Panel of Judges
Julia Choi - Violin
Violinist Julia Choi joined the First Violin section of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in 2019.
Prior to her appointment with the MET, she has performed with various ensembles, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Montclair Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared as Guest Assistant Concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Choi has also served as the Concertmaster, Principal Second, and other leadership positions for the Juilliard Orchestra, Juilliard Opera, New York String Orchestra Seminar, Music Academy Festival Orchestra, Spoleto Festival Orchestra, and the Manhattan Chamber Sinfonia.
A native of New Jersey, Ms. Choi began her intensive studies with Sally Thomas at the Juilliard Pre-College Division, and went on to receive her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the Juilliard School, where she was a scholarship student under the tutelage of Glenn Dicterow, Sylvia Rosenberg, and Sally Thomas. She was generously awarded the Juilliard Alumni Scholarship and the Irene Diamond Graduate Scholarship for her studies. In 2017, Ms. Choi earned a Professional Studies Degree in Orchestral Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Glenn Dicterow and Lisa Kim of the New York Philharmonic.
A third-generation educator, Ms. Choi is on faculty at Manhattan School of Music’s Pre-College Division, and is part of the Artist-Faculty with Charles Ives Music Festival in Ridgefield, CT. Previousy, she was a Teaching Assistant of the Ear Training Department at Juilliard for both the College and Pre-College Divisions for three years, with Mary Anthony Cox, Dr. Kyle Blaha, and Dr. Wayne Oquin. Ms. Choi has taught and led coachings for Juilliard Pre-College, NYC Music School, and Friends with Music. Ms. Choi also teaches violin privately, enjoying a teaching experience of over a decade, with student accomplishments including regional competitions, orchestral auditions, and acceptance to Pre-College programs throughout NYC.
‘Classical music doesn't get better than this’ — The New York Times.
Benjamin Hochman - Piano
In all roles, from orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber musician to conductor, Benjamin Hochman regards music as vital and essential. Composers, fellow musicians, orchestras and audiences recognize his deep commitment to insightful programming and performances of quality.
Highlights of 2023-2024 include Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Boston Philharmonic conducted by Benjamin Zander and solo recitals in Jerusalem, Brattleboro and on Chicago’s Live from WFMT. His chamber music collaborations take him to Carnegie Hall, People’s Symphony Concerts, Kronberg Festival in Germany, and Krzyzowa Music in Poland. He conducts the premiere of Gilad Cohen’s Concerto for Harp, Strings and Horn, tours the US with cellist Zlatomir Fung, and curates the Kurtág Festival at Bard College New York.
Born in Jerusalem in 1980, Hochman’s musical foundation is laid in his teenage years. Claude Frank at the Curtis Institute of Music and Richard Goode at the Mannes School of Music prove defining influences. At the invitation of Mitsuko Uchida, he spends three formative summers at the Marlboro Music Festival.
Pianist on the international stage
At 24, Hochman debuts as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall conducted by Pinchas Zukerman. Orchestral appearances follow with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago and Pittsburgh Symphonies, and Prague Philharmonia under conductors including Gianandrea Noseda, Trevor Pinnock, David Robertson, and John Storgårds.
A winner of Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Career Grant, Hochman performs at venues and festivals across the globe, including the Philharmonie in Berlin, Vienna Konzerthaus, the Kennedy Center in Washington, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Germany’s Klavierfestival Ruhr, and Lucerne and Verbier festivals in Switzerland.
The conductor emerges
In 2015, Hochman developes an auto-immune condition affecting his left hand. He decides to pursue his longstanding interest in conducting, studying with Alan Gilbert at Juilliard where he is granted the Bruno Walter Scholarship and the Charles Schiff Award. He assists Louis Langrée, Paavo Järvi, and Edo De Waart and creates the Roosevelt Island Orchestra, consisting of some of New York’s finest orchestral and chamber musicians alongside promising young talent from top conservatories. Invitations to conduct the orchestras of Santa Fe Pro Musica, Greater Bridgeport Symphony, Orlando, and The Orchestra Now at Bard New York follow.
Recordings and recent projects
Fully recovered, Hochman re-emerges as pianist in 2018. He records Mozart Piano Concertos Nos. 17 and 24, playing and directing the English Chamber Orchestra (Avie Records). He presents the complete Mozart Piano Sonatas at the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv, performs Beethoven sonatas for Daniel Barenboim as part of a filmed workshop at the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, and plays both Beethoven and Kurtág for Kurtág himself at the Budapest Music Centre.
Hochman is a Steinway Artist and a Lecturer at Bard College Berlin.
Joel Noyes - Cello
Joel Noyes is Assistant Principal Cello of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. As a chamber musician and recitalist, Joel has appeared throughout the United States at such prestigious venues as Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Bargemusic, Ltd. He performed with Renee Fleming in the opening night concert of Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall and has been seen there several times since as part of the Musicians from the Met chamber series. He has also performed at festivals including Marlboro Music, La Jolla Summerfest, and Music from Angel Fire, and has collaborated with many of the world’s leading chamber musicians, including members of the Guarneri, Juilliard, and Vermeer Quartets.
Born into a musical family, he began playing the cello at the age of three under the tutelage of his father. Joel graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with David Soyer. While at Curtis, he was chosen principal cellist of the Institute’s orchestra, and frequently played in the Philadelphia Orchestra. His other teachers have included Richard Aaron at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Marc Johnson of the Vermeer Quartet.
A versatile musician, Joel enthusiastically composes his own music, plays Egyptian music in a band in New York, has been seen on the Late Show with David Letterman, and has participated in numerous movie soundtracks.
Alexa Still - Flute
Alexa Still is known internationally for her many recordings, mostly on the Koch International Classics label. A New Zealander, Alexa went to New York for graduate study, winning competitions including the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition, and, East and West Artists Competition. Appointed principal flute of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the age of 23, she also received a Churchill Fellowship and a Fulbright award. In 1998, she joined the faculty at the University of Colorado at Boulder, moved to Sydney in 2006, where she became Professor of Flute and Director of Performance research at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and replaced the renowned Michel Debost at Oberlin Conservatory in 2011. Alexa was a Valade Fellow at Interlochen’s Summer Arts Camp for 8 years. Current regular summer engagements include performing and coaching at the Round Top Festival and Orford Musique (Quebec).
Alexa maintains a busy performance schedule, having presented recitals, concertos and master classes in England, Germany, Spain, Slovenia, Turkey, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, Korea, China, Singapore, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and throughout the United States. Recent notable performances include the Australian and American (at the National Flute Association’s annual convention) premieres of Australian composer Mathew Hindson’s House Music, Corigliano’s Pied Piper Fantasy with the Colorado Music Festival, Albany Symphony and the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and several world premiere performances including Valerie Coleman’s Elegy (based on poet Maya Angelou’s Elegy) for the keynote presentation of the National Flute Association Convention in Chicago. She did the premiere recording of Elliot Carter’s Flute concerto(2013) and her 2014 premiere recording of Hindson’s House Music is now available as a digital download. SONY’s first release in high definition audio, Coming Home, featuring world premiere recordings of Aaron J Kernis Air in the version for flute and piano, with Tatiana Roitman-Mann, and Michael Fine’s Concierto del Luna with guitarist Jason Vieaux, conductor Philip Mann and Ensemble Bravura, was released on the SONY Korealabel in Spring 2022. Alexa’s most recent recording- “WISH” music by Valerie Coleman- was released on the Oberlin label in May. Of her disc featuring concertos by Corigliano, Chen Yi and Hoover: “Anyone who doubts Still’s dumbfounding technical ability or complete tonal control should hear these… You just won’t hear better-sustained flute playing on disc than this” Fanfare Magazine. Of music for flute and piano with New York-based English pianist Stephen Gosling: “Both performers are constantly praised for their technical prowess and amazing ability to make the most challenging works sound effortless and easy. Reviewers far and wide agree that Alexa Still doesn’t make anything sound tough. She gracefully sprints and hurdles through menacing challenges without seeming to break a sweat. Added to this technical superiority comes an equally superior sensitive musical side. This disc isn’t just flautistic fireworks.” Sequenza21. Of her 15 th solo disc, of Venezuelan Efrain Amaya’s music (mostly premieres): “Still showcases her exquisite lyricism and virtuosity on every track” Cleveland Classical.
Alexa has served her profession as President of the National Flute Association (USA), and has contributed articles to flute journals across the globe. She plays a silver flute made for her by Brannen Brothers of Boston with gold or wooden headjoints by Sanford Drelinger of White Plains, New York. When her flute is in its case, Alexa is an avid motorcyclist.