Youth Orchestras: Finale Concert

Rushil Srikakolapu is a senior at Carroll High School and a Co-Principal Clarinetist in the Youth Symphony Orchestra. He has been playing the clarinet for seven years and the tenor saxophone for five. He has been the lead tenor for Carroll's top jazz band for three years, and was selected for the Indiana All-State Jazz Ensemble twice, most recently as the lead tenor. He was also part of the prestigious Jazz Band of America, an all-national ensemble, in 2024 and has won numerous soloist awards at local and state-level jazz festivals. 

Gretchen Lowe is a junior at Oak Farm Montessori High School and has been studying the violin for 12 years. In 2023, she began studying with Violetta Todorova, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Concertmaster. Gretchen won the concertmaster position for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2023 and has held it since. This year, she won Gold at regional ISSMA and competed at Warsaw’s Symphony of the Lakes Concerto Competition. She has attended Blue Lake violin camps and the Philadelphia International Music Festival. This summer, she is expanding her violin studies at Interlochen Center for the Arts and a two-week tour in Italy with the Philadelphia International Music Festival. Her other interests include singing, reading, baking, and spending time outside. She plans to study violin performance in college.  

Maria Tan is a Fort Wayne based cellist. Maria has loved music for as long as she can remember, playing cello from the age of five. She has studied with teachers Deb Nitka-Hicks, Ed Stevens, Dr. Melissa Kraut, and Anne Francis Bayless. Summer studies and festivals include Interlochen and the Fry Street Quartet Chamber Music Camp. She has participated in Indiana All State Orchestra, sitting principal cellist as a freshman, and has recently been part of the All National Symphony Orchestra. She has been playing in the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Orchestra from the age of nine, and of which she is the principal cellist, and with which she has soloed on the Elgar Cello Concerto. She is also a prizewinner in the Symphony of the Lakes Young Artist Competition, and the recipient of the FW Philharmonic Friends lesson scholarship and SAI Summer Study Scholarship. She is currently studying with Deborah Nitka-Hicks. 

Jonah Zimmerman is a junior at Warsaw Community High School and has played the violin since he was 6 years old. A year later he was enrolled in the Suzuki School of Music, and was taught by Stacey Bollman. During this time he learned a variety of skills, related to his technique and ability to play in a group. When he was 13 years old he enrolled in the Youth Orchestras program at Fort Wayne Philharmonic. During his first year in the program he began taking from Violetta Toderova. For the past two years, he’s served as assistant concertmaster of the Fort Wayne Youth Symphony Orchestra. He is also concertmaster of the Philharmonic orchestra at Warsaw Community High and occasionally plays in the violin section of the community orchestra in Winona Lake. This year he performed in the Symphony of the Lakes Young Artist Competition, performing Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole in which he won 1st place, and a chance to play his piece with the orchestra on June 22. This past year he also participated in the American Virtuoso International Music Competition,resulting in winning a spot to perform at the world renowned Carnegie Hall. He was also given the opportunity to play a concert in Vienna, Austria for winning the Pittsburgh International music competition. He was recently invited to participate in the Jacobs String Academy at Indiana University’s Jacob’s School, and Interlocken Arts Camp in Michigan. He is currently working his way through the Paganini Caprices, the Adagio and Presto from Sonata no.1 by J.S. Bach, and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major. Additionally, he enjoys playing his violin for weddings, social events, church, and his family. He has won multiple, perfect, gold ratings with distinction from ISSMA Solo and Ensemble at both the district and state levels. Jonah wishes to pursue music, and hopes to continue his education at the Jacobs School of Music at IU. 

Joel Heist, a high school junior, loves music. A toy violin for a two-year-old spurred interest playing a real violin. Joel enjoys playing violin as a premier strings member in the YSO. He attends church with Stuart Hatfield, pipe major for The Fort Wayne Scottish Pipes and Drums, who encouraged him to try playing bagpipes five years ago.  Joel has also played pipes with the Fort Wayne Police Department Pipe and Drum Brigade.  He plays guitar for summer backyard Bible Clubs with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Joel aspires to seek certification as a medical sonographer after graduation because of his heart for service and love for being with people.