Harmony Beyond Sight
BMF Youth Orchestra

Monday, December 22 at 7:30 PM 
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway, New York, NY 10025

Concert Program

​BMFYO Division I Orchestra: Khullip Jeung, Conductor
John Stanley (1712–1786)
Voluntary in D major, Op. 6, No. 5 (“Trumpet Voluntary”)
arr. Geoffrey Bergler
Thomas Cook, trumpet · Yerko Difonis, piano

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767): Sinfonia, arr. Robert Brown

Francesco Sartori (b. 1957): Con te partirò, arr. Ted Ricketts

Mark Williams (b. 1955): Holiday Hoedown

BMFYO Flute and Clarinet Ensemble
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): Turkish March, arr. Koray Sazlı

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893): The Nutcracker Suite
Overture Miniature
arr. Mark A. Craig

BMFYO Division II Orchestra: Helen H. Cha-Pyo, Conductor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Overture to Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
“Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro” from Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492
Iolanta Mamatkazina, mezzo-soprano

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218
I. Allegro
Julia LaGrand, violin

Joseph Haydn (1732–1809): Piano Concerto in D major, Hob. XVIII:11
I. Vivace
Haowen Deng, piano

Ernest Bloch (1880–1959): Concerto Grosso No. 1
I. Prelude – III. Dirge
Yerko Difonis, piano

Miles Davis (1926–1991): All Blues
Matthew Whitaker, piano

Richard Rodgers (1902–1979): My Favorite Things
Matthew Whitaker, piano

Jerome Kern (1885–1945): All the Things You Are
Matthew Whitaker, piano · Drew Tyson, bass

*This program is made possible in part by a grant administered by the Bergen County Division of Historic & Cultural Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

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About the Artists

Helen H. Cha-Pyo, BMFYO principal conductor

Helen H. Cha-Pyo is an award-winning conductor, arts leader, and passionate advocate committed to creating access to music for all. Now in her eighth season as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Wharton Arts in New Jersey, she has expanded programs, championed underrepresented composers, and led the New Jersey Youth Symphony on international tours, with Finland and the Baltics planned for 2026. Since 2023, Cha-Pyo has also served as Artistic Director of the Bella Music Foundation (BMF), empowering blind and visually impaired musicians through education and performance. Under her leadership, BMF has presented concerts at Merkin Hall in New York and the Barrymore Film Center, and in September 2025 she will conduct at the BMF International Music Festival for the Blind at UNESCO House in Paris. Previously, she directed the Empire State Youth Orchestra for 16 years, founded the CHIME program for underserved youth, and taught at Montclair State and Rutgers Universities. A sought-after guest conductor and clinician, she has received the Dove Leadership Award, Angelos Artist Award, and Eastman Centennial Award. She holds degrees from the Juilliard School Pre-College, Oberlin Conservatory, and Eastman School of Music.

Haowen Deng, piano

Haowen Deng, age 12, is a pianist from New York City. He has studied classical piano since 2018 and studies with Jennifer Apsel at the Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School, a music school dedicated to students who are blind and visually impaired. Haowen has performed at many venues, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Explorers Club, and has won awards in the Bella Music Foundation Competition and the International Piano Star Competition. Haowen creates his own podcast, called Blind Kid's Life, and is also an active composer, specializing in avant-garde and experimental music.

Yerko Difonis, piano

Yerko Difonis was born in Valparaíso, Chile, into a musical family. Diagnosed in early childhood with Retinitis Pigmentosa and later experiencing hearing loss, he began wearing hearing aids at age ten. He started formal music and piano studies at age eleven at the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School in New York and later majored in piano at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (2008–2010). Returning to Chile, Yerko continued his musical training, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education (English Pedagogy), and completed conservatory studies at the Sergei Prokofiev Music Conservatory under Mario Cervantes. He performed widely, placed third on Chile’s Got Talent (2011), and won the 2015 María Clara Cullell Piano Competition. In 2020, he entered Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and is currently a DMA candidate. His recent performances include appearances with the Bella Music Foundation Symphony Orchestra, the BMF International Symphony Orchestra in Paris (2025), and Rutgers ensembles. He won second prize at the 2024 BMF International Concerto Competition for the Blind and an honorable mention at the Rutgers Concerto Competition.

Khullip Jeung, BMFYO conductor

Violinist Khullip Jeung is internationally recognized as a soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. Born in South Korea, he began violin at age five and later moved to Hawaii, making his solo debut with the Honolulu Symphony at nine. At fifteen, he relocated to New York to study at the Juilliard Pre-College with Dorothy DeLay, later earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Juilliard under Sally Thomas with major scholarships. Mr. Jeung has won top prizes including the Korea Times Music Competition and ASTA Competition, and has appeared on major television and radio programs in the U.S. and Korea. He has released two widely acclaimed live recordings and recently recorded instrumental tracks for the upcoming Broadway production Gatsby. A frequent competition judge, he founded the International Virtuoso Competition in 2011. He serves on the faculty of Juilliard Pre-College, Mannes College, and BMCC (CUNY), and is music director of Love Violin USA, concertmaster of the Classical Notes Philharmonic, and founding member of the BeneSori Quartet.

Julia LaGrand, violin

Julia LaGrand is a violinist and disability activist from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has soloed with orchestras including the Holland Symphony, Kent Philharmonic and Baroque on Beaver Festival Orchestra, and has played in masterclasses for artists including Midori, Stefan Jackiw, and the Jasper String Quartet. In 2020, she won first prize at the Bella International Music Competition, and was a winner of the Kennedy Center’s 2024 International Young Musicians Competition. After appearing on NPR’s From the Top in 2021, she later co-hosted and co-created an episode of the show featuring young disabled musicians, which was featured in the Boston Globe as one of the “10 Most Memorable Classical Music Moments of 2023.” Based in Boston, she attends Harvard University’s dual degree program with New England Conservatory, and performs with local ensembles and organizations including Shelter Music Boston and the Berklee Inclusion Ensemble. She currently studies with Miriam Fried.

Iolanta Mamatkazina, mezzo-soprano

Born healthy, Iolanta’s life changed dramatically at just nine months old when she was diagnosed with retinal cancer in both eyes. After her first round of chemotherapy, a medical error during a five-hour surgery left her completely blind. This life-altering event marked the beginning of a long and difficult journey. She endured four more rounds of chemotherapy, and the trauma of her blindness led her to stop walking. As a result, she developed muscle atrophy in her legs, requiring extensive rehabilitation to regain her ability to walk. By the age of two, Iolanta had triumphed over cancer and has been in remission for over a decade. Named after Princess Iolanta from Tchaikovsky's opera—unknowingly sharing her blindness—her parents resisted suggestions to change her name, believing that, like the princess, her eyesight may one day be restored. In 2023, Iolanta won 3rd prize in the Junior Division of the BMF International Music Competition for the Blind, showcasing her remarkable talent as a mezzo-soprano.

Koray Sazli, composer

Sazli, born in Istanbul 1973, graduated MSU State Conservatory with a bachelor’s degree in classical guitar. He then pursued graduate degrees in music composition at Boston University. While there, he studied composition with Samuel Headrick, Martin Amlin, Theodore Antoniou and Marjorie Merryman. He participated in composition master-classes with Lukas Foss, Samuel Adler, Jonathan Harvey, Marco Stroppa and Michael Jarrell. Sazli’s compositions have been performed at renowned concert halls such as Carnegie Hall/WRH and Queen Elizabeth Hall/Purcell Room. His compositions and arrangements have been featured internationally across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, receiving several awards at both national and international competitions. He currently teaches composition at Yildiz Technical University in Istanbul and leads the Canis Majoris concert series promoting new works by students and faculty. He is also working to establish a braille music library in Istanbul.

Matthew Whitaker, jazz piano

Matthew Whitaker is a Grammy-, Emmy-, and NAACP Image Award–nominated bandleader, composer, and arranger. His passion for music began at age three after receiving a keyboard from his grandfather. He has performed for audiences worldwide and appeared on major television programs including Showtime at the Apollo, Today, Ellen, and 60 Minutes. Matthew has been a guest soloist with leading orchestras such as the Aspen Chamber Symphony and the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa), and has collaborated with artists including Jon Batiste, Christian McBride, Derrick Hodge, Bootsy Collins, Ray Chew, NEA Jazz Master Regina Carter, and Anderson Paak, including a performance at the 2024 Paralympics Handover Ceremony. A 2026 Grammy nominee for arranging “Super Mario Praise Break” with the 8 Bit Big Band, Matthew is a three-time ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award recipient. He has released four albums, most recently On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute (2024), nominated for Outstanding Jazz Album at the 2025 NAACP Image Awards.

Bella Music Foundation Youth Orchestra

BMF Youth Orchestra Division I
Violin I
Rebecca Tang, Concertmaster
Jonas Chen, Assistant Concertmaster
Michael You
Samuel Yoon
Jenny Jung
Roy Yi
Seoin Kim
Katherine Kang
Kaylee Jeon
Violin II
Alison Tang, Principal
Chloe Suh, Assistant principal
Audrey Park
Grace Yang
Yena Chung
Ellie Qin
Ella Choi
Kayun Son
Ethan Pak
Viola
Jason Ko, Principal
Violin III
Gabby Kim
Isabelle Choi
Keily Woo
Logan Woo
Eunu Roh
Cello
Hayun Son, Principal
Serena Chay
Lowell Yi
Joshua Yoon
Henry Souh
Zoanne Jung

BMF Youth Orchestra Division II

Violin I
Sebin Jeung, Concertmaster
Eric Bae, Assistant Concertmaster
Abigail Lee, Violin I principal
Aiden Park
Hajin Kim
Sara Kim
Hannah Jeon
Ethan Qin
Lilia Duval
Elise Moon
Lillia Choi
Violin II
Madison Chay, Violin II principal
Daneille Lee, Violin II assistant principal
Yoona Oh
Kira Shim
Abigail Yun
Theodore Souh
Yeji Choi
Hannah Oh
Yehyun Lee
Jinwoo Jung
Viola
Juno Moon, Principal
Ellie Hahn
Sophie Seo
Ellie Choi
Laila Bhatia
Jinha Park
Cello
Elijah Shemesh, Principal
Taeeun Song
Allison Chen
Joshua Kim
Irene Kang
Natalie Sirotkin
Joanne Im
Bass
Alexander Gigliotti, Principal
Bryan Amaya
Sophie Bohner
Flute
David Kang, Principal
Julia Kim
Irene Bae
Oboe
Chelsea Park, Principal
Sian Bang
Bryan Xu
Clarinet
Kevin Cho, Principal
Daniel Choi
David Chung
Heather Park
Bassoon
Yuki Higashi
Dirk Wels
Horn
Koji Fujita
Lyris Shen
Trumpet
Christopher Kim
Justin Na
Timpani
Jinha Lee

BMFYO Flute and Clarinet Ensemble
Serena Jung
Catherine Park
Yuna Lee
Ian Cho
Jayden Jung
Boris Shpitalnik 

BMF Youth Orchestra Leadership:
Helen Cha-Pyo: BMF Artistic Director & BMFYO Principal Conductor
Khullip Jeung: BMFYO ​Artistic​ Director & Conductor
Jisun Kang: BMFYO ​Music Director
Miyun Chung: BMFYO ​Head Faculty
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Our Sponsors
YANA Ministry
Global Children Foundation
The YW Kang Foundation for the Visually Impaired
Dancing Dots

Venue Sponsors
Grace & Love Church
The Presbyterian Church at Tenafly
Bethany Church

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Get to know about BMF

Bella Music Foundation (BMF) is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering blind classical and jazz musicians worldwide through advanced music education, international performance opportunities, and career development, while also promoting inclusion and raising awareness through the transformative power of music. Headquartered in the United States, BMF operates international branches in Canada, France, and Korea, building a global network that advances its mission across continents.
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Key Milestones:
- Founded in 2018
- Hosted the world’s first international concerto competition for blind musicians
- Presented the world’s first classical music festival exclusively for blind musicians in 2024
- Organized international classical music competitions for blind artists
- Established the first global symphony orchestra dedicated to supporting blind musicians
- Developed year-round educational and performance programs, including the Love Concert Series for blind school students, the BMF Youth Orchestra for blind and sighted students, and international masterclasses for blind musicians
- Co-presented the 2023 New York debut concert of the Hanbit Trio (a piano trio of blind musicians)
- Co-organized the 2024 Seoul Blind Arts Festival (with official support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government)
​- Presented the finale of the world’s first classical music festival for the blind in 2025 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris

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Education & Youth Development Programs

Love Concert Series: Interactive concerts held at schools for the blind, fostering musical appreciation and inspiration.
Masterclasses, Conferences, and Seminars: Led by distinguished international artists and educators, offering professional guidance and hands-on learning.
BMF Stage Assistant Certificate Program for Blind Musicians: An online training and certification course designed to equip volunteers with the knowledge and skills needed to safely and respectfully assist blind and visually impaired musicians in performance environments.
Bella Music Foundation Youth Orchestra: A pioneering inclusive ensemble for visually impaired and sighted youth, promoting musical excellence, leadership, and mutual understanding through shared music-making and awareness of visual impairment.

Professional Platforms

BMF Concert Series: Showcasing blind soloists and ensembles in prestigious concert venues around the world, providing them with opportunities to share their talent on professional stages.
BMF International Symphony Orchestra: An international ensemble of outstanding blind and sighted professional musicians from around the world, collaborating on major stages.
Bella Music Foundation International Music Festival for the Blind: A flagship festival that celebrates artistic excellence in blind musicianship and promotes inclusion through music.
BMF International Music Competition (ages 10–30) & BMFSO Concerto Competition for Blind Musicians (ages 31+): Providing cash prizes, debut performances in New York City, and access to Braille music software to advance musical careers.

Global Recognition and Landmark Events: Seoul Int’l Music Festival & Art Market for Blind Artists

In 2024, BMF co-organized the Seoul International Music Festival & Art Market for Blind Artists, supported by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

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Stay in touch with us! Thank you!

Bella Music Foundation Website: www.BellaMF.org
Donation: www.BellaMF.org/donate
Phone: +1-551-255-0570 (USA)
Email: [email protected]
Address: 2337 Hudson Terrace #C10, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, USA