Winners' Biographies
Emilia Waleska is a Polish double bassist currently studying and living in the Czech Republic. In 2021, she graduated from secondary music school in her hometown of Gdynia, Poland, where she studied under Jadwiga Moskal, M.A.
In 2024, she graduated from the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno, Czech Republic, under the guidance of Prof. Miloslav Jelínek, M.A. She is currently continuing her studies in the Master’s programme under Prof. Miloslav Jelínek, M.A., and Marek Švestka, PhD.
Emilia works as a full-time tutti double bassist in the orchestra of the National Theatre Brno. She has also performed with the Prague Chamber Orchestra and the Prague Philharmonia.
She has participated in masterclasses with numerous distinguished teachers, including Prof. Irena Olkiewicz, Piotr Zimnik, Gunārs Upatnieks, Einars Everss and Oskars Bokanovs. Her musical interests are broad, encompassing both historically informed performance and contemporary extended techniques.
April Bom Lee is a cellist of refined technique and musical sensitivity. Born in Sydney in 2012, she began studying cello at the age of six and continued her training after moving to South Korea in 2020. She currently attends Yewon School, one of Korea’s leading arts middle schools, where she is developing as a promising young performer.
She has received top prizes in several international and national competitions, including 1st Prize at the Bruno Walter International Competition (2025), The K-Stars of the Carnegie International Music Competition (2024), and the KAMA International Music Competition (2024), as well as multiple major awards in Korea.
In 2025, she founded the chamber ensemble “Joyful Trio,” performing Beethoven’s Piano Trio No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 11 in 2026 to critical acclaim. She has also been selected for major performance platforms, including the 42nd Young Musicians’ Festival and the Namhae International Music Academy & Festival.
April has participated in masterclasses with leading cellists such as Amit Peled, Niklas Eppinger, Kirill Rodin, and Troels Svane. She completed the Music Gifted Program at Seoul National University of Education (2023–2024).
She currently studies with Sook-jung Lee and Jun-young Ahn, having previously trained with Yoon-jung Boo and Jae-young Lee. A dual citizen of Australia and South Korea, she combines an international outlook with a strong artistic identity, continuing to grow as a committed young musician.