Saint Phillip’s In The Hills Episcopal Church
4440 N. Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ 85728
Saturday: 02/22/2025

In this favorite series of recitals, upcoming and talented young musicians from the Tucson area are invited to perform on their instruments in Saint Philip’s sanctuary.

The second concert in the Rising Stars Concert Series features two talented musicians who are sure to thrill the listener with their artistic stylings of pieces from Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Ravel, Prokofiev, Chopin, Scriabin, and Khachaturian. The concert begins with selections from The Nutchracker Suite, Op. 71a and concludes with Sabre Dance, a movement in the final act of Aram Khachaturian’s ballet Gayane (1942).

Pianist Ayla Moreno is 13 years old and started playing both piano and violin at age three. Her first piano performance with an orchestra was when she was six. Ayla is a piano student of Dr. Kyungsun Choi. She is also a violinist with the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra and a dancer in the Nutcracker and other local productions. Recent performances can be accessed on YouTube by entering Ayla Moreno, piano.

Bryan Zhang is 18 years old and a senior at Catalina Foothills High School. Since age six, he has been studying piano with Dr. Kyungsun Choi. He performed Piano Concerto No. 2 by Shostakovich with Arizona Symphonic Winds and played Piano Concerto No. 2 by MacDowell with the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra. He has also performed solo works in many venues and performed St. Philip’s Rising Stars concerts twice previously in 2021 and 2024. Beyond performing, Bryan enjoys writing and arranging music and is currently writing for a student-created musical.

All concerts are free. Donations help pay our musicians.