Young Artists Ensemble

The CFAS Young Artists Ensemble was formed in the summer of 2009 to represent CFAS in live performances at the Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival and the Chinatown Summer Concert Series. Members of the ensemble have also performed at the TECO Chinese Cultural Center in Westmont. The ensemble is comprised of several winners of the CFAS-sponsored Music Festival in Honor of Confucius from past years and includes James Stinehart, cello; Mimi Liu, piano; Ari Fisher and Shannon He, violin and Connie Gong, viola. All of the members of the ensemble, which includes a 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th grader, have received statewide honors in various music competitions. James Stinehart and Ari Fisher are the composers for the group and several of their compositions are featured in today’s program. They are currently working on compositions for the play “Spring Comes to the Kiang Si Mountains”, written by Mike Brayndick. Since its inception, the group has performed on behalf of CFAS in a variety of venues, and was featured on WFMT’s Introductions. Excerpts of their show were featured on WFMT’s Best of Introductions CD, an annual compilation of the top performances in the year. In the future, the group hopes to continue to engage and delight the musical world, as well as to participate in fundraising events for the Chinese Fine Arts Society.

CFAS Young Artists Ensemble – Performers

Ari Fisher
Ari Fisher is 17 years old and has been playing the violin for more than 11 years. Ari lives in Wilmette IL, is a senior at New Trier High School, and studies violin with David Taylor. He is enrolled in New Trier’s Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and their chamber music program. Not only is Ari a talented violinist, but a composer as well! (Listen to Ari’s music at www.8notes.com/members/composer_and_arranger/). He first began composing when he was 7 years old, and wrote his first serious composition when he was age 12. As a composer, Ari’s music ranges from classical, to movie score, to symphonic metal, and twelve-tone. Ari plans to pursue music as a career and become a professional composer and performer.

Connie Gong
Connie Gong, age 13, currently a student of Desiree Ruhstrat at the Music Institute of Chicago. Connie began studying violin at 8 and viola at 12, and is an active participant of music camps and master classes. She enjoys playing chamber music and is also proud to be a member of Music Institute of Chicago Philaharmonic Orchestra. Connie is freshman attending New Trier High School in Winnetka, and has enjoyed performing as one of the soloists with the school choir. Connie is an avid reader and writer, writes as an editor for her school newspaper, and has received awards in various creative writing and poetry contests. In addition, she has a keen interest in sketching, drawing and painting, and her artwork has been on display at various public exhibitions.

Shannon He
Shannon He, age 13, is a 8th grade student at Marie Murphy School in Wilmette, IL. Shannon began studying violin at age 6 with Stacia Spencer at Northwestern University Music Academy. Shannon is currently a member of the Marie Murphy Senior Strings Orchestra, the Midwest Young Artists Concert Orchestra and the Northwestern Strings. Last June, as the youngest member of Northwestern Strings, Shannon performed at “Fête de la Musique” in Paris, France. In addition to violin, as an 8th grade student, Shannon has been taking 10th grade Math at New Trier High School in Winnetka. Shannon is also a member of Marie Murphy varsity basketball team, JV volleyball team, and a proud member of JV Science Olympiad team – a four times of State Science Olympiad Champion in last five years. Shannon won three gold medals for all three JV Regional Science Olympiad events that she participated in. In her spare time, Shannon enjoys reading and hanging out with friends.

Mimi Liu
Mimi Liu is 16 years old and is a junior at Whitney M. Young High School. She has been studying music for over 9 years with her private lesson teacher Ms. Liqu Chen, a professor of the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. Mimi has participated in many piano competitions and has won various prizes and scholarships. Furthermore, Mimi has been an active member of the Merit Tuition-Free Conservatory in the Merit School of Music and studies chamber music with Ms. Ann Birman. This summer, Mimi and her trio were given a wonderful opportunity to participate in the Steans Institute for Music at Ravinia for four weeks. There, she attended master classes and received numerous rehearsals with renowned artists. She is also a lifetime member of the Chinese Fine Arts Society. In 2004, she attended the Junior National Youth Leadership Conference in Washington D.C., and also had the honor of attending Obama’s presidential inauguration with the Presidential Youth Inauguration Council this year. When she has spare time, she enjoys sketching, swimming, bike riding, traveling and hanging out with friends.

James Stinehart
James Stinehart, age 15, is a sophomore at New Trier High School, in Northfield, Illinois. James plays cello and piano, and loves to compose music. James won second place in 2008 in the solo cello Music Festival in Honor of Confucius competition. James studies cello with Hans Jensen, and was a featured soloist with I Solisti. James has won several piano competitions, including first place in the North Shore Music Teacher’s Association Piano Competition on 5/3/09. James’s piano teacher is Brenda Huang. James’s school orchestras and string quartet have performed James’s chamber music compositions. James toured China with the MYA’s top Symphony Orchestra. James was a great help to his orchestra in China because he was able to announce the orchestra’s pieces in Chinese. James is also a volleyball player and debater on New Trier’s freshman teams.