Ben Zannoni is a 15-year-old freshman at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and participates in chamber music, chamber orchestra, and symphony orchestra under the direction of Héctor Agüero, Jr. He began playing the violin at the age of six and the viola at 11.
Ben currently studies with James Dunham at Rice University. This is his fourth season with the Houston Youth Symphony and he was a winner of their Concerto Competition in 2008. Ben received honorable mention in the Houston Youth Symphony’s 2007 and the Clear Lake Symphony’s 2008 Concerto Competitions, and was chosen as a Houston Young Artist in 2007. Ben was selected to perform with his Region Symphony Orchestra as a violinist in 2005 and 2006 and as principal violist in 2007 and 2008. He will be performing in the All State Symphony Orchestra in February 2009. Ben has attended such summer programs as Peaks to Plains Chamber Music Camp in Colorado, Sound Encounters Chamber Camp in Ottawa, Kansas, and Domaine Forget Summer Academy in Quebec, Canada. In addition to his musical pursuits, Ben enjoys traveling with his family, going to the movies, playing chess, and spending time with his friends.
Christopher Henselman, a thirteen year-old resident of Austin, Texas, has extensive performance experience. As a winner in the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition (New York City) at ages 9 and 10, he performed twice in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall with works by Bach, Shostakovich, Debussy, and Toch. He has performed as soloist with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra and three times with the Austin Civic Orchestra.
His competitive awards include international, national, state, as well as regional honors. He has earned multiple prizes in the United States Open Music Competition in California, the United States International Duo Piano Competition in Colorado, and the Debose National Piano Competition in Louisiana.
Christopher’s repertoire includes music of all historical eras, as well as jazz, duet, and duo piano literature. His performance schedule involves dozens of appearances each year, including recitals, festivals, competitions, and honors concerts.
In addition to his passion for music, Christopher loves playing football and climbing mountains in the Rockies.
Liana Wang was born in Houston and attends T.H. Rogers elementary. She enjoys reading, Spelling Bee, Name That Book, and math. Liana has many hobbies. Her favorites are piano, drawing, writing, gymnastics, and swimming. Liana also likes to travel to different places. She has visited China, Alaska, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Japan, and has traveled all over the U.S.
She began playing piano at age 4, but really started to enjoy it at age 7 when Ms. Shu-Hao Pao became her teacher. Ms. Pao was the one who really put the music into focus. This is Liana’s first concerto competition, and she played Mozart's (her favorite composer) Concerto No. 8, an opus magnum. Liana looks forward to coming back next year and hopes to play with the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra in the future.
Erik Wheeler, 14, is a 9th grade honor roll student at the High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HISD). Erik began his cello study at Parker Elementary (HISD) with Diane Bonds. He has also studied with Steve Laven, and currently studies with Lynn Harrell and Brinton Smith. Erik performed numerous solos as a member of the Johnston Middle School Advanced Orchestra, under the direction of Kathryn Brown.
He has been a member of the Greater Houston Youth Orchestra for five years, and was the winner of the Concerto Competition for the String Ensemble and the Orchestra, appearing as soloist both times. He also performed a solo with the Houston Civic Symphony as Junior Division winner of their Young Artist’s Competition. Both of Erik’s parents are professional musicians.
