Portland Youth Philharmonic: April Song: Nazaykinskaya & Saint-Saëns

• Katie Liu (Oregon), violin

Polina Nazaykinskaya — Symphony No. 1 "April Song"
Camille Saint-Saëns — Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61
Jean Sibelius — Finlandia, Op. 26 (arr. for winds)
John Barnes Chance — Variations on a Korean Folk Song
Julia Perry — A Short Piece for Orchestra (Study)
Jean Sibelius — Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39 ("III. Scherzo: Allegro")

We close our exciting 98th season with a Beethoven classic and the first symphony known as "April Song" written by award-winning Russian-born American Polina Nazaykinskaya. This concert also includes Saint-Saëns's Violin Concerto No. 3, performed by Katie Liu, winner of PYP’s 2021 Concerto Competition.

Featuring performances by the PYP Orchestra, conducted by David Hattner; the PYP Wind Ensemble, conducted by Giancarlo Castro D'Addona; and the PYP Conservatory Orchestra, conducted by Lawrence Johnson.

Attending in person: PYP requires proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test, administered by a healthcare provider within 72 hours, to attend in-person events and performances. People age 5 and up will also be required to mask up in the venue to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Learn more at portland5.com.

About Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP)

https://portlandyouthphil.org/

About Katie Liu (Oregon), violin

Violinist Katie Liu is a student at Westview High School in Beaverton. She has been playing the violin for 11 years and currently studies with Hae-Jin Kim. Katie currently serves as co-concertmaster of the Portland Youth Philharmonic, with which she has played in for the past six years. She also plays with the Camerata PYP chamber orchestra and enjoys volunteering as a mentor for the Portland Youth String Ensemble.

An active performer, Katie appeared as a soloist with members of the Oregon Symphony after winning the MetroArts Young Artists Debut! Competition in 2021, which she won a second time in 2023. She also had the privilege to solo with the Portland Youth Philharmonic after winning the PYP Concerto competition in 2022.