Rachael Lee, bassoon

Rachael Lee, from Taipei, entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 2018 and studies bassoon with Daniel Matsukawa, principal bassoon of the Philadelphia Orchestra. All students at Curtis receive merit-based, full-tuition scholarships, and Ms. Lee is the Nellie Lee Bok Fellow.

Ms. Lee was awarded first place with distinction at the Taiwan National Student Music Competition Finals in 2017. She also received the Patrick S. Gilmore Award in 2016 and the John Philip Sousa Award in 2018, both from the Taipei American School. She has performed as a member of the Century Youth Orchestra and the IASAS Honor Band Jakarta. Ms. Lee has attended the Philadelphia International Music Festival, Eastman Music Horizons, Curtis Summerfest’s Young Artist Summer Program, and Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute.

Ms. Lee began studying the clarinet at age 11, piano at age 12, and bassoon at age 13. She previously studied with I-Hsiu Chen of the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing, reading, drawing, and playing video games.

Chih-Ta Chen, from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is a student of Roberto Díaz and Ed Gazouleas, and entered Curtis in 2019.

Sai Sai Ding, from Shanghai, is a student of Gary Hoffman and Peter Wiley, and entered Curtis in 2019.

Matthew Hakkarainen, from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., is a student of Pamela Frank and entered Curtis in 2018.

Haram Kim, from Seoul, is a student of Shmuel Ashkenasi and Ida Kavafian, and entered Curtis in 2016.

Aaron Patterson, from Philadelphia, is a student of Alan Morrison and entered Curtis in 2018.

Jenny Chen, staff pianist

The Edith L. and Robert Prostkoff Memorial Concert Series. The Curtis Institute of Music receives funding from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts.