2024 Primrose International Viola Competition & American Viola Society Festival Program Book

2024 American Viola Society Festival Competition Finalists

Kayla Kim Irvine, CA Student of Gina Coletti

Kayla Kim is a 9th grader living in Irvine, CA and attends the Orange County School of the Arts. She studies under the tutelage of Gina Coletti at the Colburn school. Currently, she is a violist for the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra and served as assistant principal violist in OCSA’s Symphony Orchestra. She was accepted to the California All State Symphony Orchestra, attending for her third year. She won in VOCE Chamber State Finals, and after 5 years as an honors member for the Junior Chamber Music program, was selected as a 2023-2024 Debut Artist. She also participates in the Colburn Honors Chamber program, and recently placed first in the ASTA LA finals solo competition.

Mason Jay Lee Tarrytown, NY Student of Karen Ritscher

Mason Jay Lee, 16 years old, is a Korean American violist who studies under Karen Ritscher at the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College, and Monica Gerard. He is currently the principal violist for the MSM Pre College Philharmonic Orchestra. Mason has participated in workshops and masterclasses with top violists such as Carol Rodland, Jeffery Irvine, Hsin-Yun Huang, and Molly Carr. He has won first prize at the VIVO International Music Competition, Prima Volta Music Competition, American Protégé International Piano & Strings Competition, New York Artists International Competition, AMTL New York Young Performers Competition, and more.

Sophia Nam Fort Lee, NJ Student of Ms. Sophie Arbuckle and Dr. Hyun Jung Joo

Sophia Nam is a 17-year-old violist from Fort Lee, NJ. She is currently studying at the Juilliard Pre-College with Ms. Sophie Arbuckle as a viola major and attending Bergen County Academies. She spent her two summers at the Perlman Music Program in Shelter Island, NY (2022, 2023), their 2023 winter residency in Sarasota, FL, and will be returning this summer. As the 2023 Youth Concerto Competition Winner, Sophia has made her viola solo debut with the Delaware County Symphony and has recently performed with the Seattle Symphony at the Benaroya Hall as the

2024 Seattle Symphony Young Artist. She has also recently won 1 st prize and the Scott Sullivan prize (best performance of a piece written post-1950) at the Ronald Sachs International Music Competition.

Logan Purser Lehi, Utah Student of John T. Posadas

Logan Purser is a violist from Lehi, Utah, and is a recent graduate of the Gifted Music School’s pre-college Conservatory Program in Salt Lake City. Logan has been a soloist with the Utah Symphony and was also a semi finalist at the 2023 Fischoff Competition. Other accomplishments include placing 1st in the 2021 Utah ASTA chamber competition, placing 2nd in the string division of the 2022 Utah OPUS competition, earning an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Southern California Viola Society’s Youth Competition, and landing an essay on Mars aboard the Perseverance

Rover. Logan is a student of John T. Posadas.

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