Student Accomplishments 2024–25
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Conservatory
August 2025
Han Yun (Jonathan) Liang, trombone, won the Robert Marsteller Trombone Competition and the Lewis Haney Philharmonic Prize at the International Trombone Festival
Seth Carter (MM ’25), tuba, won the Aspen Music Festival Concerto Competition
Wenlan Jackson (BM ’25), violin, received a Fulbright grant to study violin at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin for the 2025–26 school year
July 2025
Kingston Ho, violin, won Section Second Violin with the San Francisco Symphony
Yvette Kraft, violin, won Section First Violin with the San Francisco Symphony
Sooyoung Kim (MM ’22), oboe, won English Horn/Oboe with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra
Eduardo Rios (AD ’19, BM ’16), violin, won Section First Violin with the Berlin Philharmonic
June 2025
Joshua Harris, trumpet, won a position with the United States Army Field Band in Washington, D.C.
Katia Tesarczyk, violin, won Principal Second Violin with the San Diego Symphony.
Muyan Yang, violin, won Section Violin with the New York Philharmonic.
Andy Abel (MM ’19), tuba, won Principal Tuba with the Hawaii Symphony.
Andrew Brady (BM ’13), bassoon, won Principal Bassoon with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
Justin Ochoa (MM ’23), percussion, won Section Percussion in the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
Jack Rutledge (PSC ’24), percussion, won a Fellowship with the New World Symphony.
Elvin Schlanger (AD ’24), flute, won Principal Flute of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ryan Turano (MM ’23), bassoon, won Contrabassoon/Utility Bassoon with the Detroit Symphony.
May 2025
Lisandro Attencio, percussion, won First Prize in the Brass and Percussion Category of the Sphinx Orchestra Partners Competition.
Michael Banks, double bass, won Assistant Principal Bass with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Quartet Integra (Kyoka Misawa, violin; Rintaro Kikuno, violin; Istuki Yamamoto, viola; Ye Un Park, cello) won third place at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition, as well as the Sidney Griller Award for the best performance of Judith Weir’s The Spaniard – String Quartet No. 2 in the Preliminary Round of the Wigmore Competition.
Yun Chai Lee, harp, won Principal Harp with the Kansas City Symphony.
December 2024/January 2025
Sam Glicklich, piano, won First Prize in the Taiwan International Maestro Piano Festival.
En-Chun (Eugene) Lin, cello, won Section Cello with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
September/October 2024
Yanfeng (Tony) Bai, piano, won the Grand Prize at the Valencia International Performing Arts Summer Festival.
Gabriel Crist, piano, won the Grand Prize at the Malaga International Piano Festival in the 18+ category, and was selected as a winner of the Concerto Competition at the Malaga International Piano Festival and performed Schumann’s Piano Concerto with the Malaga Symphony Orchestra.
SoJung Kim, bass, won the position of Associate Principal Bass in the San Francisco Ballet.
Sze Hei (Victor) Lee, double bass, won a Fellowship with the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra.
Gracie Potter, trombone, won Principal Trombone in the Richmond Symphony.
Yu-Ping Tsai, violin, won Associate Concertmaster with the Jacksonville Symphony.
Christy Wu, piano, won first prize at the Valencia International Performing Arts Summer Festival, as well as the Grand Prize at the Malaga International Piano Festival in the 18+ category.
Emily Wu, piano, was selected as a winner of the Concerto Competition at the Malaga International Piano Festival and performed Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Malaga Symphony Orchestra.
Yoomin Seo (AD ’23), violin, was appointed concertmaster of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and has begun her first season with the group.
Music Academy
June 2025
Evangeline Lien, viola, won First Prize at the New York Artists Guild Competition and performed with orchestra at Lincoln Center in June.
May 2025
Enhan Li, flute, won first prize in the Woodwind Category of the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts Competition.
Evangeline Lien, piano, won the Grand Prize in the Classical Instrumental category of the Music Center’s Spotlight Competition.
Caden Lin, piano, was the gold medal winner of the 2025 Palm Springs International Piano Competition and received the Whittier Trust Confidence Foundation Award.
April 2025
Joshua Ho, harp, was a 2025 Spotlight Semifinalist.
Kimberly Tsou, flute, won the Grand Prize at the 2025 Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition.
Evangeline Lien, viola, was a Semifinalist of the 2025 Spotlight Program at the Music Center, won the third prize 2025 Shkolnikova Concerto Competition, and won first prize in the 2025 Camerata Artists International Concerto Competition.
Eiline Tai, cello, won second place in the Johansen International Competition, Best Performance of Commissioned work, and was the winner of the 2025 Burbank Philharmonic Hennings-Fischer Young Artist Competition.
Samuel Tatsuki, viola, won third prize in the Johansen International Competition.
March 2025
David Choi, piano, was a National YoungArts Winner, and won first place in the Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition. He also won the State and Southwest divisions in the Music Teachers National Association Competition and will compete as a National Finalist in mid-March.
Joshua Ho, harp, was a 2025 Spotlight Award Semifinalist.
Angela Rose Padula, cello, received a 2025 National YoungArts Award in Classical Music.
Eiline Tai, cello, won the 2025 National YoungArts Award with Distinction and was invited to the YoungArts National Week in Miami. She also won the Silver Award at the YoungArts National Week.
November 2024
David Choi, piano, Kayden Kelly, piano, and Rubi Lee, violin, received YoungArts Awards in the YoungArts 2025 competition in November 2024.
Eiline Tai, cello, was awarded the title of ‘Winner with Distinction’ at the YoungArts 2025 Competition and will go on to perform at the 2025 National YoungArts Week in Miami in January 2025.
September/October 2024
James Birch, violin, was awarded a Career Grant from the Salon De Virtuosi, and will be featured on the Salon De Virtuosi Gala Awards Concert at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York.
Evangeline Lien, viola, won Best Baroque Performance, Best Classical Performance, Best Concerto Performance, Best Prelude Performance, and the Gold Star Award at the Music and Stars Awards, as well as the Wiener Klassik Prize of the 5th 4Seasons Musician Competition of the Vienna Classical Music Competition.
Pinyi Lin, piano, won first prize at the Valencia International Performing Arts Summer Festival and the Absolute First Prize at the Malaga International Piano Festival in 2024.
Eiline Tai, cello, won the Virtuoso & Belcanto Concerto Competition in Lucca, Italy, and will perform as a soloist in Europe next summer. She will also perform Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Southern California Philharmonic as a featured soloist.
Community School
August 2025
Kai Canton, piano, won first prize in the Youth Category and second prize in the Professional Category at the 7th Piano Island International Piano Competition 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Isabella Zhou, violin, will be the featured soloist playing Bach concerto in A minor with the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra (LAV) on September 11, under the baton of Marstro Ponti.
July 2025
The Doxa Quartet — Jiyu Lee (Violin), Lena Kim (violin), Kalyal Kim (Viola), and Noah Choi (Cello) — was awarded the Silver Medal in the Junior String Division at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.
The Seal Quartet — Rachel Won (Violin), Brenna Wuchner (Violin), Jayden Kim (Viola), and Sophia Yoo (Cello) – won the Haydn Prize and the Gold Medal at the Saint Paul String Quartet Competition.
Pianists Sophie Li, Evelyn Xu, Ailis Nguyen, Nathan Baham, Nathan Fenstad, Raymond Cai, Reese Fujikawa, Lina Toyne, Charles You, and Cincy Yi participated in the Southern California Junior Bach Festival Competition.
Ailis Nguyen, piano, won first prize in the California Association of Professional Music Teachers Competition.
Pianists Ellie Chen, Nathan Baham, and Raymond Cai won second prize in the California Association of Professional Music Teachers Competition.
Pianists Rivenka Tomasian, Nathan Baham, Raymond Cai, Reese FujiKawa, and Caden Guo received honorable mentions in the California Association of Professional Music Teachers Competition.
Henry Chung, voice, won sixth prize in the Classical Singer Magazine Competition Nationals.
Joaquin Park (Guitar) and Hrag Khatcherian (Guitar), won first prize in the 2025 CalASTA – LA Guitar Competition.
Miriam Davison (Guitar), won third place in the 2025 CalASTA – LA Guitar Competition.
Dora Yu (Viola) received first place in the Junior category of the American String Teachers Association and will be advancing to State.
June 2025
Nathan Baham, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Raymond Cai, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Lilia Cerna, voice, was a Spotlight Award winner.
Ellie Chen, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Nathan Fenstad, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Caleb Fong, violin, won first place in the MTAC VOCE State Finals: Senior Solo Strings Division.
Aidun Fu, violin, won first place in the MTAC VOCE State Finals: Intermediate Solo Strings Division, and was a finalist Redlands Bowl Competition, solo with orchestra.
Reese Fujikawa, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Caden Guo, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Jasmine Ji, piano, will debut a concerto with the North Czech Philharmonic in Prague at Smetena Hall.
Sophia Li, piano, was a winner of the Southern California Bach Festival.
Audrey Li, piano, was a winner of the Southern California Bach Festival.
Sky Lee Lord, piano, received third place in the MTAC Sonatina Competition.
Ailis Nguyen, piano, won Second Prize in Category B of the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Honors Competition State Finals, Second Prize in Category B of the CAPMT Concerto Competition State Finals, Third Prize in Category B of the CAPMT OC, Concerto Competition, as well as a prize in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Oooju Robinson, cello, was a winner of the 2025 Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition.
Evelyn Xu, piano, was a winner of the Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Liam Thomas, violin, received first prize in the MIMA Young Artist Competition.
Rivenka Tomasian, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Emily Wang, violin, won third place in the VOCE State Finals: Senior String Division.
Rachel Won, violin, and Lucas Lee, cello, both Herbert Zipper Scholar at Colburn performed works by Coleridge-Tayler and Tchaikovsky at Symphony Center in Chicago under the direction of Colburn alum, Kyle Dickson.
Gavin Yang, violin, won first place in the VOCE State Finals: Senior String Division.
Cindy Yi, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Kevin Yi, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
Charles You, piano, was a prize winner in the SFEV Branch Southern California Junior Bach Festival.
May 2025
Lilia Cerna, voice, received honorable mention with a merit award in the Spotlight Competition for non-Classical Voice division.
Kento Ishikawa, piano, received second place in the Edith Knox Concerto Competition.
Jasmine Ji, piano, received third place in the Parness Concerto Competition.
Aaron Ko, piano, received second place at the Bellflower Symphony Concerto Competition.
Daniel Liao, piano, was a medal winner of the a Southern California Jr. Bach Festival, Orange County West Branch.
Nicole Lin, violin, received first prize at the Bellflower Symphony Concerto Competition.
Hope Roth, bassoon, was accepted to Tanglewood and Interlochen for the 2025 Summer program.
Saoirse Sipes, Big Band and Jazz Workshop, won the Grand Prize in the Contemporary Instrumental category of the Music Center’s Spotlight Competition.
Alex Wang, piano, received first prize at the Bellflower Symphony Concerto Competition, and will perform as soloist with the orchestra.
Emily Wang, violin, won the junior category of Glendale MTAC VOCE, as well as tied in junior category of the Culver City Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition.
Rachel Won, violin, and Lucas Lee, cello, both Herbert Zipper Scholars, performed works by Coleridge-Tayler and Tchaikovsky at Symphony Center in Chicago under the direction of Colburn alumnus, Kyle Dickson.
Brennan Wuchner, violin, received first place in the Inland Empire Rotary Competition and performed at the Rotary Youth Showcase Gala.
Gavin Yang, violin, won the senior category of Glendale MYAC VOCE.
Dora Yu, viola, received second place in viola at the Amici International Music Festival.
Isabella Zhou, violin, won the junior category of Glendale MTAC VOCE, as well as tied in junior category of the Culver City Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition.
April 2025
Trio Brilliante (Seaena Kim, violin; Elizabeth Hayden, viola; and Collin Gee, cello) have advanced to the State Finals of the VOCE competition (Intermediate Ensemble Division).
Mira Brophy, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Saskia Brophy, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Henry Chung, voice, won the Spotlight Competition Merit Award.
James Cole, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Chloe Dahm, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Kai Canton, piano, won third prize in Category D of the District IX California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Concerto Competition.
Trio D’Amici (Liam Thomas, violin; Abraham Kim, cello; and Simon Yao, piano) received first prize in the Amici Chamber Music Competition, as well as first prize in the GCC Best Mendelssohn Competition.
The Doxa Quartet (Jiyu Lee, violin; Lena Kim, violin; Kayla Kim, viola; Noah Choi, cello), were the Grand Award Winners in the Jumior Dividion of the Coltman Chamber Music Competition.
Lena Hong, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
LA Brio Trio (Nesya Fertel, violin; Jessica Zhang, cello; and Amy Liu, piano) advanced in the Junior Division – String & Piano category live semi-final round of the 12th Annual Coltman Chamber Music Competition.
Ashley Li, cello, won second place in the Amici Solo Competition.
Daniel Liao, piano, received third prize in the International Best Mozart Performance Competition, Age Group II (ages 8-10).
Matisse McChesney, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Ailis Nguyen, piano, won first prize in Category B of the District IX California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Honors Competition and will participate in the State Finals.
Andrew Peng, violin, received first prize in the Young Prodigy division of the US International Open Music Competition.
Julia Pereira, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Sophia Pereira, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Taavi Sirota, flute, Julia Kleindorfer, cello, and Olivia Larco, piano, advanced in the Junior Division of the Coltman Chamber Music Competition.
Harrison Suh, piano, won first and second place in the Elite International Music Competition.
Liam Thomas, violin, performed with the Southern California Philharmonic as the first prize winner of the Concerto Competition (Prodigy category) and received second prize in the CAPMT8 Concerto Competition.
Jean Won, cello, won second place in the Amici Solo Competition.
Rachel Won, violin, earned a From the Top Learning and Media Lab Fellowship, and performed on From the Top NPR Broadcast.
Kevin Yi, piano, received Honorable Mention in Category C of the District IX California Association for Professional Music Teachers Contemporary Competition.
Cincy Yi, piano, won first prize in Category B of the District IX California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Contemporary Competition and will participate in the State Finals.
March 2025
The Doxa Quartet (Jiyu Lee and Lena Kim, violin; Kayla Kim, viola; Noah Choi, cello), was the Grand Award Winner at the Junior Division of the Coltman Chamber Music Competition. Two other Community School groups advanced to the semi-finals of the competition: Nesya Fertel, violin; Jessica Zhang; cello; and Amy Liu, piano; and Taavi Sirota, flute; Julia Kleindorfer, cello; and Olivia Larco, piano.
Liam Thomas, violin; Abraham Kim, cello; and Simon Yao, piano won first prize at the Amici Solo Music Competition for Strings & Piano
December 2024 and January 2025
Nathan Baham, piano, won Fourth Place in Division IIIb at the XVIII Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, as well as Second Place in Category D of the California Association for Professional Music Teachers Honors Competition, District 3.
Ethan Cheung, piano, was selected to perform at the California Association for Professional Music Teachers Southern Festival Celebration.
Isaac Fujikawa, piano, received Second Place in the Rising Star category of the Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic Competition, and will perform with the orchestra this summer.
Joshua Gatus, piano, received Bronze Medal at Music Olympiad from MTAC (Los Angeles branch).
Kento Ishikawa, piano, was selected to be one of five finalists in the Edith Knox Concerto Competition.
Kayla Kim, viola, won Principal Viola in the California All State Orchestra.
Jasper Kugler, tuba, advanced to finalist for the President’s Own Concert Competition.
Jasmine Ji, piano, received First Prize Los Angeles International Liszt Competition.
Aron Khakimianov, voice, was cast in a featured youth role in L.A. Opera’s production of Las tres mujeres de Jerusalén.
Aaron Ko, piano, received Second Place in category C at California Association for Professional Music Teachers honors competition.
Alex Lee, trumpet, was invited to the Semi-Final Live Round of the 2025 National Trumpet Competition (Junior Solo Division), was well as accepted into the 2025 California All-State Ensemble and the 2025 All-Southern Honor Band.
Ashley Li, cello, received First Place in the Elite Music Competition.
Allis Nguyem, piano, won First Prize in Category B of the District IX California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Honors Competition and will participate in the State Finals.
Emmanuel Ree, piano, received the Gold Medal at Music Olympiad from MTAC (Los Angeles branch), as well as First Place at Golden Classical Music Awards. He will get to perform at Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall.
Jemma Ree, piano, received the Bronze Medal at Music Olympiad from MTAC (Los Angeles branch).
Iris Xiong, piano, received Second Place in the Rising Star category of the Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic Competition, and will perform with the orchestra this summer.
Rachel Won, violin, was a Semifinalist in the Spotlight Competition.
Gavin Yang, violin, won the Glendale MTAC Contemporary Festival in violin division.
Jason Yang, piano, received the Gold Medal at Music Olympiad from MTAC (Los Angeles branch), as well as First Place at the Golden Classical Music Awards.
Cincy Yi, piano, won First Prize in Category B of the District IX California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Contemporary Competition and will participate in the State Finals.
Kevin Yi, piano, received Honorable Mention in Category C of the District IX California Association for Professional Music Teachers Contemporary Competition.
November 2024
Raymond Cai, piano, received first place as well as a gold medal at the 2024 Southern California Junior Bach Festival Complete Works Audition.
Kai Canton, piano, received third place as well as a bronze medal at the 2024 Southern California Junior Bach Festival Complete Works Audition.
Ella Choi, Music Composition, received first prize in Chamber Music Composition for “Harlequin’s Dance” in the Vivaldi International Music Competition, as well as the gold prize in Chamber Music Composition for “Harlequin’s Dance” in the Berlioz International Music Competition.
Jasmin Ji, piano, received first prize in the Moments of Music Competition.
London Knight, guitar, received first place in Division 1 at the American Guitar Society – Vahdah Olcott Bickford Competition.
Ashley Li, cello, received a medal in Junior Cello at the 2024 Southern California Junior Bach Festival Complete Works Audition.
Rocco Li, piano, received first place in the 2024 American Protégé International Romantic Music Competition.
Isabelle Lu, piano, received first place in the 2024 American Protégé International Romantic Music Competition, Young Musicians category (ages 5-10).
Astrid Lindquist Newman, violin, received second prize in The Art of Instrumental Performance Competition.
Ailis Nguyen, piano, received second prize in the Young Pianist 1 category as well as third prize in the Piano Open Baroque 4 category of the SYMF Piano Competition.
Joaquin Park, guitar, received second place in Division 1 at the American Guitar Society – Vahdah Olcott Bickford Competition.
Noah Park, guitar, received second place in Division 2 at the American Guitar Society – Vahdah Olcott Bickford Competition.
Andrew Peng, violin, received the platinum prize in the 21st Century Prominent Musicians Award, the gold prize in the 2024 European Concert Artists Award, as well as the silver award in the Singapore International Music Competition.
Mina Ree, piano, received third place in the Etude Festival (MTAC-LA Category 3).
Julian Siever, violin, advanced to the final round of the Grand Concours International Competition.
Jeff Shin, piano, received second place in the Etude Festival (MTAC-LA Category 1).
Elaina Stuppler, voice, was a YoungArts award winner with distinction in the Voice/Singer-Songwriter category.
Lev Sakae Taira, violin, was a winner in the YoungArts competition.
Liam Thomas, violin, received first prize in the Prodigy Instrumental Category at the Southern California Philharmonic Young Artists Competition, and second prize in High School Division at the American Prize Competition.
Rachel Won, violin, was appointed Concertmaster of the Equity Arc Pathways Orchestra.
Gavin Yang, violin, performed a solo in a contemporary version of Vivaldi’s “Winter” (arr. and directed by Mark Wood) as the Concertmaster of Arcadia High School.
Ashlyn Zheng, piano, received third place in the Etude Festival (MTAC-LA Category 2).
Isabella Zhou, violin, received the silver medal in the Junior category at the 2024 Southern California Junior Bach Festival Complete Works Audition.
September and October 2024
Raymond Cai, piano, won second place in the Piano Open Baroque category in the Southwestern Youth Music Festival.
Kai Canton, piano, received first place in the Piano Open Chopin Shorter Works and Piano Open Complete Classic Work categories at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival.
Daphne Gobron-Pesheva, piano, was selected to perform at the closing ceremony at the Orbiford Festival in Palazzo Adriano, Sicily, Italy, receiving high praise from the mayor and local press.
Anthony Gobron-Pesheva, piano, was selected to perform at the closing ceremony at the Orbiford Festival in Palazzo Adriano, Sicily, Italy, receiving high praise from the mayor and local press.
Caden Guo, piano, received second place in the Piano Open Solo and third place in the Piano Open Baroque category in the Southwestern Youth Music Festival.
Ailis Nguyen, piano, received second place in the Young Pianist category and third place in the Piano Open Baroque category at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival.
Mia Safdie, piano, received an honorable mention at the Thomas Hulbert International Piano Competition.
Rachel Won, piano, is a finalist in the From the Top Learning and Media Lab Fellowship.
John Wu, piano, received first prize in the Ventura College Henry Schwab Competition.
Ryan Yang, cello, won the Junior Cello Category of the CalASTA State Solo Competition.
Trudl Zipper Dance Institute
August 2025
Lou Davidson, Elliana Sabahi, and Avery Schumacher received offers from Pacific Northwest Ballet Professional Division.
Naya Sevilla was invited to join School of American Ballet in the fall.
Jaya Dhand (’18) was promoted to the Corps Artist with Ballet West.
Amelia Erich (’22) was promoted from the 2nd Company to the Main Company of the Saint Louis Ballet
June 2025
Mackenzie Carroll will be Colburn’s first exchange student with the National Ballet School of Canada this summer, and will be dancing at University of Oklahoma’s School of Dance as a Ballet Major this fall.
Jeffrey Davis will be dancing at Chautauqua this summer.
Bridget Duffy, Lou Davidson, Jubilee McAlister, Elliana Sabahi, Avery Schumacher, and Sylvie Watts will be dancing with Pacific Northwest Ballet this summer.
Vienna Lee, Naya Sevilla, and Elsie Tucker will be attending the School of American Ballet this summer.
Mckenzie Lewis will be dancing with Alonzo King Lines Ballet this summer.
Jubilee McAlister, Naya Sevilla, Elsie Tucker, and Sylvie Watts performed with LA Dance Project at the Wallis.
Evelyn Mills will be dancing with the Houston Ballet this summer, was accepted as a fall trainee at the Los Angeles Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Cincinnati Ballet.
Jonah Tillery will be attending Butler University.
