Several highly qualified contenders participated in the Annual YOBC Concerto Competition. Four students were selected as soloists. Congratulations to Cymberly Tsai, Simon Couchoud, Emma Botes and Sean Ponento.

Cymberly Tsai (Clarinet)
Fall 2024
Philharmonia Concert

Clarinet Concerto in A major, K.622
III. Rondo
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Cymberly Tsai is a senior at Council Rock High School North. She started playing clarinet in 4th grade and was invited to YOBC a year later. Cymberly is now a member of YOBC’s Concert Winds and Symphony Orchestra, in addition to playing with her school concert band and orchestra. Cymberly is also the president of her school’s chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and co-president of her school orchestra.

Over the years, she has also volunteered with YOBC, organizing scores and helping with youth rehearsals and performances. She has also participated in PMEA’s District 11 and Region 6 ensembles in 2023 and 2024, along with BCMEA since middle school. Beyond music, Cymberly enjoys studying science, folding origami, and playing card games.

Simon Couchoud (English Horn)
Fall 2024
Symphony Orchestra Concert

Lemminkäinen Suite No. 3, Op 22
The Swan of Tuonela
By Jean Sibelius

Simon Couchoud is a senior at Pennsbury High School. He began playing oboe in the fourth grade and has studied oboe and English horn privately under a variety of tutors, including Elisa Macera, Brian Adamczyk, and Beth Benson. He joined YOBC in 2020 starting in Wind Symphony.

Simon performs in other ensembles including the Pennsbury High School Marching Band where he is the drum major, the Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band, and the Pennsbury Pit Orchestra. In addition to YOBC and curricular ensembles, Simon enjoys playing with his garage band, Stanza, spending time with friends, writing, and relaxing. After high school, he plans to attend college to major in music education.

Emma Botes (Cello)
Spring 2025
Symphony Orchestra Concert

Kol Nidrei, Op 47
By Max Bruch

Emma Botes is a senior at CB West High School who began playing cello in fourth grade. For the past four years, she has been studying cello with Noelle Grand. She joined YOBC in ninth grade and this year, she will be completing the ABRSM grade 8 level performance exam. Further, she has been playing with the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra for the past two years, with conductors Sebastian Grand and José Luis Dominguez. Emma has also participated in her school orchestra program for the past six years, including the BCMEA festivals. Last year, she was accepted and participted in the Philadelphia International Music Festival where she worked with Philadelphia Orchestra cellist John Koen.

Past performance, Emma has volunteered with younger orchestra students, both in and outside of YOBC. She has been thrilled to help guide younger musicians in middle and elementary school, hoping to inspire them to not only continue in music, but to grow to love it as much as she does.

Sean Ponento (Trombone)
Spring 2025
Concert Winds Concert

Morceau Symphonique, Op. 88
By Félix-Alexandre Guilmant

Sean Ponento is a senior at Pennsbury High School. He began playing trombone in fourth grade and started with YOBC Wind Symphony two years later. In tenth grade, Sean moved to YOBC dual ensembles, Concert Winds and Philharmonia and the last two years has played in Concert Winds and Symphony Orchestra. Sean also started playing euphonium in tenth grade Concert Band and later, Symphonic Winds at Pennsbury High School. He successfully auditioned playing euphonium for several music educator groups, including Bucks County Music Educator Association, Pennsylvania Music Educator Association District 11 and Region VI Bands. Sean plays drums for the Zookeepers, a band he and his friends started in 2023, playing all original music.

When he is not playing an instrument, he is working as a teacher for Kumon of Yardley. He enjoys math and is captain of Mathletes at PHS. His favorite hobby is biking, and he recently created and organized a bike-a-thon to raise environmental awareness of the sustainability of biking.