Introducing the NEXTGen Musician 2026 Cohort!

February 26, 2026

Midori & Friends is thrilled to welcome 13 talented high school students into the fifth cohort of the NEXTGen Teen Musician program! NEXTGen Musician is a youth leadership program that empowers teens through artistry, leadership, and advocacy training with professional musicians and mentors in the fields of finance, tech, law, arts & culture, and government. NEXTGen celebrates the creativity of young people and directly invests in participants’ artistry through private music lessons, leadership through mentorship, and advocacy training.  

 

Meet the new members of the 2026 NEXTGen Musician Cohort:

I’m Alana Austin. I play the flute and have played since 8th grade. I go to Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts in the Bronx, and I look forward to improving my playing and leadership skills within Midori & Friends.  

 

Hello, my name is Sulamita Belyakov, I love to play the violin, I go to New Dorp High School, and I’m looking forward to challenging myself, developing important skills, and to learn from people who are creating an impact in the world.

 

Theo Bernstein is a junior at Hunter College High School, where he plays bass guitar in the jazz band and sings in the senior chorus. He also sings with the Central Synagogue Teen Choir, with which he has performed solos across notable NYC venues, such as Radio City Music Hall and Lincoln Center. He is super excited to learn from professional musicians and leaders about how he can advocate for music education and use his creativity to create change as part of the NextGEN program! 

 

My name is Ya’Hinous Bowman, I am a junior at Fordham High School for the Arts currently playing piano. At NEXTGen I am most looking forward to meeting and collaborating with other talented musicians who hope to use music to motivate change. 

 

My name is Benjamin Budiyanskiy, I play piano, I play a little guitar, and I like to compose music. I am from James Madison High School and I’m looking forward to strengthening my leadership skills, while making my musician skills better at the same time. I’m also looking to improve my composing skills. 

 

My name is Eileen Cedillo, and I am a senior at James Madison High School. I share my love for music through my voice, and as an aspiring vocalist, I’m greatly looking forward to improving my artistic skills and working with other musicians to bring awareness and change through music. 

 

My name is Matthan James, and I go to Eleanor Roosevelt High School. My primary instrument is drums, and I can’t wait to learn more about how to effectively work with others to make the best product possible! 

 

My name is Ismaeel Kassim and I play the Tenor Saxophone. I’m a senior at Bronx Prep High School. I’m looking forward to sharing artistic expression with people who can accentuate my creativity. 

 

My name is Santiago Maldonado. I play drums and guitar, and I go to Eleanor Roosevelt High School. What I’m most looking forward to about this program is getting to meet more people who are just as passionate about music as I am and being able to spread the power of music to other people as well. 

 

My name is Cristal, I attend Fordham High School for the Arts, and I play the guitar. In NEXTGen I am most looking forward to growing socially and forming new friendships as well as growing confidence in my playing abilities. 

 

My name is Jace Reyes and I’ve been playing guitar for a couple of years now. I am currently a junior at Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts. What I’m most excited about joining the NEXTGen program is the performance opportunities as well as meeting new people. By doing these things I can get out there and become steps closer to achieving my idea of success. 

 

I am a violinist and pianist from NYC and am super excited to work together with everyone at Midori & Friends. Music has always been a natural way for me to express myself and give to others. Currently, I attend the precollege at the Manhattan School of Music and am also studying fashion design. 

 

My name is Xantel Valdivia. Since the age of seven, singing has been my instrument of expression, and I look forward to how this program will help my voice and talents create lasting social impact(s). 

 

Congratulations to the 2026 Cohort! For more information about the NEXTGen Teen Musician program, click here.

To Support accessible music & advocacy training for NYC students, click here!