2025 Concerto Competition Winners

Every year, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music invites the students to participate in the Concerto Competition. This is a rigorous and highly competitive process, judged by a panel of our music performance faculty, for both graduates and undergraduates to demonstrate their skill. The winners are featured in one of two concerts, either with the University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra or the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble, where they have the exciting opportunity to perform their selected work with a full orchestra or ensemble.

PERFORMANCES: This year, seven talented musicians will join the Symphony Orchestra on Thursday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. You can read about them here, in alphabetical order. The eighth winner, Michelle Moeller, will perform with the Wind Ensemble on Thursday, February 20 as part of the UGA Presents performance with Eighth Blackbird at 7:30 p.m. Both performances will be in Hodgson Concert Hall at the UGA Performing Arts Center. 

EMILY ELMORE, flute - F. Borne: Carmen Fantasie

Emily Elmore is in her first year pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Flute Performance, studying under Angela Jones-Reus at the University of Georgia, Hugh Hodgson School of Music. She has served as Principal Flutist of both the UGA Symphony Orchestra and the Hodgson Wind Ensemble, as well as a member of the UGA Graduate Flute Quartet. In addition to being selected as a winner of the UGA Concerto Competition, Emily has been a finalist or prize winner in Young Artist Competitions by the Florida Flute Association, the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra, and the Sarasota Concert Band. Emily is passionate about education, teaching flute privately in the UGA Community Music School and within schools throughout Georgia. She also serves as the Graduate Assistant to the Hugh Hodgson School of Music Outreach programs. Emily holds a Master of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Central Florida.

JT HOLDBROOKS, bassoon - M. Bitsch: Concertino for Bassoon and Orchestra

J.T. Holdbrooks is a second-year Doctoral student at the University of Georgia Athens, pursuing a DMA in Bassoon Performance studying under  Amy Pollard. Currently, he is a graduate teaching assistant, performs with the Southern Wind Quintet, and is the co-principal of UGA’s esteemed Wind Ensemble. Originally from Alabaster, Alabama, J.T. received his Bachelor of Music from The University of Alabama and his Master of Music in Bassoon Performance at the University of Colorado Boulder. J.T. has performed professionally with orchestras including the Atlanta Ballet, the Chattanooga Symphony, the Atlanta Pops, Cheyenne Symphony, and others in the surrounding areas. In 2023, he was the winner of the Jacque Avent Concerto Competition at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival where he performed Villa-Lobo’s “Ciranda Das Setes Notas” with the faculty orchestra. He has performed in many masterclasses for notable bassoonists including Sophie Dervaux, Frank Morelli, Billy Short, and Kristen Wolfe Jensen. 

THOMAS LaMON, cello - E. Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, mvt. 4

Thomas LaMon is a Doctoral student in cello performance at the University of Georgia under the tutelage of James Kim. Thomas is from Ohio and attended the Ohio State University for his undergraduate degree in music performance and public policy, followed by the University of Georgia for his master’s in performance. During his musical journey, Thomas studied with Linda Katz, Mark Rudoff, and David Starkweather who all helped shape the passionate musician he is today. Thomas first found success in chamber music where he was a finalist of the Coltman competition in Austin, Texas (2019) and received the Brahms award for chamber music excellence while at OSU. During his time at UGA, Thomas has performed on masterclasses for prominent figures such as the Emerson Quartet, Dover Quartet, Trio con Brio, Joseph Lin, and Tamas Varga. Thomas is also a part of the Hodgson String Quartet, the premiere graduate chamber ensemble at UGA. He has held the principal cellist position for UGA Symphony, ARCO Chamber Orchestra, Prague Summer Nights, and OSU Symphony. 

Thomas just recently performed the Vivaldi double concerto for two cellos with ARCO and puts on frequent chamber concerts for the community with his various chamber ensembles. He most enjoys the communal aspect of music making and strives to deliver performances that bring people together.

MENGYUAN LI, piano - G. Gershwin: Concerto in F Major, mvt. 1

Born in Hebei and raised in Tianjin, China, Aimee Mengyuan Li is currently pursuing a DMA degree in piano at the University of Georgia as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Aimee has been won multiple competitions and performed throughout China and the United States as soloist and collaborative pianist. Before coming to UGA, Aimee earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; later she served as adjunct faculty at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music and piano faculty at the Hebei Polytechnic Institute in China. 

DAVID MA, flute - H. Dutilleux: Sonatine for flute

David Ma is a Tampa, Florida native and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance at the University of Georgia, studying with Angela Jones-Reus. At the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, he is an active member of the UGA Wind Ensemble, serving as Principal Flute and Piccolo. As an advocate for new music, he is the flutist of the UGA Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. Some of his freelance work includes performing for local churches in the Athens and Greater Atlanta area, and flute instructor at middle and high schools in Georgia and Florida. He has been selected to perform in masterclasses with Marianne Gedigian, Brandon Patrick George,  Kristen Holritz, Bart Feller, and Mary Stolper. He was awarded 2nd prize winner at the Florida Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition in 2023. 

ELENA MINKO, piano - S. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 4, mvts 2 and 3

An active soloist, répétiteur and collaborator, Elena Minko enjoys working with other musicians, exploring all musical styles from instrumental and vocal Baroque music to contemporary. Currently, Elena is a coach assistant in opera theater at the University of Georgia and pursuing her doctoral degree in Piano Performance with Evgeny Rivkin. A native of Siberia, Russia, Elena started her professional path as a composer and was awarded several prizes at composer’s competitions in Russia. Prior to coming to the United States, she earned her Bachelor and Master degrees in Piano Performance at the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow.

MICHELLE MOELLER, oboe - O. Navarro: Legacy Oboe Concerto

Michelle Moeller is in her second year of doctoral studies at the University of Georgia, studying under the direction of Reid Messich. She currently teaches oboe at Furman University and the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, South Carolina. Michelle serves as the Librarian for the University of Georgia’s band department and teaches private lessons at the Community Music School.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Michelle is an active performer, regularly playing with the Aiken and Augusta Symphony Orchestras. In the summers, she loves attending festivals performing with musicians from all over the world. Most recently, Michelle participated in the National Orchestral Institute at the University of Maryland, where she performed as Principal Oboe on Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 under the baton of Marin Alsop, alongside select members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

HAOYING WU, piano - S. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, mvt. 1

Haoying Wu is a Chinese pianist who is pursing her doctoral degree in Piano Performance at the University of Georgia, studying with Alan Woo. She is the teaching assistant for group piano classes at UGA. She earned her previous degrees from Northwestern University and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. As an active performer, she won the second prize in the 2024 Atlanta Music Club Scholarship Competition.