Ayaan Ahmad, Violin, Andrew Ho, Piano, and Lazar Kaminsky, Cello
The WPO is pleased to present this trio of talented young musicians, who will play Beethoven’s Triple Concerto on Sunday, December 8th.
Read their bios here:
Ayaan Ahmad, Violin
Ayaan Ahmad is an 18-year-old Bangladeshi-American violinist from Sharon, Massachusetts. He is currently enrolled in a five-year dual-degree program at Harvard College and the New England Conservatory, where he studies violin with Don Weilerstein. He began studying the violin at the age of four, his formative teachers including Daniela Rubenstein and the late Jan Mark Sloman. From2018-2024, Ayaan studied with Ryan Meehan of the Calidore String Quartet.
Ayaan made his orchestral debut at the age of 15 with the Concord Orchestra conducted by Jefferey Rink, performing Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto. Ayaan has gone on to perform as a soloist with numerous orchestras across New England, often a winner of young artist competitions. He has also been featured on National Public Radio (NPR)’s From the Top radio program.
In 2021, Ayaan was accepted into the Perlman Music Program, where he spentvtwo summers performing and working with world renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman and other esteemed faculty. In 2023, he was the youngest of eight violinists selected internationally from ages 16-26 to attend the Verbier Festival Academy in Switzerland. This past summer, Ayaan was one of six violinists accepted to attend the Nume Festival in Italy, studying with Stella Chen and Mihaela Martin. An avid chamber musician, he has performed in NEC’s Jordan Hall as both a violinist and violist of a string quartet. He has also performed in Boston’s Symphony Hall as concertmaster of the 2023 and 2024 Massachusetts All-State Orchestra.
Andrew Ho, Piano
Andrew Ho (he/him) has been playing the piano for eleven years, the majority of that time with his current teacher, Erin Lindsey. During his time at the piano, he has studied a wide range of repertoire and genres, including the entire Book II of the Well Tempered Clavier. Notable other examples include: Liszt’s Harmonies du soir, Barber’s Ballade Op. 46, and Prokofiev’s Concerto in C Major Op. 26: Andante — Allegro.
Andrew also had a great time performing the Beethoven Triple with the Sharon Community Chamber Orchestra this past May, and he is thrilled to play the piece with the Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra on December 8th.
In addition to his solo studies, Andrew has been a member of the Rivers School Conservatory for five years. Always passionate about improving his playing, he has won numerous awards for both music theory and solo piano, including the school’s Music Theory Department Award in 2020 and the Level IV (highest) Piano Department award in 2023.
When not playing the piano, Andrew also enjoys engaging in other musical endeavors. He started playing the oboe in fourth grade and participates in annual festivals held by his local district as well as the Rivers School Orchestra. Andrew is also an eager participant in musical theater and has participated in over forty productions at multiple venues.
Whether piano, oboe, or theater, Andrew believes that music is one of the best ways to build a community and hopes that he can continue to uplift others through his musical abilities.
Lazar Kaminsky, Cello
Boston-based cellist Lazar Kaminsky’s most notable accomplishments include winning First and Special Prize in the International New York Solo Competition as well as Grand Prize in the Fidelity Investments Young Artist Competition.
Appearing in many venues around the world, Lazar has performed in Jordan Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, Tel Aviv Conservatory Concert Hall, Teatro Auditorium of Solsona, the Art Gallery of the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church of Minneapolis, as well as other performances in numerous countries around the world. Those include Italy, Spain, Israel, Mexico, France, and Russia.
Lazar has played in masterclasses for esteemed cellists such as Ralph Kirshbaum, Richard Aaron, Clive Greensmith, Zuill Bailey, Hannah Roberts, Natasha Brofsky, and many others. He has also appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Boston Pops (Adam Boyles, conductor), the Concord Orchestra (Channing Yu, conductor), the Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra (Michael Korn, conductor), the Sharon Community Chamber Orchestra (Michael Korn, conductor), and the Academia Internacional de Musica de Solsona Festival Orchestra (Riccardo Frizza, conductor).
Lazar has participated in multiple music festivals, some of which include the Academia Internacional de Musica de Solsona Festival, the International Cello Institute, and the Sitka International Cello Seminar. Throughout his pre-college years, Lazar studied with Nancy Hair and Lluis Claret at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Lazar is currently pursuing his undergraduate studies at the New England Conservatory where he studies with Professor Julie Albers.