2020 SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

You've done it! We are very proud of every one of you and so very glad we got to spend time with you making music! We regret not finishing the year with you in person, getting to share our final concerts, or cheering you with our applause. We recognize the challenge of your final semester, the disappointments of missing benchmarks of your senior year, and the uncertainty of your next steps. We know that next steps will come and in time we will find new rhythms, new possibilities, and new opportunities together. We wish you all the best as you emerge into the world and chart your course. You will always be an alum of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, a significant member of this community, and have the support of your conductor. We hope that music will be part of what sees you through and a thread of inspiration running through your life.

-Click to view full photo and bio-

Theodore William Bloyd is a senior at the Tutorial School, and has played with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony for five years. He has participated in numerous musical summer camps as well as mentoring withing SFYSA. Additionally, he has made New Mexico All-State Symphony Orchestra three times, and has recently received the Allie Norris Scholarship. He plans on taking a gap year, before heading to college, and hopes to play in a professional orchestra in the future.

Jack Boggs has been in the jazz ensemble for 6 years, joining when he was in 7th grade. He plans to attend fort Lewis college in the fall to major in journalism. He has a love for music and the jazz genre and hopes to still busk on the plaza.

Anton Milan Brkic is a senior at Desert Academy. He has played the violin with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony for 7 years. He plans to attend Seattle Pacific University to study Biochemistry with pre-med intentions. Although he is not pursuing anything music related, he wants to play in a small orchestra setting to keep up with playing.

Aminadab Corral Arras is a senior at Capital High School and has played with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony for two years. He has also participated in the regional Honor Orchestra. He was a teacher’s aide with SFYSA’s Elementary Strings program this past semester. He plans to attend Southwestern University and pursue Music Education.

Odin is a senior at the Academy for Technology and the Classics. He has played tenor sax in the Jazz program for 5 years. He also plays banjo and has been a member of track & field and cross country at ATC. Odin enjoys making music and just released an album called "The Senior Tapes" streaming on all platforms worldwide. He plans to study political science at Occidental College and will continue to make music.

Koray Gates is a senior at the Santa Fe Waldorf School and has been with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association for five years. He has played in the New Mexico Honor Orchestra and participated in the Suzuki summer camp in Montreal for two years. In the fall, he will attend Colorado College. His major has not yet been decided.

Michaela Glinsky is a Senior at Desert Academy and has played with Youth Symphony Orchestra for 9 years. She has enjoyed playing the flute since she was 7 years old and has been involved with chamber music and All-State Small School Band. She has also been engaged in many activities from Varsity Volleyball to Track, Assistance Dogs of the West, and photography. She plans to attend Georgia Institute of Technology in the Fall to study Biomedical Engineering.

Dean Gonzales I remember in the 2nd grade I saw a flyer that offered Viola beginner lessons and had immediately shown it to my parents eager to try it out. I was shown, along with a group of people, the parts of the instrument, how to hold it, and use a bow properly. After I had left that school, I began to take private lessons with Rick Lohman, learning with the Suzuki method. After several years, Rick had experienced issues with his health and stopped our lessons together. I then found Christine Chen, who I have taken private lessons with ever since. In the 7th Grade, The teacher of my Orchestra class, Mr. Williams, (who I believe to be one of the best instructors I have ever known) suggested I audition for the Intermezzo String Orchestra. Since then, I have had the opportunity to play in orchestras with the three of the coolest conductors ever: Karles McQuade, Richard Snyder, and of course, William Waag. Likely, the most professional people who are able to make their work as entertaining and fascinating as they have that I will ever know.

Joseph recently moved to Santa Fe after living in the Washington, DC area for several years. He has played violin for most of his life, completing the Suzuki violin program and participating in various chamber groups and orchestras. His other interests include reading and cooking. He plans to attend St. John’s College in the future.

Alyvia Hogan Alyvia Hogan is a senior at Mandela International Magnet School and has participated in the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association for ten years. She has been a member of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Orchestra for five years and Mariachi Estrella for three. Alyvia participated in the All-State Festival for two years, Honors Orchestra for four years, Solo & Ensemble event for four years, and has been a member of the Mandela Orchestra for 6 years. As a member of The Mandela high school orchestra she performed at the Anne Frank Exhibition in 2019. In addition to music, Alyvia is a part of Santa Fe High’s track & field team and is a high jumper. She plans to attend DePauw University in Greencastle, IN and has been admitted into DePauw School of Music where she will study music performance and into DePauw’s College of Liberal Arts where she will study broadcast communications.

Maya Holder is a senior at Santa Fe High School. She has been a member of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association for 6 years as a violinist. She is excited to attend the University of New Mexico where she will double major in Biology and Chemistry with a focus on medical pathology. She was recently awarded the J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Scholarship for her leadership and academic achievements in the sciences. She plans on continuing to play her violin in her free time, focusing on her studies and giving back to the community using her education.

Emma Hornig is a senior at Mandela International Magnet School and has played Viola with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Orchestra for three years. She also plays in the SFYSA Jazz Performance Band and mentored young musicians in the Prelude String Orchestra. She plans to attend Northwestern University to study psychology.

Dylan Krell is a Senior at New Mexico school for the arts, and has played trumpet with the Santa Fe youth Symphony for almost 4 years. He has been a part of the NMSA jazz band, as well as other ensembles through the school. He plans to attend Northern Arizona University in the fall, with a major in elementary education and a minor in Jazz studies.

Jon Grey McHorse has attended Santa Fe Prep for the last 6 years and started playing guitar around 3 years ago. He knew nothing about instruments or the craft behind music until he took the jazz and contemporary music class at school. He started playing the electric bass but switched to guitar and has loved playing it since. He is thankful that the class inspired his love of music and is happy to have played with the SFYSA Jazz Ensemble the past 2 years.

Eamon Benslama McKinley is a senior at the Academy for Technology and the Classics. Eamon has played in the Youth Symphony Orchestra for four and half years, and was previously in the Youth Philharmonic for one and a half years. Mr. Waag recalls a time when Eamon was a “one man clarinet section” and how well he carried his role! Even though he doesn’t plan on pursuing music professionally, he plans to continue playing. More than a hobby, he sees playing music as a lifestyle. Eamon is planning to pursue pre-med after a gap year, if conditions allow.

Allison Peterson Alli Peterson is a senior at Los Alamos High School and has played with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony for the past two years. Her main instrument is cello, but she also plays the violin and piano. Alli has played in the District Honors Orchestra many times in the past few years as well played in the All-State Orchestra for the past two years. Recently, Alli received the Thomas E. Ricks Grant, the J. Robert Oppenheimer Scholarship in Memory of Rosalie Heller, and the Rosemary O'Connor Memorial Scholarship for her impressive academic record and outstanding musical achievements. This July, Alli will be attending Brigham Young University - Idaho majoring in Biomedical Science/Pre-Med with a minor in cello performance.

Etta Pope is the Valedictorian at the Academy for Technology and the Classics. She has played with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association for the past four years, as well as playing with ATC's Acoustic Americana band for three years, including two years in the Varsity Acoustic Americana band. Etta plans to attend Wellesley College in the fall, studying biological sciences.

Maya Rogers is a senior at Los Alamos High School and has played the trumpet with the Youth Symphony Orchestra for the Spring of 2020. She may have joined late, but she is having the time of her life with SFYSA! She has also performed with the LAHS Wind Ensemble, the LAHS Jazz Ensemble, LAJP, LAHS Schola Cantorum, and has participated in honor ensembles such as the Allstate Treble and Mixed choirs. She plans to attend Oberlin College and Conservatory to study Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies as well as continuing her path as a jazz vocalist and trumpet player. Maya is very grateful that she discovered the amazing community of SFYSO and will continue bringing her love of music into her future.

Beth Short is a senior at Los Alamos High School and has played with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association for two years. She has also played with the Los Alamos Symphony Orchestra and has been drum major for the Los Alamos High School Topper Marching Band for three years. She is excited to attend the University of New Mexico to study Music Education.

Emma Viani is a senior at New Mexico School for the Arts. She has been playing violin for twelve years and viola for five. She joined the Santa Fe Youth Symphony in 2016, making this her fourth year. Over the course of highschool, she has attended the All-state music festival four times, and attended music based summer camps. Next year she hopes to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she will be studying biomedical engineering.

Abigail Wilcox is a senior at The MASTERS Program and a violinist in the Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has played with the Youth Symphony for five years, and loved every minute of it. She has also played in the Allstate Symphony Orchestra and competed in several concerto competitions, including the SFYSA concerto competition, which she won. Abigail spent her junior year at the Santa Fe Community College, where she fell in love with biology, veterinary medicine, and research. She will be pursuing a biology degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, but still plans on continuing to play violin.

Sarah Worley is a senior at the Los Alamos High School and has played French horn with the Youth Symphony Orchestra for 3 years. She has also played with both the Los Alamos Concert Band and Wind Ensemble through high school. She will be graduating with honors and has participated in District honor band, Southwest honor band, and has made AllState Mixed and Treble choir. She plans to attend Cornell University and is excited to study fine arts. Sarah is so grateful for all the amazing opportunities that SFYSA has given her.

Bri Yellowhorse is a senior at Santa Fe Waldorf High School and has played violin with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony for two years and one year with the Youth Philharmonic. She has made the All-State orchestras all four years of her high school career and has received the John and Marti Browne Leadership Scholarship sponsored by the Los Alamos National Lab. Her plans are to attend UNM as part of the Combined BA/MD Program that will her put her on a path to the UNM school of medicine.

Not pictured*
Ian Day
Peter Kiss
​
*We want to make sure and spotlight all our seniors. Please submit photos, bios, or any edits to Mari@sfysa.org.

SENIOR INTERVIEWS

Each week we add videos of our seniors being interviewed by their program directors and conductors. Click to view playlist.