UW Symphony and Concerto Competition Winners

Soloist Biographies

Catherine “Dalma” Ashby is a senior studying violin performance at the University of Washington School of Music. She currently holds the concertmaster position in the UW Symphony Orchestra and has been a member of the ensemble since she joined the University of Washington in 2020. Ashby was the runner-up for the UW School of Music Concerto Competition in 2022 and served as concertmaster in the NAfME All-Northwest Orchestra in She is a student of Rachel Lee Priday and is a frequent performer of chamber music within the School of Music. Ashby is a Seattle native and graduate of Shorecrest High School with a deep fascination with the visual arts, in addition to her passion for instrumental performance. She currently teaches violin lessons and has experience in Korean language tutoring, publication, graphic design, modeling, and pageantry. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master's degree in violin performance as well as continue teaching.

Michael Gu is a freshman pursuing Computer Science and Piano Performance at the University of Washington under the tutelage of Dr. Robin McCabe. Beginning his musical studies at the age of 5 in his hometown of Corvallis, Oregon, Gu had the opportunity to study with both Joan Gathercoal and Dr. Rachelle McCabe. In 2022, he received the Chopin Award at the national round of the Music Teachers National Association Piano Competition and performed as a concerto soloist with the Portland Youth Philharmonic at the Arlene Schnitzer Hall upon winning the Portland Piano International Concerto Competition the year prior. He has studied at prestigious summer programs including the Aspen Music Festival, Colburn School, Seattle Piano Institute, and the John Perry Academy. He also appeared in masterclasses for world-renowned pianists such as Yoheved Kaplinksy, Julian Martin, John Perry, and Yeol Eum Son. As an active community member, Gu founded Musicians for Humanity, a non-profit run at two Oregon high schools dedicated to supporting local music education, and recently performed a two piano rendition of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. Outside of his academic studies, Gu is the co-founder of DEV[0], a student-run organization, as well as an avid tennis player.

Katie Zundel is a second-year saxophone student studying under Michael Brockman. She has been playing saxophone for nine years and has previously worked with Neil Welch. She is pursuing dual degrees: a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. She can most frequently be seen performing classical baritone saxophone which she specializes in, but she enjoys playing all other kinds of saxophones as well. She is from Whidbey Island, where she has won several music awards, such as the Island Consort’s Young Musician Award in 2020 and the Ed Bridges Memorial Music Scholarship in 2021. Previously she was invited to play in the NAfME All-Northwest Wind Ensemble and has won her division at WMEA Solo and Ensemble competition. She also performs with the UW Wind Ensemble and enjoys playing chamber music with the Saxophone Quartet.

Program Notes 

This program was curated specifically with the intention of connecting the pieces to each other through history and traditions. We can see many connections between Hungarian and French musical ideas on our program, as Franz Lizst was a prominent Hungarian composer, Berlioz wrote the Hungarian march, and Schmidt whose mother was Hungarian. We also see many French influences on our program as Desenclos, Saint-Saëns, and Berlioz were all French composers. In addition, Wagner and Schmidt share commonality in that they were integral figures to the Austro-German musical tradition. The three pieces that do not feature soloists are taken from larger works for the stage.

Born to a wealthy family in Southern France, Hector Berlioz became enthralled with music at an early age. He began composing at just 12 years old, often drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the French landscape as well as various pieces of literature. In 1845 Berlioz wrote the, “La damnation de Faust” based on German writer Johann Goethe’s epic poem of the same name. This Hungarian march can be found as a movement of this work, but it was written after the its initial publication and added to performances as means of winning the favor of Hungarian audiences. The melody of this piece comes from one of the unofficial state anthems of Hungary which Berlioz then orchestrated. The original tune can be heard in the beginning bars of the piece, increasing in intensity as the piece comes to its conclusion. – Micah Weiland.

French composer and organist Camille Saint-Saëns was an active figure in the Parisian music scene recognized for his versatility and mastery of various musical styles. Completing a diverse body of work in various genres, including symphonies, chamber music, and operas, he became recognized for his notable works, including his Symphony No. 3, “Danse Macabre,” and “The Carnival of the Animals.” Artistically influenced by the works of composers such as Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, Saint-Saëns assisted in the development of French Romanticism. His students included the composer Gabriel Fauré, who went on to become a leading figure in French music, as well as many other notable musicians of the era. Saint-Saëns composed his Violin Concerto No. 3 in 1880, during a period of exceptional productivity and success. The third movement of this concerto follows the rondo form with a lively opening theme characterized by a driving rhythm, contrasted by a lyrical and mournful central episode. Throughout the movement, the solo violin engages in an animated dialogue with the orchestra, creating a sense of forward momentum that builds to a thrilling conclusion. Despite his success in 1880, Saint-Saëns faced personal challenges, including a troubled marriage and the death of his two children just two years prior. Some of his later works explored themes of isolation and loneliness, reflecting these struggles. Nevertheless, he continued to compose prolifically and remained a mentor to many young musicians. The third movement of Saint-Saëns' Violin Concerto No. 3 stands as a testament to his skill as a composer, its bittersweet brilliance making it a favorite among performers and audiences alike and solidifying its place as a cherished work in the violin repertoire.
– Dalma Ashby. 

For 26 years, Franz Liszt developed and revised what would eventually become his first piano concerto. Throughout his early career, the legendary virtuoso traveled across Europe, gaining exposure for his performances centered around self-written works designed to entertain the public and display his immense technical skill. Inspired by the novel compositional style of composers such as Paganini, Liszt was driven to develop his own virtuosic approach to writing music. In 1847, when Liszt decided to retire from performance and pursue composition exclusively, he sought to create “a Concerto after a design that I think is new, and for which the accompaniments remain for me to write”. Described by Bélw Bartók as being “the first perfect realisation of cyclic sonata form”, Liszt seamlessly integrates both piano and orchestra in a fashion that strayed away from the typical alternating form that was popular of many late 18th and early 19th-century concertos. Each of the Concerto’s four sections share thematic material which is transformed and beautifully echoed throughout the entirety of the piece with bits of excitement that characterized Liszt in his prime virtuoso era. Despite being initially finished in 1849, Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 would be revised radically in 1853 prior to its premiere in Weimar only a few years later. A representation of Liszt’s finest, his first piano concerto is sure to take the audience on an energy-filled journey while pushing both the piano and orchestra to their musical limits.
- Michael Gu. 

French composer Alfred Desenclos describes his music style as “Romantic,” borrowing many of his compositional techniques from Impressionist composers. Coming from a large family, he spent his early career working in the textile industry until he was eventually admitted to the Conservatory in Robieux in 1929, where he studied piano. He later studied at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1932, where he won many prizes for his compositions. He won the Prix de Rome in 1942 in composition, and several of his works are commonly performed to this day. Prelude, Cadence et Finale was originally written for Alto Saxophone and Piano in 1956 as a competition piece. It was dedicated to saxophonist Marcel Mule who taught at the Conservatoire de Paris. The Prelude is slow but driving and introduces the themes that are developed throughout the entire piece. Next, the Cadence is an extended saxophone cadenza that includes some of the themes as well as many technical passages. Lastly, the Finale continues developing themes from prior movements and brings the piece to a dramatic close. This piece was later arranged for solo saxophone and orchestra in 1997 by Russell Peterson. – Katie Zundel

Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Schmidt was principal cellist and member of the Vienna Hofoper orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Gustav Mahler until leaving to teach at the Musik Hochschule. Throughout his compositions Schmidt continued the Hungarian traditions of his family, notably in this Intermezzo from his larger operatic work, “Notre Dame”. He utilizes aspects of the Hungarian musical identity and language in this piece, this can

be heard in the quasi improvisatory musical figurations. Schmidt’s works are also noted for their unique blend of the classical and romantic approaches to composition which can also be heard in this piece. – Micah Weiland.

Richard Wagner was especially known for hi operas, which he often based on literature and epic poetry. However, his opera “Die Meisetersinger von Nurnberg '' is based on a real group of German musical and artistic craftsman, known as “Master-singers”, this group included amateur musicians that had strict and complex rules for composition and performance. The prelude to one of Wagner’s only comic operas, this piece embodies the strong themes of tradition and artistry that are crucial to the story.
– Micah Weiland

Director Biographies