The Program
Sibelius Symphony 5
Sparkling Young Stars,
A Shimmering Symphony
SAINT-SAENS: Cello Concerto No. 1, mvmt 1 and 3
Nick Jaques, cello
LALO: Symphonie Espagnole mvmt 1
Yi-Chuan Li, violin
MENDELSSOHN: Piano Concerto No. 1, mvmt 2 and 3
Yi-Chuan Li, violinSIBELIUS: Symphony No. 5
Conducted by Domenico Boyagian
SUNDAY May 17, 2026 |3:30pm
Beachwood High School | 25100 Fairmount
The Hype
Prepare to be dazzled and amazed! The stars come out early when our incredible Young Soloist winners take the stage to astound you with their mad skills. Always a fan favorite!
Then, embark on a journey from darkness to light with Sibelius’s 5th Symphony, as the breathtaking landscape of his homeland unfolds, culmimating in the soaring swan theme of the radiant finale. An uplifting “Finnish” to our season!
The Artists
Max Tian, 14, is a dedicated young pianist who studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) Academy and is also a freshman at University School.
Max is an enthusiastic performer with notable orchestral and recital experiences. He made his orchestral debut at age 10, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major with the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also appeared with the Kindred Spirits Orchestra and the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra. His performances have taken place in distinguished venues including the Van Cliburn Concert Hall in Texas, Koerner Hall in Toronto, and Kulas Hall and Mixon Hall in Cleveland.
Max has earned top prizes in several prestigious national and international competitions. Most recently, he was named Winner of the 2026 CIM Academy Concerto Competition, and performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor with the CIM Orchestra. He was also a winner of the 2026 Young Soloists Concerto Competition of the Suburban Symphony Orchestra, performing Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, and Alternate Winner for the State of Ohio in the 2025 National Teachers Music Competition.
Max’s earlier achievements include Third Place in the 2022 Canadian Music Competition, Second Prize in the 2022 Napolinova World Piano e-Competition, and Second Prize in the VI Krystian Tkaczewski Competition. In 2025, he was also recognized as a Steinway Rising Star in Cleveland, Ohio. He was selected as a performer in PianoTexas 2023 and 2026, and was a performer in Vancouver Piano Sessions 2024 and 2025.
Max began studying piano at age 4 and studied with Dr. Michael Berkovsky for nine years. Over the course of his musical development, he has received mentorship from Alexander Panizza and Dmitri Levkovich. Currently, he is studying under the guidance of Dr. Daria Rabotkina at the CIM Academy.
Max finds deep fulfillment in sharing music with the community, where live performance gives him the opportunity to connect with audiences and explore the expressive heart of each work. He enjoys swimming and snowboarding, and he is a member of the University School Glee Club.
Nicholas Jacques is a 15-year-old cellist and sophomore at Hawken School. He started to learn cello at age 8 with Abbey Hansen and currently studies with Alan Harrell of The Cleveland Orchestra and Si-Yan Darren Li of the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Nick was named Principal Cellist of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) in 2025 and has been a member since 2023. He has also served as Principal Cellist of The Contemporary Youth Orchestra (CYO) since 2024, where he has been a member since 2022.
In the summer of 2025, Nick attended the Meadowmount School of Music, studying with Wei Yu and Thomas Landschoot. His honors include awards from the Cleveland Cello Society Scholarship Competition 2024, the Lakeland Civic Orchestra Competition (Junior Division-2024), the Schumacher Young Artist Competition 2026 and the Gordon and Jean L. Pititt Annual Music Scholarship Competition 2026.
Yi-Chuan Li, age 13, is a violinist and 8th grader at Hudson Middle School. He started the violin at age 6 with Michael Houff and currently studies with Wei-Fang Gu, a violinist in The Cleveland Orchestra. He has also studied piano for 8 years with Hillary Houff and he enjoys reading, chemistry, and mathematics in his free time.
Yi-Chuan is a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO), his school orchestra, and participates in string chamber with Dr. Marlene Moses. He has received many awards at the Sigma Alpha Iota Cleveland Alumnae Chapter’s Annual String Competition, including 1st place in 2026.
Celebrated for his expressive artistry, clarity of vision, and dynamic leadership, Maestro Domenico Boyagian has been hailed by The Cleveland Plain Dealer as “a born conductor” and “a conductor for whom the music is the sole point of standing before musicians.” Milwaukee’s Shepherd Express praised his “insightful grasp of style” and his ability to lead “with sensitivity in tempo and phrase.”
Now in his eighth season as Music Director of the Suburban Symphony Orchestra, Boyagian has guided] the ensemble through a vibrant period of growth, highlighted by a complete Beethoven Cycle that culminated in a sold-out Ninth Symphony at Severance Hall to celebrate the orchestra’s 70th anniversary. The 2025–26 season features works by Holst, Grieg, Prokofiev, Saint-Saens, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, as well as the annual Young Soloist Concerto Competition. A dedicated advocate for education, Boyagian collaborated with pianist Lang Lang on the “101 Pianists” program to inspire young performers.
As Music Director of Cleveland Opera Theater, Boyagian has elevated the company to a leading regional force, conducting productions across the U.S. with companies such as Florentine Opera, Opera Southwest, Florida Grand Opera, Opera North, Opera Delaware, Opera Baltimore, and the Manhattan School of Music. Guest engagements have included the Milwaukee Symphony, Delaware Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, and the Bulgarian Festival Orchestra.
Born in Bologna, Italy, Boyagian studied at the Bologna Conservatory, Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has recorded Grieg works with Antonio Pompa-Baldi and the Ohio Philharmonic for Centaur Records, as well as Margaret Brouwer’s Voice of the Lake with Blue Streak Ensemble. His honors include a “Most Distinguished Artist” grant from Cleveland’s Community Partnership for Arts and Culture and recognition as one of the “Top 10 Most Successful Italians Under 40 in the U.S.” by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce of New York.
Our Programming is supported in part by the following:
