likes the "fast and lively" music of Mozart, as well as works by Tchaikovsky. "I like how he twists the music," she said. "You just never know what's coming." Listen to Alice's ArtsFocus interview:

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If you have questions about the Rising Stars Gala, contact Martha Harris at marthah@dpr.org or (937) 222-9377.