Emily Chen
Viola and Piano
Emily Chen, an eighteen-year-old, is currently a senior at Stockdale High School. Inspired by her two older sisters, she began playing the piano at age five, making this her thirteenth year. Currently studying under Dr. Soo-Yeon Park, Emily has completed all ten levels of Certificate of Merit, was a regional winner of the Southern California Junior Bach Festival, and performed a piano concerto with the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra. Alongside piano, she has been playing the viola since fifth grade. Under Rebecca Brooks’s guidance, Emily was the principal violist of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra, Kern County Honor Orchestra, and the Stockdale Symphony Orchestra. While she wants to continue playing music in the future, she plans on exploring other interests, such as medicine, at Brown University. Outside of music, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones, traveling, and journaling.
Earvin Manongdo
Piano
Earvin Manongdo is a talented pianist who earned his associate’s degree from Bakersfield College, where he was honored with the Department Award for Performing Arts. Currently a senior at California State University, Bakersfield, he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music, studying piano under the guidance of Dr. Soo-Yeon Park. As a recipient of the Bakersfield Music Scholarship at CSUB, Earvin has engaged in many musical opportunities, including CSUB piano studio recitals, new music concerts, opera performances, concert band performances, and chamber music concerts. He was also selected multiple times to play in master classes with guest artists, including soloists from the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra. During the summer, he participated in the Bakersfield International Music Festival and was invited to the Montecito International Music Festival as a recipient of a fellowship scholarship. As a sought-after collaborative pianist, Earvin has performed in the California Music Educators Association Solo & Ensemble Festivals and the Command Performance Recital. As he graduates with the Arts & Humanities Outstanding Project in Performing Arts award, Earvin plans to pursue a master’s degree in Piano Performance at CSU, Long Beach, where he has been offered a prestigious scholarship and a Teaching Associate position in piano class. Earvin’s upcoming engagements include a piano concerto performance with the CSUB Orchestra as a soloist in May 2025.
