On Deck with Young Musicians
Saturdays at 5pm PT
On Deck with Young Musicians is an inspirational weekly interview segment that celebrates and showcases the incredibly talented young musicians who live and perform in the Pacific Northwest: the young people who are shaping the future of classical music. Created and hosted by Christa Wessel, select episodes of On Deck are also hosted by Adam Eccleston, Raúl Gómez-Rojas, and Lisa Lipton.
Tune in Saturdays at 5:00 PM PT, and revisit past interviews using the links below or by following On Deck on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
If you know of a young musician who should be profiled for On Deck, please email Christa Wessel at christa@allclassical.org.
On Deck with Young Musicians is made possible in part by support from the Metropolitan Youth Symphony.
July 29, 2023
On Deck with Lilia Niebuhr
Lilia Niebuhr is a 14-year-old multi-instrumentalist, who will start her sophomore year at Westview High School in the fall. Lilia started learning piano when she was only 4, and started flute in 4th grade. Recently, she also picked up the oboe, and within just a few short months, she qualified for the State Solo and… More
July 22, 2023
On Deck with Sal Wallin
Sal Wallin is a classical guitarist and composer at Reed College, where he is majoring in music with a focus on composing. He has studied guitar with multiple teachers including Cameron O’Connor, Mario Diaz and John Mery, and additionally studies voice and composition with Emily Lau. He also sings with the Big Mouth Society, a… More
July 15, 2023
On Deck with Alexis Zou and Hansen Barrett
15-year old Alexis Zou attends Lake Oswego High School and 16-year old Hansen Barrett goes to West Linn High School. Their piano teacher, Renato Fabbro, suggested that they might both benefit from being in a piano duo together. They’ve been a duet for just one year, but they’ve already amassed quite a list of accomplishments. … More
July 8, 2023
On Deck with Andrew Sickler
In this episode of On Deck, 17-year-old cellist Andrew Sickler speaks with Raúl Gómez-Rojas about finding the cello at a young age, and how a recent switch in his approach to practicing allowed him to discover a future in music. Andrew is on his way to the University of Oregon for a major concentration in… More
June 17, 2023
On Deck with Roberto Moo-Julian
Roberto Moo-Julian is a rising senior at Roosevelt High School and a trumpeter in the BRAVO Community Orchestra. He started music in the 4th grade in BRAVO Youth Orchestras and has performed at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, the capitol building in Salem, the YOLA National Symposium in Los Angeles, and has even made a… More
June 3, 2023
On Deck with Keean Balsiger
Keean Balsiger is an 18-year-old senior at Tualatin HS who plays viola, violin and guitar in classical, jazz and rock ensembles. In this episode of On Deck, Keean chats with Raúl Gómez-Rojas about the similarities and differences between his different instruments and the genres that he enjoys exploring. Over the course of his musical career,… More
May 27, 2023
On Deck with Sam Decker
Amy Faust chats with singer Sam Decker, a senior at Rex Putnam High School and a member of the Pacific Youth Choir. Sam is a section leader at PYC and tells us about his approach to mentoring, which largely focuses on bonding and having fun. Sam will be attending University of Oregon next year as… More
May 20, 2023
On Deck with Ryan Jun
In this episode of On Deck, Raul Gomez-Rojas speaks with violinist Ryan Jun, a junior at Mountainside High School. He has been playing the violin for eight years, and currently studies with Carol Sindell. He won the Young Artists Competition and soloed with the Jewish Community Orchestra in 2022, and was chosen as a 2023… More
May 13, 2023
On Deck with Luke D’Silva
Luke D’Silva is a sophomore at Westview High School. His musical journey began at 6 years old with the violin. Three years later, he decided to play the viola with Andrea Hawkins as his teacher. Luke joined the Young String Ensemble of PYP (Portland Youth Philharmonic) as the Assistant Principal Violist and became the Principal… More
May 6, 2023
On Deck with Sarah Lee
Sarah Lee, age 16, is a sophomore at Westview High School and an award-winning cellist. In this episode of On Deck, Sarah chats with Raúl Gómez-Rojas about her journey and accomplishments, including being one of the winners of Cognizart’s 2023 Young Artists Debut! Competition. Sarah is also a member of the Portland Youth Philharmonic, and… More
