New Music School

One week later, we’re still thinking about the incredible performances from our Concerto Class students.

Fifteen talented young musicians took the stage alongside orchestra, showcasing months of dedication, artistry, and hard work. Congratulations to all of our performers on an unforgettable achievement and a truly inspiring learning experience.

Today: IN Recital — Special Alumni Performances from Kevin Hernandez, cello and Zarin Mehta, piano at 3:45 PM, Ganz Hall Roosevelt University.

Kevin Hernandez is a versatile and accomplished young cellist recognized for his expressive musicianship, collaborative spirit, and commitment to artistic excellence. He studied at the New Music School in Chicago under David Cunliffe and has participated in masterclasses with Yo-Yo Ma, Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick, David Taylor, Desirée Ruhstrat, Steven Osborne, Amy Barston, and Arnaud Sussmann.

Kevin has received honors throughout his musical career. He was awarded full scholarships to attend the Sphinx Performance Academy from 2020 to 2025 at the Curtis Institute and The Cleveland Institute of Music, and to complete his junior and senior years at The Juilliard School.  He was a semi-finalist in the New Music School Concerto Competition in 2019 and 2021, won the Chicago Chamber Music Festival Concerto Competition in 2022, earned Second Prize at the Youth Symphony of DuPage Concerto Competition in 2023, and First Prize in 2024. He was also selected to the Illinois All-State Honor Orchestra during 2023 -2025.

An active chamber musician, Kevin has performed with the Sprezzatura String Quartet, the Senti Piano Trio, and the Monaco Piano Trio, and has appeared in competitions including Fischoff, Coltman, and Rembrandt. Most recently, he was featured in a live broadcast on WFMT Chicago Classical Radio, participated in the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and will attend the Orford Musique Academy in Québec, Canada, in 2026.

Kevin is currently pursuing a double degree in Cello Performance and Psychology at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where he studies with cellist Darrett Adkins. During the past academic year, he prepared major works including Franck’s Sonata in A Major, Debussy’s Cello Sonata, Bach’s Suite No. 5 for Solo Cello, and Schumann’s Cello Concerto, while performing extensively in chamber ensembles and with the Oberlin Orchestra. In addition to his performance career, Kevin has begun conducting research in music cognition, exploring the relationships among music, psychology, and human development.

Jonathan Kwok is a five-year-old pianist attending the British School of Chicago. He began his formal piano studies on January 19, 2026, under the guidance of Clinton Velman at NMS. In his very first competition, the Illinois Music Association Competition, Jonathan won First Prize in the Cadet I division, showcasing remarkable talent, dedication, and rapid progress in just a few months of training. In addition to music, he enjoys playing soccer. He is recognized for his lovely personality and natural and gifted musicianship at this early stage of his development.

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Meet Mika Matsuyama 
LEARNING Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22: 1. Andante sostenuto 
FOR 
IN Curriculum — Concerto Class is an advanced, tuition-based program at New Music School for serious young musicians studying concerto repertoire. Through mentorship and conductor review, selected students perform with a chamber orchestra in Ganz Hall at Roosevelt University. The program is offered every three years.
 
ABOUT
Mika Matsuyama, 16, is a junior at Walter Payton College Prep in Chicago and studies piano with Jeffrey Panko at the New Music School. She has also worked with Mary Sauer and participated in masterclasses with Alan Chow, Stephen Osborne, and Spencer Myer.
Last summer, Mika attended the Interlochen Piano Intensive, Indiana University Piano Academy, Oberlin Piano Festival, and Chicago Chamber Music Festival, where she performed in masterclasses with Norman Krieger, Matthew Gianforte, and Carl Cranmer. She also participated in a masterclass with Stephen Osborne at the Grant Park Music Festival.
Mika has received numerous honors, including First Place in the Senior Division of the 2026 NSMTA Karen Tobias Piano Competition, Honorable Mention with Distinction at the DePaul National Concerto Competition, and Second Place at the American Protégé International Competition, through which she will perform Ravel’s Jeux d’eau at Carnegie Hall. She was also a finalist in the Sinfonietta Bel Canto and Musicians Club of Women competitions. Her repertoire includes works by Bach, Mozart, Schumann, Rachmaninov, Ravel, and Gershwin, as well as chamber music by Mozart, Grieg, and Piazzolla.
Outside of piano, Mika is an accomplished dancer. She previously trained at the Joffrey Academy and now performs with her high school’s varsity dance team, which earned first place at the UDA Regionals. She plans to study bioengineering in college.