2025 Orchestral and Choral Award Winners

Henry Ando, clarinet, grew up in Urbana, IL. He took piano lessons from Mary Wraight and clarinet lessons from Karen DeBauche. He played for many years in the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra, the Urbana High School Wind Symphony, the Urbana Tiger Marching Band, and the Urbana Pops Orchestra. 

He did his undergraduate degree at Princeton in physics, while taking clarinet lessons from Jo-Ann Sternberg. He played in the Princeton University Sinfonia and the Princeton University Orchestra, where he premiered a wide range of new music by peer composers, including fellow clarinetist Emily Liushen.   

In 2020, he started a Ph.D. in Physics at UChicago, where he has played with the USO and the New Music ensemble. His graduate research is in ultracold atomic physics in the group of Cheng Chin. After graduation, he plans to continue in science research, either in industry or in academia; regardless, he will continue finding ways to play music. He is deeply grateful to all the amazing mentors who shaped his musical development and to his family, who provided the opportunities and support that got him to this point.  

Ernest Leong, flute, is a third-year in the College pursuing a BA in Romance Languages & Literatures and a joint MA in Social Sciences. He was born in the Bay Area and has played the flute since age nine. Ernest studied with Isabelle Chapuis, and participated in masterclasses led by Julien Beaudiment, Alexa Still, and Robert Stallman. In the future, he hopes to pursue a PhD in French Literature.  

Ava Cho, violin, is a third-year undergraduate, double majoring in neuroscience and psychology. She began playing the violin at age seven and, prior to college, performed with the Norwalk Youth Symphony’s Principal Orchestra as both Principal Second Violinist and Concertmaster. At UChicago, she has been a member of the University Symphony Orchestra since her first year, serving as Principal Second Violinist since her second year. She is also involved in the Chamber Ensemble program and the South Side Free Music Program, a student organization that provides free music education to children in the local community. After graduation, she plans to take a gap year before attending medical school, with the intention of specializing in Pediatrics or Neonatology.  

Calvin Dai, viola, is a fourth-year majoring in sociology and economics. Throughout his time in undergrad, he has been actively involved in the University Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Music Program. He was also a violist in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO). Calvin has studied with former CSO Acting Principal Viola Li-Kuo Chang, Weijing Michal, and currently Lawrence Neuman of the CSO. Outside academics and music, he enjoys yoga and poetry. 

Katie Gallagher, violin, is a fourth-year math PhD student working with Professor Ngô Bao Châu. Originally from Naperville, Illinois, Katie began playing the violin at the age of 4 and the viola at the age of 12. Before college, Katie studied with Almita and Roland Vamos at the Music Institute of Chicago. She has soloed with multiple orchestras, including the DuPage Symphony Orchestra, the Elgin Symphony, and the Northbrook Symphony. She has spent multiple summers at the Chautauqua Music Festival, performing both the violin and viola. Katie went to the University of Notre Dame where she double majored in mathematics and music. She then earned a Marshall Scholarship, which she used to study in the United Kingdom prior to beginning her studies here in Chicago. In her free time, Katie enjoys long distance running. 

Andy Zhang, cello, is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Physics Department and principal cellist for the University Symphony Orchestra. Andy picked up the cello at the age of nine because it was big; had he been given the option, he would have probably chosen the double bass. As an undergraduate attending Swarthmore College, Andy studied the cello with Udi Bar-David, conducted the Swarthmore Lab Orchestra, and was a founding member of the locally acclaimed Chroma Quartet. For his doctoral research, Andy measures the mass and size of cells in thin epithelial tissues using microscopy to determine how cells coordinate with their neighbors to modulate growth and cell division.  

John Burroughs is a 3L student pursuing a JD at the University of Chicago Law School. John has sung as a bass member in the University Chorus and a bass Choral Scholar in the Rockefeller Chapel Choir for all three years during his time at the University of Chicago. Before coming to the Law School, John attended Hillsdale College, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and History with a minor in Music. While in undergrad, John was a member of the Hillsdale College Choir, the Hillsdale College Chamber Choir, and the Hillsdale First United Methodist Church Choir for all four years, and throughout that time he also received voice lessons and participated in opera workshops. John is originally from Bluemont, Virginia, and after graduating this June, he will be clerking on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Benjamin Jaffer is a graduating undergraduate in The College majoring in economics and history. He has been in Motet Choir for four years, and participated in several smaller groups throughout his time at the University of Chicago. Benjamin has been singing since middle school, and has always viewed it as a way to connect with the world and learn about a wide variety of musical genres and styles. In Motet Choir, he served as Tenor Section Leader, helping others to learn music and perform well as a group. His favorite piece that he performed during his time at the University was Mozart's Requiem. After college, Benjamin will be working in New York City, where he hopes to continue to sing in his free time. He is eternally grateful for the experiences he had in Motet Choir and would like to thank Director James Kallembach and all of his fellow choir members who have helped him along the way.  

Collin Polasky is a fourth-year in the College studying computer science and economics with a minor in media arts and design. Collin has been performing with choirs, orchestras, and theaters for as long as he can remember, and is always looking for fun new performance opportunities. He is beyond glad that he decided to continue that trend in college, joining University Chorus in his first week on campus and singing with the group all four years of his time as an undergraduate as well as acting in various University Theater productions, and he has loved every minute of it.   

Alexandria Porter is graduating with a double major in public policy and global studies, and she has been in Motet Choir throughout the entirety of her time in the college. Music has always been a consistent presence in Alexandria's life, as she began playing piano from a very young age and was in her middle school's band and choir. In high school, she focused solely on vocal performance and started taking voice lessons with a local vocal teacher. She was in her high school's top-level choir and was selected twice as an Illinois All-District Chorus member and once as an Illinois All-State singer. As a mezzo soprano in Motet Choir, Alexandria has continued to develop as a musician and perform a wide variety of music, with two of her favorites being Mozart's Requiem and Rachmaninoff's Vespers.

Crystina Windham is a fourth-year student in the College, double majoring in music and cognitive science. She began singing at a young age in her church choir in Brooklyn, New York, which was directed by her mother. Crystina joined University Chorus in her second year. Outside of UChorus, she has vocal directed for University Theater, led Praisebreak, a Black gospel choir on campus, and continues to sing in a rock band back home in New York. After graduation, she will return to the University of Chicago for one year to pursue a master’s degree, after which she plans to build a career in audio production.