Congratulations to Ayaka Coffman, the 2017 winner of the Akron Youth Symphony’s Concerto Competition.

Ayaka will be the featured soloist during the Akron Youth Symphony’s Spring Concert on May 7 during a performance of Bruch’s Concerto No. 1.

A freshman at Archbishop Hoban High School, Ayaka was a member of the Akron Youth Philharmonic for two years before joining the Akron Youth Symphony, and was a part of the Miller South orchestra for five years. In addition to playing the violin, she also sings in the Concert Choir at Hoban, is a student ambassador, and a member of the Unified for Uganda club.

She has been playing violin since the age of 5, and is currently studying with Barbara Weber. She previously studied with Lois Damron, and also with Marion Goss of the Western Reserve Suzuki School.

Outside of music, Ayaka participates in karate and enjoys cooking, recipe blogging, traveling and spending time with her cousins.