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Name
Josiah Mendenhall, Sabrina Stemetzki, Shloka Bhattacharyya
Instrument
Josiah: Violin
Sabrina: Flute
Shloka: Violin
Current Teacher
Josiah: Alexander Kislitsyn
Sabrina: Megan Carroll and Olivia Staton
Shloka: Tatiana Ivanova
High School
Josiah: Owen J Roberts High School
Sabrina: The King’s Christian School
Shloka: Great Valley High School
College / Major
Josiah: University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music / Violin Performance
Sabrina: Temple University – Boyer College / Flute Performance
Shloka: Wesleyan University / Mathematics
How long have you been a member of the PYO Music Institute and in which ensembles did you participate?
Josiah: 2 years. I was only involved in PYO.
Sabrina: 3 years and I participated in PYO
Shloka: 6 years – Prysm Strings (formerly PRYSM), PYAO, and PYO
Do you have other family members who participated in the PYO Music Institute?
Shloka: My younger sister is in Prysm Strings.
If you’re not majoring in music, what role might music play during your college years?
Shloka: I look forward to being a part of my school’s orchestra!
Do you have any plans or activities planned for the summer?
Josiah: PIMF Summer Camp
Sabrina: I am planning to go to the Masterworks Festival to work with faculty from Eastman.
Shloka: Going to India with my family & hanging out with my friend
What is one of your favorite PYOMI memories?
Josiah: The percussion getting Mr. Scagolone or the Oboe playing a B flat for the tuning note on April Fools.
Sabrina: Going backstage at the Kimmel Center during concerts especially the Showcase ones. I had a lot of fun with my friends exploring the whole backstage and growing closer with them.
Shloka: Being at the concerts with my friends
What are your most recent musical and/or academic achievements?
Josiah: Soloing with a chamber orchestra.
Sabrina: I received a really good academic and music scholarship for Temple. I also played in Carnegie Hall twice during my Junior Year.
What are some of your favorite pieces of music that you have performed with PYOMI?
Josiah: Ranaan Meyer’s Concerto for My Family, Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique, and William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 4. Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 is good too.
Sabrina: Holst’s The Planets, Symphony Fantastique, Brahms Symphony No. 2, and Shostakovich Symphony No. 5.
Shloka: Symphony No. 2 by Howard Hanson
When you are not in rehearsal or practicing your instrument, what other activities or hobbies do you enjoy?
Josiah: Hiking or listening to NPR
Sabrina: I enjoy doing other art related things like crocheting, painting, and baking. I also love listening to music any time I can, my favorite artist is The Beatles.
Shloka: Playing guitar and piano, reading, drawing, and doing the NYT games.
What is one unique attribute about you that people find surprising?
Josiah: My directness.
Sabrina: People assume I’m quiet at first, but when they get to know me I can be a lot more talkative.
Shloka: I play in a rock band with some of my friends.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What do you see yourself doing?
Josiah: I hope to be playing with a professional orchestra
Sabrina: I see myself playing in some orchestra around the U.S. or maybe even in Europe. If I’m not playing in an orchestra, I’ll either be playing in different ensembles or working an administrative job relating to music.
