Meet the Members of Amo Brass!

Fischoff is delighted to bring back Amo Brass, winner of Fischoff’s 2026 Ann Divine Educator Award, for this week-long Arts-in-Education residency. This national award recognizes the educational outreach work of Fischoff Competition alumni who have demonstrated outstanding and imaginative programming for children and youth in the United States. It honors musicians who have established professional careers in chamber music and have proven their ability to successfully build a career in both chamber music performance and educational outreach.

Amo Brass members, Connor Holland, trumpet, Josh Bialkin, trumpet, Olivia Martinez, horn, David Seder, trombone, and Vivian Kung, tuba, came together in 2020 as a group of friends wanting to safely make music outside during a pandemic. This ensemble of Yale School of Music alumni is based in the Tri-State area and is passionate about education, community engagement, and performance. Prior to receiving Fischoff’s American Brass Quintet Prize at Fischoff’s 50th Anniversary Competition in 2023, Amo Brass won the Gold Medal at the Cambridge International Music Competition, first prize in the BTHVN Wien Competition, and honorable mention at the Plowman Chamber Music Competition. They have been featured artists at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and as part of Chamber Music America’s annual conference showcase concerts.

Vivian

Name: Vivian Kung

Hometown: Cupertino, California

Where You Live Now: Boston, Massachusetts

Favorite Food: Poke

Favorite Candy: Sour Skittles

Favorite Teacher: My middle school band director, Mr. Lewis

Favorite Children’s Book: If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Vegetable gardening or camping

Fun Family Fact: My family’s cat has no teeth!

Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: Harpa Concert Hall (Reykjavik, Iceland)

Hidden Talent: I can type 100 words per minute

Connor

Name: Connor Holland

Hometown: Jacksonville, FL

Where You Live Now: Annapolis, MD

Favorite Food: Rice Krispie Treats

Favorite Candy: Gummy Worms

Favorite Teacher: My first trumpet teacher, Mr. Reynolds

Favorite Children’s Book: Captain Underpants

Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Running

Fun Family Fact: My mom is a beekeeper

Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: On a float for the NYC Puerto Rican Day Parade

Hidden Talent: I can play harmonica

Olivia

Name: Olivia Martinez

Hometown: Lowell, IN

Where You Live Now: New York State

Favorite Food: Spaghetti and meatballs

Favorite Candy: Chocolate

Favorite Teacher: My high school French horn teacher

Favorite Children’s Book: Fox in Socks

Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Running and Reading

Fun Family Fact: My family has Family Olympics when we’re together for the holidays

Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: Musikverein in Vienna, Austria

Hidden Talent: I’ve run 5 marathons

Josh

Name: Josh Bialkin

Hometown: Ramsey, NJ

Where You Live Now: New York

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Candy: Sour patch watermelon

Favorite Teacher: My dad who taught band class in high school

Favorite Children’s Book: Magic Tree House

Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Going to the movies

Fun Family Fact: Everyone in my family is a teacher! That includes parents, grandparents, and my aunt and uncle

Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: Spain

Hidden Talent: Hand farting

David

Name: David Seder

Hometown: Lexington, KY

Where You Live Now: New York City, NY

Favorite Food: My Babushka’s pickled herring salad called Seledka pod shuboy

Favorite Candy: Sour punch straws

Favorite Teacher: Brad Kerns, my main teacher and mentor of trombone for all of my career

Favorite Children’s Book: The Little Prince

Favorite Thing to Do When Not Performing: Hiking with friends

Fun Family Fact: My whole family immigrated from Ukraine, and I am the only one who was born in America

Coolest Place You’ve Ever Performed: At an entrance to a hotel in Colorado that Joe Biden was speaking at, he came over and said hi!

Hidden Talent: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the normal switch. I can visualize every single track in my head from playing this game too much.