Brandon Kang, 16, is a rising junior at Archbishop Mitty High School. His music journey started at the age of 6 with the piano, soon followed by the violin. However, when Brandon was 12, his interest in music turned to the lower tones of the viola. He has studied under the guidance of Minji Kim since 2021.
As he learned more about the different capabilities of his instrument, Brandon grew more passionate about music and became inspired to participate in chamber and orchestral music. Currently, Brandon is the co-principal violist of the Symphony Orchestra in Golden State Youth Orchestra (GSYO). He participated in the 2023 and 2024 California All-State Orchestras, and was the principal violist of the Festival Orchestra in the 2024 Bay Area Youth Orchestra Festival (BAYOF). He also is the principal violist of his school orchestra and participates in the pit orchestra for school plays. Brandon participated in the 2024 Junior Bach Festival, and has won prizes in the 2022 Silicon Valley Music Competition, the 2023 United States International Music Competition (USIMC) and the 2024 Charleston Spring Music Competition. Recently, he won the 2024 GSYO Concerto Competition. Brandon has performed twice a year in the NAHNOOM Benefit Concert since 2022, which donates to the Red Cross. In addition to playing viola, Brandon enjoys writing in his school’s newspaper and volunteering in organizations such as the Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education (AMASE) and Seed Academy, which tutors refugee students.