Celebrating Our 2025-206 Fellows

This season, 94 young musicians from across the United States completed From the Top’s Learning and Media Lab Fellowship.

Flutist Rashmi Chelliserry, 17, records for From the Top in San Diego

“We spoke with audio engineers and professionals about studio recording and production. We also spoke to guest artists and learned about different careers for musicians. Another part of the fellowship was planning and creating our own community engagement project, which was our final capstone project.”

– Flutist Flutist Rashmi Chelliserry, 17, from San Diego, California describes From the Top’s Learning and Media Lab Fellowship

Fellows spent about six weeks in virtual sessions with peers and industry professionals exploring a range of topics around artistry, media, and community. They also worked with producers, engineers, and hosts to record their appearance on From the Top’s broadcast/podcast.

They all participated in sessions on:

the power of storytelling and vulnerability

“The session about storytelling and vulnerability gave me a lot of unique perspectives on how I think of myself as a performer. I learned to be more free of instrumental technical challenges and connect more to the music and the audience.” – Clarinetist Jun Kim, 17, from San Diego, California

creating media and audio recording with instruction from distinguished audio engineers

“We learned about what makes certain audio sound good through a series of listening examples. It was so impactful because the leader of that session chose really good audio samples that were highly recognizable to everyone, which enhanced the relatability factor.” – Harpist Sofia Graupera, 18, from Weston, Massachusetts

young people sit and look at a sound board in a recording studio

Fellows learn about the sound board during a recording. PC: Kristen Loken

professional opportunities in music and conversations with guest artists about their career journeys

“The Artist Life panel in Boston was very very cool! FTT gathered artists with very unique stories and disabilities, which showed us the heart that every musician puts into their work. I was very inspired to be courageous in seeking out what I want to do.” – Soprano Clare Lee, 18, from Cary, North Carolina

panelists sit in front of microphones during a panel event

Artistry, Disability & Community panelists. PC. Tim Correira

“I feel like as classical musicians it is easy to see ourselves as destined to follow a narrow musical path…but what inspired me about this fellowship is the possibility of bringing your full self to your musicianship and that I can define myself as a musician for my future in a nonlinear way.” – Pianist Polina Strela, 18, from New York, New York

community engagement and concert planning

“Working with my peers to understand all the different factors that affect performer and audience experience was so valuable. It was so invigorating to learn about. I’m planning recitals and online classes, and that session will always be on my mind.” – Violist Zach Grunwald, 16, from Lake Worth, Florida

Each Fellow planned a unique one-on-one concert experience tailored to the interests and personality of someone in their community.

“We identified somebody in our life we don’t know very well, and we interviewed them to get to know them [better]. Then, we had to create a unique, handcrafted concert for them based on what they like.” – Flutist Rashmi Chelliserry, 17, from San Diego, California

Fellow Leila Mostaghimi, a 16-year-old clarinetist from Newton, Massachusetts chose to work with a cultural anthropologist that she knows through her local Bahá’í community. Leila planned a collaborative performance and invited her audience member to sing and play hand pan drum while she played clarinet. The repertoire was deeply personal to her audience member and even included a lullaby written for the anthropologist’s child.

Guest artists joined Fellows for conversations about building a career and life in music and the arts. This season’s guest artist included:

Chloe Flower, virtuoso pianist and composer, Sameer Patel, music director and conductor, Sean O’Loughlin, composer, arranger, conductor, Jacqueline Cassidy, cultural producer and strategist, Alison Maggart, musicologist, harpist, and researcher, Chris Bullock, multi-faceted musician/composer/producer and longtime member of Grammy Award-winning Snarky Puppy, Margo Drakos, social entrepreneur, investor and cellist, Molly Joyce, composer/performer who explores disability as a creative source, and Angelica Hairston, harpist, educator and change-maker (FTT Alum)

“I loved meeting Chloe Flower. She shared so many valuable life lessons and experiences towards seizing opportunities, dealing with rejection, and being open to opening up the status quo in classical music.” – Trumpeter Khalid Abdallah, 18, from Flushing, New York

“Many of the artists we met talked about how they chased every opportunity they could find, how they learned to create their own when none existed. Hearing their resourcefulness pushed me to rethink how actively I pursue my own ideas. It made me realize that growth often comes from saying yes, stepping forward, and building chances for yourself.” – Pianist Peter Parra, 15, from Mountain View, California