An Ahwatukee teen is one of the featured performers in the next Young Artists Series concert sponsored by MusicaNova Orchestra. 

Sean Ellis, a 17-year-old junior at Desert Vista High School, will perform at the concert, 4 p.m. Feb. 8, at Arizona Piano Company, 4134 E. Wood Street, Phoenix.

Sean is co-concertmaster of the Desert Vista Chamber Orchestra and associate principal second violin in the Phoenix Youth Symphony.

 He was one of 18 violinists chosen to attend the Charles Castleman Quartet Program last year. 

He shares his love of music in many ways, including teaching underprivileged youth the violin through Harmony Project Phoenix. 

For this concert, he will play sonatas by J.S. Bach, Aram Khachaturian and Eugène Ysaÿe.

Also performing is pianist Jessica Zhang, a senior at Corona del Sol High School.

This will be Jessica’s third appearance as a MusicaNova young artist, having also played with the full orchestra in 2017. 

A student of the piano since she was 5, she made her Carnegie Hall debut last summer after winning first place in the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition. 

She was recognized in 2019 as a National YoungArts winner and won first prize at the 2017 IIYM International Piano Competition. She won numerous Arizona and local competitions. 

Like Sean, she is passionate about sharing music. She leads Corona del Sol’s Music for Cure Club, taking student performances into senior homes and hospitals.

This will be Jessica’s third appearance as a MusicaNova young artist, having also played with the full orchestra in 2017. 

A student of the piano since she was 5, she made her Carnegie Hall debut last summer after winning first place in the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition. 

She was recognized in 2019 as a National YoungArts winner and won first prize at the 2017 IIYM International Piano Competition. She has won numerous Arizona and local competitions. 

Like Sean, she is passionate about sharing music. She leads Corona del Sol’s Music for Cure Club, taking student performances into senior homes and hospitals.

Tickets are available on-site or via musicanovaaz.org. General admission is $15; students and seniors pay $10; and under 18 is free.