As the final chords of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony echoed throughout Elfer’s Hall on Saturday, May 2, 2026, the applause that followed marked the closure of the ’25 -’26 Philharmonic season. The evening of music served as a tribute to Mr. Craig Bradley as he approaches the end of his 10-year tenure as head of school. Under the baton of Neil Thomson, principal conductor of the Goiás Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonic performed Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, Mozart’s Concerto in A major for Clarinet & Orchestra K.622, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, alongside the Chorus. Clarinetist Matthew Yao ’19 returned to the school as the featured soloist.
Mr. Fabio Witkowski, artistic director of the Philharmonic, said, “Seeing Matthew perform with the Philharmonic was a moment of great pride. He was part of the orchestra. The surroundings of Hotchkiss gave him the courage and the foundation to go to Northwestern as a clarinet major. He played in the very first Philharmonic concert. For him to come back as the first Hotchkiss alum—I could not be happier. He played so beautifully.”
Matthew Yao ’19, originally from Hong Kong, was principal clarinet in the orchestra during his time at the school. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in music from Northwestern University and a master’s from the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he is currently completing a professional diploma.
How did you get involved with music?
I was at the Hong Kong Chinese International School (CIS) when I learned to play the clarinet. The orchestra there didn’t light the spark for me, but it introduced me to music. I also did the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) exam, and I made it up to grade seven before coming to Hotchkiss. It’s ironic to think about how I’m at the Royal Academy of Music now, which is one of the schools that founded the exam.
I’m grateful to my parents, because they were the ones who encouraged me to go to boarding school. I had not wanted to leave Hong Kong—I thought I was going to stay at CIS, because I went from kindergarten all the way up to year 10. I think if I hadn’t come to Hotchkiss, a lot of this would not have happened.
Can you tell us a bit about your time as a musician here?
I came here as a clarinetist and played in the orchestra. When the Philharmonic was formed midway through my time here, I was also part of that. The school was transformative for me as a musician, because I got great opportunities to play in the orchestras. I was also part of the very first Hotchkiss at Carnegie Hall concert in 2018, and went on the Hotchkiss in Florence summer program three times. It was amazing to play in such an artistic and culturally rich city.
What are some of your favorite memories from your time here?
There are too many memories. The first time I conducted the orchestra for a concert was a really big deal, because I was the first student conductor. There are too many memories, with all the numerous instrumental recitals that we’ve had here over the years, but playing at Carnegie was really something.
For non-related music memories, I was in Dana for three years in a row. Back then, Dana was a lowerclass boy’s dorm. It was mixed my first year, then upperclass, and I became a proctor there. I was in Flinn my last year. The dorm community and dorm life were really good core memories.
What advice would you give to students who want to pursue music in college?
I would say practice. Start early with the fundamentals, and try to perform as much as you can. When I was at Hotchkiss, I also was involved in Songs for Smiles. Having the opportunity to play for people is what it’s all about.
