Violinist Ilana Zaks is a 7th grader from Needham, MA . She is a student of the Professor Donald Weilerstein. Ilana began studying violin at the age of three and a half with her mother, Anna Korsunsky. Ilana made her first solo appearance with the chamber orchestra at the age of six
and with the Symphony Orchestra at the age of eleven. Among her awards are winning concerto competitions of the James R. Powers Concerto Competition of the Boston Civic Symphony, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Leonard Wood Award of the Young Artist Competition from the Philharmonic Society of Arlington, Feinberg Competition of the Brockton Symphony, the “Young Promise” International Competition, and the Bay State Contest of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Ilana participated in the master classes of Michael Stern and Soovin Kim. She has attended the International Summer Music Festival at the St Marks School.

Highlights of the 2012-2013 Season will be solo performances with the Boston Civic Symphony at the Hatch Shell, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Cape Cod Symphony, Nashua Chamber Orchestra and Wellesley Symphony. Ilana is an enthusiastic recitalist and a frequent chamber music player and loves to perform for different audiences. In March 2012 Ilana performed chamber music at the International Young Musicians festival, “Passion of Music 2012” at Carnegie Hall, New York City.