Music The Guild Scholarships: Awards of Distinction

Nathan Carlin is a high school senior at Cathedral City High School. Nathan has always had a passion for music. He started singing in a choir in the 6th grade and from there his passion for music grew. Since then he has been wanting to go to school for Music performance and composition so that he may grow to become to be a professional Opera singer.

Sarah Duff is a senior at Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio. Music has shaped her life since childhood, as she grew up playing the cello and singing. Sarah has sung in her school’s choir and the Columbus International Children’s Choir. She both participated in and directed her school’s A Cappella Club. One of Sarah’s greatest joys in music is blessing others through her musical passion; she has participated in her church’s Worship Academy, served as a member of the worship band at church, and performed concerts at local retirement homes since she was thirteen years old. She hopes to continue sharing her love of music with others and is incredibly honored for the opportunity to participate in Westmont’s Guild Competition.

Natasha Loh was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and she is currently a high school senior at Hawaii Baptist Academy. Natasha began playing the Bassoon in the summer of her 6th grade year at Kawananakoa Middle School. After transferring to Hawaii Baptist Academy in her 7th grade year, she has studied under Richard Hotoke and Brad Shimizu. Since the beginning of her high school career, she has played with Hawaii Youth Symphony’s Concert Orchestra and Youth Symphony II and has competed in the Oahu Band Directors Association’s (OBDA) Solo & Ensemble for three consecutive years, winning two red metals and one blue metal. Natasha participated in the 2018 New York “Sounds of Spring” International Music Festival at Carnegie Hall with the Hawaii Baptist Academy Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Natasha plans to continue her music career after graduating from HBA as she pursues her interests in studying Biomedical Engineering and Bassoon Performance.

Daniel Macy’s love of the violin began at the age of three as he listened to Bach during quiet time. Due to financial reasons, he was unable to begin lessons till he had saved enough to purchase an instrument. After five years of saving Christmas and birthday money along with winnings from various art competitions, he was finally able to purchase his first violin. In the ten years following, Daniel has taken private lessons with Patricia Graham, and has had the privilege of performing with the West Coast Classical Orchestras in various principle positions including concertmaster and with the Millennial Choirs and Orchestra OC. He also has experienced performing in concert halls such as Disney Hall, Segerstrom, Carnegie, and Dvorak Hall in Prague. Daniel takes great joy in teaching his private students, and conducting the West Coast Classical Prelude String Orchestra. Outside of music, he delights in literature, history, a good debate on pretty much any subject, and in working on one of the countless odd projects he has in process. He is very grateful for the opportunities God has given him and is excited to participate in this year’s Guild Competition.

Roxana Montané was born and raised in La Habana, Cuba. She began playing the violin when she was 8 years old in Guillermo Tomas Conservatory under the tutelage of Maria Verdecia. In 2014 she began attending the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory where she studied under Luis A. Marino, William Roblejo, Hansel Perez and Alfredo Muñoz. Roxana has participated in many concerts and festivals, as both a soloist and as part of different ensembles and orchestras. She performed  as a soloist in  a presentation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute in La Habana, in 2014, the Mozart-Habana Festivals in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; and the Habana-Clasica Festival in 2019, where she played under the conducting of Luis Rafael Salomon. Roxana received magistral classes from violinist as Rolando Prusak, Mauricio Fuks and Salvatore Accardo when they visited Cuba.

Emma Wu is 17 years old, and lives in Glendale, California. She began studying piano at the age of 12 years old, and is currently a student of Nobuyo Nishizaka. In 2015, Emma took 4th place in the Qualified Chopin Category of 2015 Southwestern Youth Music Festival and also took 3rd place in a Complete Works category in the same festival the following year. More recently, Emma won 1st place in SYMF concerto category, as well as making it to the Bach Finals. She also took 2nd place at MTAC 2018 Scholarship Competition, and 1st place the next year. She has studied with Paul Roberts, Mark Richman and T.J. Lymenstull. Emma has also won Music Teachers Association of California Contemporary Festival for three consecutive years, namely, 2016, 2017, 2018. In addition to playing classical piano, Emma also takes pleasure in jazz improvisation, and is currently in a jazz combo at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, performing in annual art nights.. Emma has also played in many benefit concerts, including the annual Lutheran World Relief Charity concert. She was also the president of Tuesday Musicale Juniors for a year. Emma also is a violinist and has performed numerous concerts with an advanced string ensemble and the Korean American Youth Symphony Orchestra. Emma has attended Montecito International Music Festival where she participated in chamber and orchestral ensembles. In her spare time, Emma enjoys writing poetry, listening to random genres of music, and curling up on the couch with a classic book.

Guild competition winner and pianist, from Colorado Springs. Nathanael is an incoming Freshman at Westmont College.

Guild competition winner and cellist, from Culver City, California. William is currently a Senior at Westmont College and a member of the Westmont Orchestra. He studies cello with Trevor Handy.

Guild competition winner and violinist, from Carlsbad, California and a 2018 Westmont College graduate.

Guild competition winner and cellist, from Thousand Oaks, California and a 2018 Westmont College graduate.

Guild competition winner and violinist, from Grand Rapids, Michigan and a 2016 Westmont College graduate.