Welcoming 34 New Incoming Students for the 2025–26 School Year
New beginnings are often rich with possibility—especially when pursuing a dream.
A few weeks ago, we celebrated this sentiment welcoming our new incoming students for the 2025–26 school year. These 34 young musicians, ages 12 to 27, join us from 11 different countries and ten U.S. states to deepen their artistry and further their futures at Curtis.
To cultivate community and ensure students have the resources they need, we kicked off their first week with a staple of the Curtis student experience: New Student Orientation.
Highlights from this year’s week-long program included a:
- special keynote address by alumna Mary Lou Falcone (Voice ’66), an internationally-renowned classical music publicist/strategist, performer, documentary filmmaker, and memoirist
- presentation on stress management by Laura Dwyer, a renowned flautist and meditation instructor
- sessions on financial planning and student leadership opportunities
- picnic at Rittenhouse Square with school President Roberto Díaz, and
- a trip to Citizens Bank Park to cheer on the Philadelphia Phillies
We hope this program helps lay the foundation for students to continue to evolve—and begin a meaningful chapter of their lives here at Curtis.
For first-year voice student Brett Hunter, the school’s approach to teaching and learning is already helping him progress.
“What’s stood out most to me most is how deeply invested the faculty and staff are in each student’s growth,” he said. “Because the community is so small, it truly feels like every one of us is valued individually as both musicians and young artists and that the people here will be lifelong mentors in my career.”
We’re excited to start the new academic year with these young artists, and we wish them an inspiring and transformative year ahead.
Curtis’ 2025–26 New Incoming Students
VIOLIN
Hyun Jae Lim, Carol S. and Howard L. Lidz Fellow
Sacha Jorba-Wu, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
Zhiyuan Qian, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
VIOLA
Hanna Jang, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
Bailin Jian, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
Samuel Tatsuki, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
CELLO
Jonah Kernis, Charles and Judith Freyer Fellow
Jieon Lee, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
DOUBLE BASS
Heidi Lee, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
Eugene Zhang, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
OBOE
Eric Davidson, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
CLARINET
Hyein Oh, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
BASSOON
Javlon Khayitov, Carrie L. Tolson Memorial Fellow
Xavion Patterson, Myer and Helen K. Schwartz Fellow
HORN
Henry Friedman, Allerton Foundation Fellow
Madelyn Urbine, Judith and James Ritchings Fellowship
FLUTE
Stephanie Kim, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
HARP
Isabel Cárdenes, Maryjane Mayhew Barton Fellow
CONDUCTING
Yiran Zhao, Rita E. Hauser Conducting Fellow
COMPOSITION
Sky Yang, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
ORGAN
Jessie Zixi Deng, Gie and Lisa Liem Organ Fellow
PIANO
Asta Dora Finnsdottir, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
Xuanyan Jessie Gong, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
VOCAL STUDIES
Henry Drangel, Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Fellow
Harun Ellis Tekin, Edwin B. Garrigues Fellow
Isabella Hincksman, Francis J. Alterman Fellow
Brett Michael Hunter, Arthur Tracy Fellow
Ryan Jester, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
Maisy Parker, Mitchell Family Fellow
Carlyle Quinn, Lelia A. Wike Fellow
Jennifer Robinson, Edith Evans Frumin Fellow
Edward Smith, Amaranth Foundation Fellow
Celestia Song, Curtis Institute of Music Fellow
Sebastian Wittmoser Herrera, Allen R. and Judy Brick Freedman Fellow
