Carlsen Cello Foundation

Seattle, Washington

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Carlsen Cello Foundation Recipients, past and present

Over 75 students currently play cellos awarded to them by Carlsen Cello Foundation. Many talented alumni have completed their education, some even moving onto major careers in performance, or are currently studying at some of the top music schools in the country including the Curtis Institute of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, The Julliard School, Indiana University, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. The Foundation’s cellos have enriched their studies and their performances, and these recipients have, in turn, enriched the lives of others with their music.

Name (*alumni)HometownWebsite
*Joy Adams
*Julie Albersvisit website
Oliver Aldortvisit website
*Susan An
*Rob Anders
Nikita Annenkov
*Rachel Aptowitzer
*Matthew Armbruster
*Marta Bagratuni
Sergey Blinov
*Rachel Boardman
*Joshua Boyce
*Ruby Bralliervisit website
Mattie Branson-Meyer
Kathryn Brunhaver
Jeremiah CampbellSan Francisco, CA
Calvin Chan
Laura Chang
Audrey Chen
Zelina Chen
Dahae Cheong
Emma Childs
Sophia Cho
Alex Choe
*Sung Chu
*Rebecca Chung
*Gabriel Conant
*Thea Copeman-Haynes
Catherine EdwardsSeattle, WA
Julia Edwards
Ruric Ellings
Sterling Elliottvisit website
*Peter Ellis
*Jonah Ellsworth
Clark Evans
*Stephan Fang
*Marcus Fazzarri
Andrew Gagiu
*Christopher Gillgren
Adrian Golay
*Nicholas Gold
*Samantha Gribble
*Aaron Hall
*Eric Hamelin
Anne Hayner
Savannah Helming
Elijah HemmingSeattle, WA
Alex Ho
Kelcey Howell
Janaesha Iwaasa
Avery Jacobson
Kaitlyn Jarvis
*Lavena Johanson
*Mercedes Jurkiewicz
Frances Kato
Christian Kay
*D.G. Kim
Justin Kim
Kyu Kim
*Fiona Kine
*Andres Koh
*Miriam Koh
Chris Kong
Jenny Kwak
Sydney Langlois
Jina Lee
Kayla Lee
Stephen Leou
*Mckenna Longacre
*Ben Lundgren
*Omar Macias
*Paolo Maliksi
Anurag Mantrala
*Timothy Mar
*Joanne de Mars
*Robert Mayes
Julia McCartan
*Kota McDavid
*Shunta McDavid
*Patrick McGuire
Conor McNally
*Benjamin Miller
Talbot Miller
Zachary Mowitz
Douglas Mui
Phillip Munck
Koti MwanzieKenya, East Africa
*Caroline Nicolas
*Matti Niemisto
Joseph Novakovich
*Karl Friedrik Overman
Kina Painter
Clark Pangvisit website
Peter Pao
Carly Pearl-Sacks
Elliott Pearl-Sacks
Jason Pegis
Phuc Phan
*Nathaniel Pierce
Belle Ra
Joel Rausch
*David Requirovisit website
Ivy Rhee
Ivy Robison
Tanner Rodriguez
*Joshua Romanvisit website
Olivia Saurette
*Dan Shade
Daisy Shangrow
*Camden Shaw
Kristen Shim
*Hae Yoon Shinvisit website
Valeriya Sholokhova
Julia Siegl
*Carrie Sloane
*Jeremy Steele
Mary Strange
*Daniel Tavani
*Stéphane Tétreaultvisit website
*Serena Tideman
Naomi Tran
Mosa Tsay
Luc Vaval
*Praveen Venkataramanavisit website
Aleisha Verner
Paul Virgilio
*Bruce Walker
*Dong Hun Yi
*Esther Yoo
*Karissa Zadinsky
Jason Zhou
Justin Zhou

"This cello has opened up so many new technical possibilities which have lead to new musical possibilities, and then to new career possibilities. I cannot thank you enough! The price of an instrument that is musically sufficient, let alone playable, is such a hurdle. It has been discouraging to see so many fellow musicians get to a point where they give up on this craft, or feel that they have no other choice. Because of the generosity of groups like CCF, people like me feel like they can really keep going... like they really do have a place in the musical world."

- Paul Virgilio

Photo by Michael Cole
Miriam Shames, Director


Scott Carlsen


Jim Scurlock


Haeyoon Shin and Ray Carlsen

"I was 14 years old when I got the cello from Dr. Carlsen. It had been two years since I started cello and I had just changed teachers. I was in ninth grade and was working with a $1,200 Korean cello bought from Hammond Ashley. After I got the cello from Dr. Carlsen I started working harder with more responsibility and with more joy because of the better sounds that I was getting from the cello. Since then I have gotten another cello from Dr. Carlsen, a better one which I am working with now. It has helped me to compete in higher levels and to reach the level that I am at now, in the graduate program at Indiana University. The biggest change since I got the cello is my attitude towards the instrument, working harder and getting more satisfaction since the instrument responds much better to my efforts."

- Haeyoon Shin


Naomi Tran plays in Seattle Youth Symphony

"Outstanding young performers would greatly benefit from such an opportunity. They would progress much faster on a better instrument."

- David Tonkonogui, cellist and teacher, Seattle Symphony


Phuc Phan

"Thank you so much for letting me borrow the cello. I hope that generations of young aspiring cellists get to enjoy it as I did. I thank you, Dr. Carlsen, for letting so many of these young cellists progress in their studies without limitation from monetary barriers."

- D. G. Kim

Sterling Elliott, 2nd Place Winner, 16th Annual National Sphinx Competition (2/13)

"Sterling is enjoying the new cello and sounding better than ever! With the help of the Carlsen Cello Foundation, Sterling Elliott won 2nd Place at the 16th Annual Sphinx Competition today! Thank you for the cello Carlsen Foundation."
(February 15, 2013; Detroit, MI)

- Dannielle Weems-Elliott,
mother of Sterling


Janaesha Iwaasa selecting a CCF cello

"I cannot tell you how much your cello has changed my life. There is nothing quite like having a real instrument--it has opened up new worlds of technique I never dreamed possible. Without the foundation cello, I would likely not have had the technique to be accepted (and given scholarships!) into these incredible music schools. Thank you so much for everything you have given me!"

- Janaesha Iwaasa, attending Rice University as of Fall 2013


Tanner Rodriguez and Ray Carlsen

Recent Posts

  • Lynn Harrell, January 30, 1944 – April 27, 2020
  • GiveBIG 2020 – help us say “Cello to the Future!”

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Latest Posts

  • Lynn Harrell, January 30, 1944 – April 27, 2020
  • GiveBIG 2020 – help us say “Cello to the Future!”

Carlsen Cello Foundation

2212 Queen Anne Avenue #301
Seattle, WA 98109
Telephone: (206) 579-6233

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