Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/11/2026
3:00 pm
Location
Chapel in the Pines
Categories
The Sonora Bach Festival continues with the Youth Concert, October 11, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. at Chapel In the Pines, 18580 Cherokee Drive, Twain Harte, California. Twenty-three young, local musicians will perform. Jason Jeffrey, pianist, will be the guest artist. Tickets are $10; under the age of 18 are free. Tickets may be purchased online at Sonorabach.org or at the door, or call (209) 536-6330.
Twenty-three young musicians from Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties will participate in the Sonora Bach Festival Youth Concert. The students, all selected by competitive audition, will be performing music from the Baroque and Classical Eras. Participants auditioned before a panel of three, professional judges who made the decision. Each judge provided written, constructive comments. In addition to performing, each winner will receive a $100 award.
Students selected are Emsley Benning, 13, Violin; Soren Galos, 13, Voice; Solvej Graveline, 15, voice; Luka Holbert, 16, Piano; Caroline Hodson, 14, violin; Vivian Hoffmann, 13, Violin; Jaqueline Hwang, 11, Violin; Jemma Hwang, 15, Violin; Maverick Imlach, 13, Voice; Hadessa Iannarelli, 9, Piano; Quinn Igoe, 16, Voice; Violet Jordan, 17, Flute; Jadon Lucich, 16, piano; Caleb Milbourn, 14, Cello; Evangeline Morales, 15, Violin; Avila Niven, 16, Voice; Camryn Smith, 16, Voice; Mamie Weston, 9, Violin; Hazel Weston, 13, Violin; Claire Wiemeyer, 11, Violin; Amelie White, 15, Voice; Avarie White, 13, Voice;and Adam Winters, 15, Piano. They will be playing classical music by Breval; Pergolesit, Handel, Ciampi,Haydn,Caldara, Corelli, J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Rameau, Scarlatti, Mozart, and Stradella.
The performers represent diverse educational institutions. These institutions include 8 charter schools; 3 private schools; 4 public schools; and 8 home schools. The schools are connecting Waters Charter School; Rio Valley Charter School; Sierra Waldorf School; Libertas Academy; Sierra Mason Academy; Cornerstone Christian School; Four Seasons Academy; Columbia Elementary School; Summerville High School; Bret Harte High School and Sonora High School.
Similarly the students represent the music studios of 10 teachers in Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties. They are Brook Moes; Shiloah Fenn; Gail Johnson; Makena Benz; Carolyn Sylva; Holly Kalton; Louise McPeters; Sandra Betti; Kathleen Balfe; and Whitney Byrd.
Gail Johnson, a long-time resident of Tuolumne County; former accompanist at Columbia College; former Arts Council Director; and one of the private piano teachers represented, said, “This concert is so good for so many reasons. It helps and encourages these students to develop focus and discipline as they practice and perform. And It is also is growing future orchestras and audiences for classical music.”
Guest pianist, Jason Jeffrey, will also perform. A native of Los Angeles, Jason developed a love for music when he was really young, beginning his music training with piano lessons and singing in the church choir in kindergarten. He graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music. He is a returning performer to the Mother Lode having performed previously as a featured soloist at the Sonora Bach Festival; the Motherlode Friends of Music Concert Series; and accompanist for the beloved Pine Cone Singers of Groveland, CA. He will be playing Sonata in D Major, K 478 by Scarlatti and Sonata in D Major, op. 10, no. 3 by Beethoven.
Makena Benz said, “As a teacher and a violinist myself, I know how hard students have to work to prepare themselves. They couldn’t do it without support from family, friends, community members and this year, through a generous donation from The Sonora Area Foundation.”
