Jiayin He, Michael Katz and Eugene Lin join the cello section, while Hsiang-Hsin Ching is the latest addition to the viola section
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music and its artistic director Yannick Nézet-Séguin have announced the appointments of Jiayin He, Michael Katz, and Eugene Lin to the orchestra’s cello section, and Hsiang-Hsin Ching to the orchestra’s viola section.
He started with the orchestra in February and Katz, Ching and Lin will start in April, May, and September 2025, respectively.
Nézet-Séguin commented on the new string appointments: ’Jiayin, Michael, Eugene, and Hsiang-Hsin each bring incredible talent, a true passion for music-making, and an energetic spirit for collaboration.
’They will be invaluable members of their respective sections and to the orchestra as a whole. I look forward to working with them and to witnessing their contributions to the orchestra’s world-renowned string section.’
Chinese cellist He is a Master of Music candidate at Curtis Institute of Music, where he currently serves as principal cello of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. He has won numerous prizes at international competitions, and served as principal cello in opera productions conducted by Seiji Ozawa from 2016 to 2018.
Israeli cellist Michael Katz was formerly a member of the Lysander Piano Trio and has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in venues across the US and abroad. He received his bachelor’s degree from New England Conservatory under Laurence Lesser and his master’s degree from Juilliard School under Joel Krosnick. He has completed a Doctor of Music degree at SUNY Stony Brook as a student of Colin Carr.
Los Angeles-based cellist Eugene Lin has performed as a substitute cellist with esteemed ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and has held principal cello roles with the Pacific Music Festival, the American Youth Symphony, and the Colburn Orchestra. He is currently pursuing a Professional Studies Certificate at the Colburn Conservatory of Music.
Taiwanese violist Hsiang-Hsin Ching holds a Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts and Sciences and Viola Performance from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University where she is currently also pursuing a Master of Music degree in Viola Performance under the guidance of Philadelphia Orchestra principal viola Choong-Jin Chang.
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