Meet Our 2026 Concerto Competition Finalists!
GTCYS is proud to announce the six finalists of our 2026 Concerto Competition! These musicians will perform in a free public recital, followed by a reception and the announcement of the winner. Join us!
Concerto Competition Finals Recital
Sunday, November 1, at 3:00pm
Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University, St. Paul
The winner of the 2026 Concerto Competition will perform with Symphony, our most advanced orchestra, which performed at the Sydney Opera House this past summer during their New Zealand & Australia tour!
2026 Concerto Competition Finalists
Eviatar Elnekave, trombone
Concertino for Trombone and String Orchestra, Op. 45 No. 7, Mvt. II. Aria: Andante Sostenuto, and Mvt. III. Finale: Allegro Giocoso, by Lars-Erik Larsson
Eviatar Elnekave is a Junior at Roseville Area High School. He plays tenor and bass trombone and has been playing for 6 years. This is his first year in GTCYS where he is playing principal trombone on Mahler’s 3rd Symphony. Eviatar currently studies trombone with Felix Regalado and his previous teachers include Daniel Lubashevsky and Daniel Tagar. During the summer of 2026 he attended Interlochen Arts Camp where he played with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, he received the Interlochen Orchestral Scholar Award and the Maddy Summer Artist Award.
Summer Liu, cello
Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85, Mvt. IV. Allegro, by Edward Elgar
Summer Liu, 14, is a ninth grader at East Ridge High School in Woodbury, Minnesota. She has studied cello with Andrea Glass at the MacPhail Center for Music for eight years and currently plays with the GTCYS Symphony Orchestra and MacPhail’s Cello Rock Band. She is greatly inspired by her friend, cellist Sophia Alexander. Summer’s recent honors include first prizes in the 2026 Schubert Club Bruce P. Carlson Student Scholarship Competition, the 2026 Shattuck-St. Mary’s Music Competition, and the 2026 Thursday Musical Young Artist Competition; three MacPhail Concerto & Aria Competition wins (2023–2025), including a cello duo with her friend Lilia Smith in 2024; and wins at the 2024 Minnesota Sinfonia and Chicago International Music competitions. She also attended the International Cello Institute’s three-week program in summer 2026. Outside of music, Summer enjoys outdoor activities, reading, spending time with friends, caring for her pets, and volunteering in her community.
Lorelei Schoenhard, violin
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, Mvt. III. Finale: Allegro vivacissimo, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Lorelei Schoenhard studies violin with Marion Judish and chamber music with Kyu-Young Kim and Pitnarry Shin. This is Lorelei’s sixth year both as a member of the GTCYS Symphony and as a finalist in the GTCYS Concerto Competition. In recent summers, Lorelei has enjoyed three GTCYS international tours and additional opportunities to play in some of the world’s finest youth orchestras. In 2024, she was concertmaster of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists’ Orchestra. In 2025, she performed at Carnegie Hall, then toured Japan, China, and Korea with the National Youth Orchestra of the USA. In 2026, she was concertmaster of the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra and principal second violin of the Menuhin Festival Youth Orchestra. Following on these experiences, Lorelei enjoys maintaining friendships with young musicians from all around the world. She looks forward to returning to the Verbier Festival in 2027.
Lilia Smith, cello
Cello Concerto in D Minor, Op. 37, Mvt. I. Prélude: Lento — Allegro maestoso, by Édouard Lalo
Lilia is a 17-year-old cellist from Minnetonka, Minnesota. Since she started playing at age 5, Lilia has enjoyed every step of her musical journey. Currently, Lilia’s teacher and chamber coach is Tom Rosenberg, and she is a part of the GTCYS Symphony Orchestra. She was a winner in both the Mary West Solo Competition and MacPhail’s Concerto and Aria Competition. Additionally, Lilia co-founded a music volunteer group (ARCO) and has participated in various summer music camps and masterclasses. In 2025, she attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts summer camp. Lilia also participated in the GTCYS 2026 tour, which culminated in a performance at the Sydney Opera House. Some of Lilia’s favorite pastimes outside of music include sailing, reading, downhill skiing, spending time with friends, and traveling.
Josie Snaza, violin
Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, Mvt. I. Allegro moderato, by Jean Sibelius
Josie Snaza began playing the violin at the age of six and currently studies with Aaron Janse of the Minnesota Orchestra. With a proven record of high-level performance and competition success, she has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall and The Menuhin Hall, and has performed in masterclasses with world‑renowned artists such as Midori, Stefan Jackiw, and Jaime Laredo.
A devoted chamber musician, Josie has been studying chamber music since 2023 under the guidance of Tom Rosenberg. She also serves as the associate concertmaster of GTCYS’ Symphony, marking her sixth year with GTCYS.
In her free time, Josie enjoys reading, volunteering at community events, and spending time with her family. She also loves exploring local cafes, thrifting, and attending live concerts with friends.
Kevin Xie, flute
Flute Concertino in D Major, Op. 107, by Cécile Chaminade
Kevin Xie is a 16-year-old flutist and junior at Wayzata High School in Minnesota. He began studying flute during his freshman year of high school with his mother, Fei Wen, a professional flutist, and teacher in the Twin Cities. He currently studies with Patrick Tsuji, flutist with the Minnesota Orchestra. Kevin began piano lessons at age seven, building a strong musical foundation. He placed third and second in the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA) Junior Young Artist Competition in 2024 and 2025, respectively, and won the Minnesota Music Teachers Forum (MMTF) Ninth-Grade Competition in 2025. Passionate about flute performance and orchestral music, Kevin is a member of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) Symphony Orchestra. In summer 2026, he was awarded First Prize in the Wisconsin Flute Festival Young Artist Competition.