05/04/2026
Congratulations to our new 2026 Emerging Artists, Lina Elwood and Avigail Kohl!
Lina Elwood is a 10th grader at Hopkins School, and currently studies the piano with Svitlana Fiorito and Vitaly Starikov. Most recently, Lina received First Place at the Emory University Young Artist Piano Competition and named the winner of the Connecticut MTNA Senior Piano Competition. She has also won first prizes at Steinway Piano Competition, Chopin Avenue International Piano Competition, ENKOR International Piano Competition, Renee B. Fisher Piano Competition, Schubert Club Awards Competition, among others. In addition to her solo works, Lina has played with orchestras and chamber music groups around the world. Lina has won concerto competitions hosted by some of the major orchestras in Connecticut. She has also played with Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra at their concert hall and with K Novart Orchestra at Chopin University of Music Concert Hall, both in Warsaw, Poland.
Avigail Kohl is a student at Hillcrest Middle School. She’s been playing piano since the age of six and currently studies under her father, Dan Nadav, and Dr. Yi Heng Yang, who teaches at Juilliard. Avigail loves sharing her passion for piano through concerts. he also shares her passion through teaching, as she’s had a piano student for over a year now, who has even performed at Pequot Library’s Friday Night Cafe. Passing down the education that she’s received as a young pianist to even younger kids is what gives her leadership skills that she uses in other aspects of life. Avigail has won many competitions, including Connecticut State Music Teachers Association, IPPA international piano competition- professional artist national round gold ranking, J.Y Park Foundation piano competition, Schubert Club Awards Competition, Deborah Kahn Competition, Annual Festival Audition, and Renee B. Fisher Piano Competition. Outside of piano, Avigail enjoys baking, making crafts, and hanging out with friends.
