Finalists Rehearsal
Saturday, June 7 @ 6:00 PM
Finalists Performance
Sunday, June 8 @ 3:00 PM
PROGRAM
Franz Liszt—Totentanz for Piano and Orchestra
Ayla Moreno, piano
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky—Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op.33, for Cello and Orchestra
Oliver Mar, cello
Franz Waxman—Carmen Fantasie for Violin and Orchestra
William Yeh, violin
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major (K. 415) – 1st Movement
Leah Gavilan, piano
André Waignein—Rhapsody for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra – 1st Movement
Axel Kelley, alto saxophone
Join us for the thrilling conclusion of the inaugural Rising Stars Concerto Competition, where five exceptional finalists—grades 8 through 12—take the stage to perform full concerto movements alongside the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra.
These young virtuosos were selected from over 140 applicants nationwide and now compete live for a $5,000 college scholarship. Witness the next generation of classical talent in an inspiring afternoon of breathtaking performances, community celebration, and musical promise. The winner will be chosen at the performance and announced live from the stage.
Get a behind-the-scenes look as the five finalists of the Rising Stars Concerto Competition rehearse their concerto selections with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra. This working rehearsal offers a rare opportunity to see how young artists and professional musicians collaborate and prepare for a high-stakes performance. If you're curious about the music-making process—or simply want an early listen to these phenomenal young soloists—this open rehearsal provides a fascinating and affordable way to experience the competition in action.
This event is presented in collaboration with the Women’s Symphony Association, continuing their decades-long legacy of supporting young musicians in Lancaster and beyond.
MEET OUR FINALISTS
Leah Gavilan – Piano
Leah Gavilan is a 16-year-old pianist from Dwight-Englewood School and was born in New York, NY to a prominent musical family. Leah started her piano studies with Jin-Kyung Park, continued with Dr.Yiheng Yang, and has been studying with Dr.Yoheved Kaplinsky in Juilliard’s Pre-College Division since 2019 at age 9. She won awards in various competitions as a soloist such as being named the Cash Prize winner in Ensemble 212's Concerto Competition, First Prize and Scholarship Winner in the VITAS International Music Competition, Grand Prix in the Concert Festival International Competition, First Prize in the Vivo International Music Competition, and First Prize in the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition. Also, she won First Prize in the IMM Concorso, NYYVC, Vivo, ENKOR, Bella Grande, and CAIC competitions as a member of the Tres Gracias trio created at The Juilliard School. She was also a semi-finalist in the Coltman Chamber Competition as a member of the Trio Étoile trio. In addition, she participated in the Juventus Pro Musica chamber program in May and June of 2023.
Leah has performed at Gordon Hall as part of the Harlem Quartet Workshop at Music Mountain (2018-2022), Merkin Hall, and has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall. In 2023 (December), she performed as a soloist with the Havana Chamber Orchestra and in 2024 (August), she performed as a soloist with the Arco Youth Orchestra. She has participated in masterclasses and lessons with renowned professors such as Mikhail Voskresensky, Robert Shannon, Ignat Solzhenitsyn, Fabio Bidini, and Hung-Kuan Chen.
In 2018, Leah participated in a televised New Year’s Eve family concert in Havana, Cuba, and is featured in a PBS documentary about the Gavilan family titled Los Hermanos / The Brothers - Patchworks Films (2019). Moreover, she is a member of the Back to Bach project, where she promotes music education within schools, and is a selected fellow of the Artemisia Foundation. She attended the Bowdoin International Music Festival (2023, 2024) and Kaufman Music Center’s Summerfest (2024). Leah also enjoys conducting, and was the youngest conductor accepted into the NYYS Conducting Program. She was also selected to attend the Valissima Institute for young female conductors (2022). Besides playing the piano, Leah enjoys writing and playing the cello in nursing homes during her free time.
Axel Kelley – Alto Saxophone
Axel, a junior at The Keys Conservatory at Pinecrest Sloan Canyon, is a passionate Mexican-American musician who discovered his love for music at a young age. Since picking up the alto saxophone in 5th grade, he has been captivated by its enchanting melodies. Music quickly became an outlet for Axel to express his emotions and connect with others. Throughout his musical journey, Axel's dedication to the saxophone has remained unwavering.
Music has become more than just a hobby for Axel; it's a way of life. It not only provides him with creative expression but also opens doors to a vibrant community of fellow young musicians. Through teaching and collaborating with others, Axel continues to meet talented individuals who share his passion for music.
With his enthusiasm for the alto, soprano, and tenor saxophones, along with his commitment to self-expression, Axel's musical journey is just beginning. As he grows as a musician, he eagerly looks forward to exploring new genres, honing his skills, and making his mark on the world through the transformative power of music.
He quickly made his debut as a soloist, placing high in competitions such as the Henderson Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Solo & Ensemble and more. Through collaboration, his passion for performing extends into the realm of chamber music. Axel is the soprano chair in the Meliorem Saxophone Quartet, which has been named the top wind chamber ensemble in the state of Nevada, taking him to perform in the Houston Underground Quartet Competition, and the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.
Axel’s aspiration is to perform and teach music that inspires and uplifts audiences around the world.
Oliver Mar - Cello
Oliver Mar is a 14-year-old New Zealand-born cellist who relocated to New York in 2022 after being accepted into the Juilliard Pre-College program, where he studies with Dr. Clara Minhye Kim.
Recently, Oliver was awarded the Bronze medal at the prestigious 2025 Stulberg International String Competition. He is also a top prize winner in numerous competitions, including the 2025 Bravura Young Artists Concerto Competition, the Island Symphony Young Performers competition, the 2024 Camerata Artists International Competition, the 2024 Young Soloists International Competition, and the 2023 International Grande Music Competition in New York. He has soloed with the Camerata New Jersey Orchestra, the Island Symphony Orchestras and will be performing with the Bravura Philharmonic in June 2025. He has also been selected as a Fellow with From the Top, a platform dedicated to fostering and promoting talented young classical artists.
In 2024, Oliver attended the Morningside Music Bridge summer program at the New England Conservatory and will be attending the Perlman Music Program for the summer of 2025.
Oliver is also a composer. His works have been performed by members of the New York Philharmonic and featured on WQXR, New York's classical music station.
Ayla Moreno - Piano
Ayla began playing the piano and violin at the age of three. She is currently studying piano under Dr. Kyungsun Choi and violin with Dr. Laura Tagawa. Ayla has been invited to perform at various venues across the United States, Europe, and Japan, including Carnegie Hall, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Chopin Festival in Poland, and the Tucson Folk Festival, among others.
Ayla made her solo debut at the age of six with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson. At seven, she participated in the Tucson Repertory Orchestra's tour in Japan, where she performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 1 in Nagoya. Since then, she has performed with many orchestras in Arizona and Europe, including the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Repertory Orchestra, Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Il Contrapunto in Florence, and the Orquestra do Algarve in Portugal. She has collaborated with conductors such as Massimiliano Caldi and Maurizio Colasanti. This summer, she will be recording Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in Paris and also be performing Mendelssohn Violin Concerto under the baton of Deyan Pavlov, conductor of the Sofia Philharmonic in Bulgaria. Recently, she participated in recording an album with Orchestra Manhattan under the direction of David Wroe.
Ayla is a top prizewinner in many competitions, including the Chopin International Competition in Connecticut, the Piano Concerto Competition at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition in Poland, and the WPTA Spain International Piano Competition. She has also been invited to attend festivals in US and Europe, where she has had the opportunity to study with acclaimed pianists and violinists such as Professor Piotr Paleczny, Professor Christopher Elton, Professor Dmitri Alexeev, Professor Fabio Bidini, Professor Gerardo Teissonniere, Professor Gila Goldstein, and Ms. Kimberly Fisher.
Ayla is a member of local youth orchestra and also enjoy taking dance lessons.
William Yeh – Violin
William Yeh (15), born in London, studies with Professor Naoko Tanaka at Juilliard Pre-College with a full scholarship. William has been a full-scholarship recipient of the Aspen Music Festival and School since 2022 and will be returning to Aspen for his fourth summer in 2025. William has also been mentored by violinist Sirena Huang, Kyung-Sun Lee, and Pieter Schoeman, Concertmaster of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
William has won Grand/first prizes in numerous international competitions, including Camerata Artists International Competition, London International Concerto Competition, New York Chamber Players Concerto Competition, NOMEA International Violin Competition (Italy), and EUROASIA International Violin Competition (Japan), leading to acclaimed solo engagements with orchestras.
At 11, William made his debut with the Academy of Taiwan Strings at the National Concert Hall (Taiwan) and has since soloed with the Accademia d’Archi Arrigoni orchestra (Italy), New York Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, New York Chamber Players Orchestra, New Jersey Camerata Orchestra (USA), and London City Philharmonic Orchestra (United Kingdom). In 2025, William will be performing Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto under the baton of Maestro Latham at Methuen Memorial Music Hall in Massachusetts and Waxman’s Carmen Fantasy with Lancaster Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania.
William’s musical volunteer work includes leading “Project CliKK” East Coast America, empowering young musicians from underserved communities through access and mentorship. William also brings joy, healing, and empowerment through music by performing at senior living communities and local hospitals. Beyond music, William serves as a student ambassador at his school and enjoys playing chess, badminton, and competing in varsity track meets across the greater New York area.
William Yeh Violin @ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/WilliamYehViolinist
Instagram - @william.yeh.violinis