Kai Freeman, Violin
Kai Freeman is a 10th grader at Indiana University High School. He is
currently the Assistant Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and
performs in the Braverman String Quartet as a scholarship recipient in the
Settlement Music School’s Advanced Study Program.
As the winner of many Young Artists Competitions, Kai has appeared as soloist
with Ambler Symphony, Rowan University’s String Ensemble and Warminster
Symphony. In the 2021-22 season, Kai was the concertmaster of the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra and was a winner of the ensemble’s Eighth Annual Young Artists Solo Competition.
In previous seasons, he has participated in PRYSM and PRYSM Young Artists, the Chamber Players Orchestra at Temple University's Center for Gifted Young Musicians, All South Jersey String Ensemble, the Settlement Music School’s Trimingham Piano Trio, as well as others.
In the summer of 2023, Kai was one of the two violinists representing the U.S. in the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra in Switzerland. In the past summers, Kai has attended Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 program, Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, Heifetz Program for Exceptionally Gifted, the Mann Center’s All City Orchestra Summer Academy, the Philadelphia International Music Festival, and the inaugural Suzuki Conventions of the Americas in
Cancun, Mexico.
In 2023, Kai was named the inaugural Peter Benoliel and Willo Carey Springboard Grant Winner by the Bruce Montgomery Foundation for the Arts. In the past seasons Kai has won first prizes in the Junior division of New Jersey Music Teachers Association’s Young Musicians Competition and Triumph Music Festival’s Concerto Competition. Kai began playing the violin at the age of four under Gerry Rice and currently studies with Amy Oshiro-Morales of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He has also studied with J Freivogel of the Jasper String Quartet and Francesca de Pasquale. Aside from playing the violin, Kai plays trumpet, enjoys reading, and watching movies.