Cadenza is a classical music charity club at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa. We're a community volunteering group made up of talented instrumental student musicians with a passion for music and goodwill. Our members prepare for and participate in various fundraising performances throughout the year for non-profit organizations. In Cadenza, we also aim to further engage each of our members with classical music, enhancing their exploration of the music that they play.
Our mission at Cadenza is to generate change through music. We founded Cadenza in 2019 when we realized that our talents in music could be used for something far greater than ourselves. At first, we targeted our efforts at the Iowa City Music Auxiliary, raising $1000 in our first events for the organization. Soon after, we trained our sights on benefiting our entire community. So far, we've held independent concerts and performed in invitations from local businesses to help pursue our charitable goals, raising over $6000.
Our mission at Cadenza is to generate change through music. We founded Cadenza in 2019 when we realized that our talents in music could be used for something far greater than ourselves. At first, we targeted our efforts at the Iowa City Music Auxiliary, raising $1000 in our first events for the organization. Soon after, we trained our sights on benefiting our entire community. So far, we've held independent concerts and performed in invitations from local businesses to help pursue our charitable goals, raising over $6000.
Cadenza members, 2021-2022
Meet the Leaders
Jonathan Chen
Jonathan Chen is a senior at Iowa City West High School and is a co-founder and Executive Board member of Cadenza. He is currently studying piano with Prof. Jack Winerock and Feilin Lin. He was the winner of the 2020 Music Teachers National Association Iowa State Senior Performance Competition, the winner of the 2020 Howe Foundation Young Artist Competition, and a prizewinner of the Fifth Paderewski International Piano Competition, the Thirteenth Chopin International Piano Competition (in CT), and the 2021 Chicago International Piano Competition. He also studies oboe with Miriam Garrett, and is a two-year All-State oboist. He strives to find a use for his musical skills in a greater context.
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Bivan Shrestha
Bivan Shrestha is a senior at Iowa City West High School and is a co-founder and Executive Board member of Cadenza. He is currently studying flute with Ryan Smith. Bivan is a three-year All-Stater, and had a perfect score for the Iowa Solo and Ensemble Festival every year he has participated in it. Bivan is hoping that his music can touch the lives of others.
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Liam edberg
Liam Edberg is a senior at Iowa City West High School and is an Executive Board member of Cadenza. He has studied violin since he was 3 years old, and is currently studying violin with Joshua Palazzolo at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City. Liam is a four-year All-Stater, and hopes to play music in college. Working to support his community through his skills, is what Cadenza is about for Liam.
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Timothy Bergal
Timothy Bergal is currently a senior at West High School and one of Cadenza’s Executive Board members. Timothy is studying cello with Natalia Timofeyeva and also plays piano. He has made the ISTA Iowa Junior Honors Orchestra and All-State Orchestra, but above all else, he wants to instill his love for classical music into others.
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Elizabeth Wan
Elizabeth Wan is a senior at Iowa City West High School, and is on the Cadenza Executive Board. She started piano when she was 4 and added cello, her main focus, when she was 8. Elizabeth plays in West High's Symphony Strings and is a four-year All-Stater. She hopes to help people find comfort in music.
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Miles Davies
Miles Davies is a senior at Iowa City West High School and is one of the Executive Board members of Cadenza. Miles is currently studying clarinet with Christine Bellomy and also plays piano, saxophone, and organ. He helps arrange music for Cadenza ensembles, and plans to minor in Music Composition. He has made SEIBA Honor Band twice and is a two-year All-State clarinetist, but above all he enjoys playing music with others.
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Not pictured: Xiaoyi Zhu.
Xiaoyi is senior at West High School and our head of promotion at Cadenza. She handles social media, designs flyers for our concerts, and designed t-shirts, merchandise, and promotional materials for our Music of Love concert.
Xiaoyi is senior at West High School and our head of promotion at Cadenza. She handles social media, designs flyers for our concerts, and designed t-shirts, merchandise, and promotional materials for our Music of Love concert.
