These are the artists who performed on behalf of LMC for the Victory Verticals: Pianos That Went To War exhibit at The Museum of Flight, Summer 2025.
Heard on the popular radio programs Performance Today and Northwest Focus Live, saxophonist Soren Hamm (Aug 16, Sep 6) has performed repertoire spanning the Renaissance through the Avant-garde in concerts across North America. He is the only person to win both the solo and (with the Equus Saxophone Quartet) ensemble categories of the Frances Walton Competition, and was a winner of the Northwest MTNA Competitions on multiple occasions. Soren is an avid promoter of new music for saxophone. In addition to dozens of solo and chamber premieres, he has performed by invitation at the Bowling Green New Music Festival, Ball State New Music Festival, and the New Music Gathering. He is a founding member of Onomatopoeia, the world’s first flute/saxophone/horn trio, and helped commission the first original repertoire for this combination of instruments. Soren teaches on the faculty at Pierce College Puyallup and maintains a private studio in Seattle, WA. He holds degrees from Bowling Green State University (MM) and the University of Oregon (BM) – graduating from the latter with the distinction of Outstanding Undergraduate Performer in Woodwinds; he also completed music education studies at Western Washington University, and was named a winner of that school’s Concerto Competition. Soren’s teachers include John Sampen, Idit Shner, Fred Winkler, and Timothy McAllister.
Katie Hochman (Aug 16, Sep 6), soprano, can be heard regularly giving recitals with Ladies Musical Club of Seattle. She has also enjoyed singing opera and oratorio with Puget Sound Concert Opera (PSCO), Opera Theater Oregon, Portland Opera, Utah Opera, Columbia Chorale and Southwest Washington Symphony (SWS). Highlights include the title role of Massenet’s Cendrillon and Héro in Berlioz’s Beatrice et Bénédict performed with PSCO and Exultate, jubilate performed with SWS.
Dr. Mia HyeYeon Kim (Aug 16, Sep 6) is a Seattle-based pianist originally from Seoul, South Korea. She has won top prizes in the Frances Walton, Metropolitan International, and Texas State International Piano Competitions, among others. Recent highlights include performances of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the UW Wind Ensemble in Seattle and South Korea, and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the UW Symphony Orchestra. She has also been featured on Classical KING FM 98.1. A passionate collaborator, Kim has performed extensively with vocalists, instrumentalists, choirs, and opera companies. She currently serves as adjunct faculty at Wesleyan College and as a staff pianist at the University of Washington. She holds degrees from Yonsei University (BM), New England Conservatory (MM), Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (AD), and the University of Washington (DMA), studying under Victor Rosenbaum, Soyeon Kate Lee, and Craig Sheppard. A certified yoga instructor, she incorporates wellness into her musical work through workshops and outreach.
Mezzo-soprano Gail Neil (Aug 16) has been a featured soloist with symphony orchestras, chorales, ballet and opera companies, in addition to her performances as a concert recitalist. Her “Opera to Broadway” and “Christmas” recitals for Columbia Artists Community Concert Association audiences have included tours in Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California. She sang in over 50 productions with the Seattle Opera Company as a Regular Chorister and preview artist in seasons 1999–2022. Symphony engagements include Orchestra Seattle, the Tacoma, Bremerton, Vancouver, Whatcom, Federal Way, Oregon East and Yakima Symphonies, as well as several repeat engagements with the Everett Symphony Orchestra, which included performances at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. She has been a soloist with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Choral Company, Bellevue Chamber Chorus, Seattle Bach Choir, Eugene Concert Choir and Oregon Mozart Players. Additional information, please visit: www.gailneil.com
Soprano Tiina Ritalahti (Aug 16, Sep 6) holds degrees in music and vocal performance from the University of Washington. She has performed throughout Washington with Northwest Opera in Schools Etcetera (NOISE), Puget Sound Opera, Ladies Musical Club and Puget Sound Concert Opera, as well as being a featured soloist for the Finlandia Foundation. She has sung such roles as the First Spirit and Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Despina in Cosi fan tutte, Lisa in Bellini’s La sonnambula, Änchen in Der Freischütz by Weber, Cis in Britten’s Albert Herring, and Olympia in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffman. Further, she has performed in multiple operas by Menotti: Lucy in The Telephone, Monica in The Medium, and Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief. Her passion for singing also extends to art song repertoire, which she performs regularly in recitals around Western Washington. Tiina has created unique breathing classes for young singers that combine her knowledge and experience as a massage therapist, certified yoga teacher and singer.
Colin Ward (Aug 16, Sep 6) is an alumnus of Western Washington University, having performed with the WWU Concert Choir and appearing in many opera productions, including as Conte Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro. Colin has also appeared in many productions with Puget Sound Concert Opera and with the Seattle Opera Chorus, and is a regular soloist at Christian Science churches in the Seattle area.