Performance Today Announces 2019-2020 Young Artist Residency Students

American Public Media's Performance Today has announced five young musicians to take part in the radio program's 2019-2020 Young Artist in Residence Program.

The nation's most popular classical music radio program, Performance Today works with the top conservatories and music programs to identify talented young artists to take part in the residency each year. The residency highlights young soloists from conservatories across the country who have demonstrated strong potential for careers in music.

This year's series includes five performers of considerable talent. Each student will spend two days at the Performance Today studios, where they perform and take part in interviews with host Fred Child.

This year's Young Artists

Jordan Bak, viola, The Juilliard School

Bak is the winner of the John White Special Prize from the 2019 Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and the 2018 Special Prize from the Verbier Festival Academy, among other major awards. His recent performances include showcase recitals at WQXR, The Greene Space and Paul Hall at Juilliard. Bak is a member of the New York Classical Players and Guest Artist of the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players in New York City.

Aleksandra Kasman, piano, University of Michigan

Hailing from a family of musicians, Kasman has won several awards (most recently first prize at the Premio Roberto Melini International Competition) and enjoys a busy performance itinerary including concerts in the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, France, Italy, Japan, and South Korea. In 2019, she received her master's degree from Juilliard, where she made her solo debut with the Juilliard Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall.

Geneva Lewis, violin, New England Conservatory

Lewis has performed across the U.S. and Europe, earning first prizes from YoungArts, the Music Center Spotlight Awards, ENKOR, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, St. Paul's String Quartet Competition, and the M-Prize. She has enjoyed recent summers performing at the Marlboro Music Festival and the Ravinia Steans Institute for Piano and Strings.

Max Opferkuch, clarinet, University of Southern California

The grand prize winner of 2019 Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition and the 2015 San Diego Clarinet Society Young Artists' Competition, Opferkuch got his start in piano and violin as a child before switching to clarinet. A student of Yehuda Gilad at University of South California, Opferkuch is also a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. He recently won the winds/brass/percussion division of the USC Thornton concerto competition and will be a soloist with USC Thornton symphony this fall. He spent a semester studying at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 2018.

Tristan Paradee, piano, Indiana University

Paradee was recently honored with the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, granted by National Public Radio's From the Top. He has participated in master classes with Anne Schein, John Perry, Dr. Paul Wirth, Pavlina Dokovska, Alexander Braginsky, Nelita True, William Naboré, Max Levinson, and Seymour Bernstein. Paradee is a 2016 finalist and one of five winners of the Gina Bachauer International Piano competition, where he played with the Utah Symphony Orchestra. Paradee recently debuted at Walt Disney Concert Hall and, among other awards, was named the first-place winner of the Los Angeles Music Center's Spotlight awards. He currently studies under Professor Roberto Plano at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

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