Daniel Xu , a dedicated young clarinetist, began musical studies at the age of five on piano and clarinet at age of ten. Daniel has been recognized as a YoungArts Winner with Distinction in Classical Music/Clarinet for the 2025 YoungArts national competition, Grand Prize winner of ENKOR International competition (Wind & Percussion), a two-time Pennsylvania MTNA Woodwinds competition winner, as well as the finalist of International Clarinet Association (ICA) Junior Young Artist Competition 2023, United States Navy Band Young Artist Solo competition 2024, United States Marine Band Concerto Competition 2025, the NPR’s “From The Top” and been featured on “Daily Joy Series.” As an orchestral musician, Daniel performed with National Youth Orchestra (NYO2) 2024, PMEA All-State Band/Orchestra 2024-2026, Delaware County Youth Orchestra and Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. This summer, Daniel is honored to have been selected on full scholarship to participate in the National Symphony Orchestra Summer program, where he looks forward to further developing his musical skills through intensive training and performance opportunities. An advocate of classical music and woodwind education, Daniel is the founder of Empowering Woodwinds , a nonprofit organization dedicated to community engagement through music, connecting like-minded musicians, empower and inspire young musicians. For the past two years, Daniel has volunteered his time teaching free fundamental clarinet lessons to elementary and middle school students and leading live performances at local retirement homes and memory care centers. Daniel will continue sharing his passion for music and hope to use his music to lift spirits and bring joy to the world.

Raymond Lim is an 11th-grade violinist at Poolesville High School in Maryland. He began studying the violin at age seven and currently studies with Ryan Meehan of the Calidore String Quartet and Ying Fu of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). Since 2023, he has been a full-scholarship recipient of the NSO Youth Fellowship Program, working closely under the mentorship of NSO musicians. A 2026 National YoungArts Winner, Raymond received the Grand Prize at the 2025 International Dvořák Classical Music Competition, along with top prizes at the Camerata Artists International Concerto Competition and the Asian American Music Society International Music Competition, and First Prize in the MTNA Competition for the Virginia State Senior String Division. Raymond has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the National Gallery of Art, and has appeared as a concerto soloist with multiple orchestras, including the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. He has been a member of the Maryland Classical Youth Orchestra for the past nine years and performs regularly as a chamber musician through the NSO Youth Fellowship Program at the Kennedy Center. He has participated in master classes with leading artists including Michael Klotz, Almita Vamos, Derek Powell, Philip Setzer, Stella Chen, Danielle Belen, and Benjamin Beilman, and has attended the Heifetz International Music Institute, the Rushmore Music Festival, and Center Stage Strings at the University of Michigan. He will attend the Summer Chamber Music Young Artist Program at New England Conservatory on full scholarship this coming summer in 2026. He aspires to pursue a music major and become a professional orchestral musician.