Mari Nagahara, cello (Andover, MA), has been playing the cello for the past eight years, and is currently enrolled in classes at the New England Conservatory Preparatory school, where she studies with Natasha Brofsky, and previously studied with Nancy Hair and Carol Ou. Mari was awarded the first prize of the NEC Concerto Competition Category C in 2014, and performed the complete Dvorak Concerto with NEC’s Youth Symphony. As a chamber musician, Mari is the cellist of the Trio Adonais at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and is coached by the cellist of The Peabody Trio, Natasha Brofsky. In May of 2015, the Trio Adonais was awarded the Silver Medal in the junior division of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. The trio was featured in a special “Backstage at Fischoff” broadcast of NPR’s From the Top. As an orchestral musician, Mari has been the principal cellist Boston Youth Symphony, assistant principal cellist of the New York String Orchestra Seminar 2015, as well as a member of New England Conservatory Preparatory School’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. Mari has also participated in several summer festivals such as the Killington Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Greenwood Music Camp, Oxford Cello School, and Music@Menlo Young Performers Program. Past Yellow Barn Young Artists Program participant (Summer 2015).