Wind quintet wins Fischoff Grand Prize

ZaRiah — a wind quintet made up of flutist Ben Smith ’26MM, clarinetist Katelyn Poetker ’26MM, horn player Oved Rico ’25MM ’26MMA, bassoonist AJ Neubert, and oboist Jamison Hillian — has been awarded the 2026 Fischoff Grand Prize. The ensemble’s win marks the first time a wind quintet has earned the honor since 2002.

“All we set out to do was move people as deeply as this music has moved us,” the group said in a joint statement. “Knowing that it connected with others means the absolute world to us.”

First formed at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the ensemble has maintained a strong collaborative dynamic, even as its members pursued degrees across the country — at YSM, the Colburn School, and Rice University.  With three of the five members enrolling at Yale, New Haven became a de facto home base for the group as they continued rehearsing, performing, and refining their craft. Leading up to the Fischoff Competition, the group participated in a number of artist residencies, including at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and won First Prize at the Frances Walton Chamber Music Competition — a first for any wind ensemble. The Norfolk residency was a particularly important period of incubation, wherein the group explored and expanded their choreography and audience interaction practices.  

“ZaRiah was the first pre-formed woodwind group accepted at Norfolk in many, many years,” says Melvin Chen, Director of the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. “Their hard work, dedication, and incredible performances were an inspiration to both the fellows and faculty.”

For many at the School of Music, ZaRiah’s win was, in the words of clarinet faculty member David Shifrin, “a welcome shock, but not a complete surprise.”

“While it is impossible to predict the trajectory of a chamber group’s career success, ZaRiah’s combined energy, attention to detail, innovative approach to performing, and grasp of the ‘big picture’ all pointed to the likelihood of success,” says Shifrin.

“Although several of us at YSM have coached, fostered, and mentored ZaRiah — as a group and individually — I am most impressed by what they have accomplished on their own,” says horn faculty member William Purvis. “After coming together at Oberlin, they have managed to navigate the shoals of different locations and life responsibilities. They have never been in the same place for an extended period, other than their time at Norfolk last summer, and that proved to be an essential crucible for them.”

Crucially, Purvis points out, the ensemble setting has been key to the personal and artistic growth of group members: “Perhaps what is most impressive to me is not how much ZaRiah has grown and flourished as an ensemble, but how much the quintet has elevated the playing of each of its members, how much they have challenged and inspired each other to grow and improve in every way.”

“ZaRiah is an ensemble with a remarkable work ethic and deep dedication to the art form. We have all witnessed the ensemble’s meteoric growth, and their performances — including at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition — have been nothing short of spectacular,” says flute faculty member Tara Helen O’Connor.

She adds: “Performing from memory, the ensemble brings an extraordinary level of integration to every phrase. Their physical choreography feels completely organic, illuminating inner voicing, instrumental pairings, and the conversational nature of the music with remarkable clarity and imagination. The result is a performance style of rare cohesion, intelligence, and artistry — nothing short of genius. I am so excited for their future and so proud of all they have accomplished together.”  

ZaRiah’s award-winning performance featured selections from Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, Carl Nielsen’s Wind Quintet, Jeff Scott’s Startin’ Sumthin’, and Óscar Navarro’s Juego de Ladrones.

Beyond competition success, the ensemble is committed to centering community engagement in its work through outreach programs, interactive performances, and diverse repertoire. With members hailing from the rural South and most identifying as first-generation college students, expanding access to classical music to underserved communities is core to its mission, the group explains.