Ana Isabella España, age 13, began her violin studies at the age of four at Opus 118's Harlem School of Music with Lynelle Smith. Isabella is currently an 8th grader at the Special Music School at Kaufman Music Center, a school for musically gifted children, and will be attending the Special Music School high school next fall.
In 2019, Isabella won First Prize at the Rising Talents of America’s International Competition, Second Prize for Best Mozart Performance in the Best Performance Competition Series, Second Prize at the ENKOR International Music Competition, and received an honorable mention for displaying a “high level of artistry on violin” at the New York International Music Competition. Isabella was also a featured soloist at the Opus 118 Harlem School of Music’s 25th Anniversary Concert in Merkin Hall and the Little Sisters of the Assumption Gala at Tribeca 360 in New York City and was the featured soloist at the annual Opus 118 Harlem School of Music End of Year Celebration at the Academy of Arts & Letters from 2017-2019. Isabella capped off 2019 by performing the 2nd movement of Bach’s Concerto in D minor for Two Violins with celebrated violinist Joshua Bell at a concert benefiting the Special Music School’s music program.
This year, Isabella was selected as a winner of the Concerto Competition at the Special Music School and performed at the Kaufman Music Center’s Winners’ Concert with orchestra at Merkin Hall under the baton of Brian Worsdale. Isabella also won First Prize at the VIVO International Music Competition, Third Prize at the Lyra Music Competition, and was selected to perform at the Kaufman Music Center Composer Festival.
As a member of the New York Youth Symphony’s (NYYS) Chamber Music program (2019-present), Isabella’s Solastra Trio, coached by Miho Weber, participated in Masterclasses with notable musicians including Ani Kavafian, Wolfram Koessel, and Anne-Marie McDermott. In 2019, Solastra Trio won Second Prize at the Piano Plus! Chamber Music Competition.
Isabella has participated in a number of music programs and music festivals, including Face the Music (NYC), InterSchool Orchestras of New York, the Lucy Moses School Summer String Fest, and the Manhattan School of Music Summer program, where she was selected as concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra, and has performed internationally in Cuba, Mexico and Spain. In her spare time, Isabella enjoys playing the piano and ukulele, reading, skiing, surfing and keeping up with Los Angeles Dodgers highlights.
