Soloists

Klaudia Kowalewski, Violin

Klaudia Kowalewski is a senior at Ridge High School. She began learning violin at the age of seven and studies with Tunde Gaal. Klaudia received first prize in the Great Composers Competition for Best Bach Performance, Quebec Music Competition, and a Gold Medal at the Canadian Music Competition. She is also a prizewinner of the Enkor International Music Competition, Vivo International Spring Music Competition, and Great Composers Competition Artist of the Year. Klaudia has participated in summer music festivals, including the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra (Principal Second Violin) and the Philadelphia International Music Festival Orchestra (Concertmaster). She was selected to be a part of the the National Association for Music Education All-Eastern Orchestra, New Jersey All-State Orchestra, and Central Jersey Regional Orchestra and is a first violinist in the New Jersey Youth Symphony. 

Klaudia is the mentorship officer of the Ridge High School Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter and coordinates the mentorship program between Ridge High School and the elementary and middle schools. In her free time, Klaudia enjoys biking, reading, and spending time with family and friends. This fall, Klaudia will attend Boston University, where she intends to pursue a dual degree in Violin Performance and Neuroscience. 

Anderson Yu, Violin

Anderson Yu is a senior at Ridge High School. He began learning the violin at 8 years old and has played in various orchestras, including the New Jersey Youth Symphony, Region and All-State Orchestras, and the Bravura Youth Orchestra. He especially enjoys his time playing in the Pit Orchestra for the Ridge Drama Club.

Anderson has also earned multiple music awards. He has earned the Grand Prize as a soloist and chamber group musician in the National League of Performing Arts competitions, where he has performed in Carnegie Hall. Anderson is consistently ranked High Honors in the spring recital auditions of the New Jersey Music Teachers Association. He was the Ridge junior recipient of the Semper Fidelis Music Award nominated by the U.S. Marine Corps. Outside of school, Anderson also performs for senior citizens at nursing homes.  Anderson will be attending Purdue University this fall studying Electrical Engineering and hopes to continue playing the violin in the orchestra and public gigs.

Benjamin Schuchman, Bass

Benjamin Schuchman grew up in Basking Ridge NJ. From a young age, he was surrounded by music with his mother playing violin and his sister playing cello. At age 3, his mother started him on piano. After playing piano for around 5 years, Ben chose to start playing the double bass. In middle school, Ben played with numerous youth orchestras around NJ. Eventually, he became the principal double bassist of the New Jersey Youth Symphony. Ben currently attends Ridge High School in Basking Ridge NJ and serves as the principal bassist of the Ridge Symphony Orchestra under Jennifer Curran. Most notably, Ben currently plays in the Grammy Award Winning New York Youth Symphony under Andrew J. Kim. Additionally, at his high school, Ben is the president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. In the summer of his sophomore year of high school, Ben attended Brevard Summer Music Festival and studied under George Speed, Daniel Tosky, and Craig Brown. Back at home, he currently studies with Edward Francis-Smith of the MET and Roosevelt Porter. Next year, Ben is attending the University of Michigan -Ann Arbor to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Double Bass Performance under Professor Nicholas Walker as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration through the Ross School of Business. This summer, Ben will study at the Domaine Forget International Music Academy.