The Nancy Frampton Rising Artists Series - 2025 Season Ticket Package

Created in honor of the late Atlanta arts enthusiast Nancy Walker Frampton, The Nancy Frampton Rising Artists Series is a concert program highlighting the next generation of classical music stars. The series aims to bring exciting new talent to Atlanta audiences from a variety of performance genres. The 2025 season will feature three solo artists – Tenor Jose Simerilla Romero, Hornist Dilon Bryan, and Pianist Yang (Jack) Gao. Future seasons will include soloists, chamber groups and instrumental ensembles. All concerts take place at Morningside Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

The series' 2025 season includes the following concerts featuring the following performers:

• Tenor Jose Simerilla Romero - Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 7pm
• Hornist Dilon Bryan - Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 7pm
• Pianist Yang (Jack) Gao - Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 7pm

Below is additional information about each of these performers:

Jose Simerilla Romero, Tenor

Mr. Simerilla Romero is an Award Winner from the 41st International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, the Chicago International Music Competition, the Camerata Bardi International Vocal Competition, the Jensen Foundation International Vocal Competition, the Opera Foundation, Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions, the Manhattan international Music Competition, Kyrenia Opera Vocal Competition, Vienna International Music Competition, Berliner International Competition, the Vero Beach Opera “Rising Star’ International Competition, the Orpheus Vocal Competition, and the Tampa Bay Symphony Jack Heller Competition. Mr. Romero has participated in Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy, the IA Opera Young Artist Program, the Dutch National Opera Ballet Studio, and the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute. He holds degrees from both Valencia College (Orlando, Fl) and Stetson University (Deland, Fl).

Praised for his “ample voice of arresting quality” (Opera News) and “power, passion and lyrical finesse” (Opera Magazine), in his 2024/25 season, rising young Argentinian-Spanish-American tenor Jose Simerilla Romera returns to the role of Alfredo (La Traviata) with Theater Basel and Opera Western Reserve; as Pinkerton (Madam Butterfly) with Dorset Opera Festival; as Cavaradossi (Tosca) with Opera de Limoges and Opera de Vichy; as Ismael (Nabucco) with Deutsche Opera Berlin; and in staged performances of Verdi’s Requiem with Staatsoper Hannover. He joins acclaimed soprano Erica Nakamura in concert with Latvian National Opera.

Dilon Bryan, French Horn

Dilon Bryan is a British-born hornist from Birmingham, United Kingdom currently living in Atlanta, GA. He recently held the horn chair of Ensemble Flatirons, a chamber group comprised of University of Colorado Boulder's top-performing brass musicians. Dilon is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Colorado University (Boulder CO) studying under Colorado Symphony's principal horn, Michael Thornton and second horn, Carolyn Kunicki. He has appeared on stage with ensembles such as the Colorado Symphony, Augusta Symphony, Billings Symphony Orchestra & Chorale, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Festival, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Central City Opera, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, as well as guest principal horn with the Atlanta Symphony. Mr. Dilon received his M.M and B.M degrees in Performance from the University of Georgia and Columbus State University, respectively. Named the winner of the 2019 Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta Scholarship Competition, Dilon was given the opportunity to study at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. While in Salzburg, he had the privilege of performing in the beautiful Wiener Saal, as a result of also being named a First Prize winner in the Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition. Dilon's notable teachers have included Anna Dodd, Natalie Higgins, Catherine Kilroe-Smith, Jean Martin-Williams, Achim Reus, and Johannes Hinterholzer.

Dilon Bryan is an adjunct professor of French Horn both at the University of North Georgia and at the University of West Georgia.

Yang (Jack) Gao, Piano

Born in 2003, Yang (Jack) Gao began playing the piano at age four and studying composition at age nine. In 2016, he entered Middle School affiliated to the China Conservatory of Music to study piano with Tianhong Tan, and composition with Xin Xie. Additional studies have been with Huiqiao Bao, Xu Fei, and Elmar Gasanov. Currently he studies at Julliard with Jerome Lowenthal. Among his awards include at Juilliard: the Gina Bachauer Piano Competition and winner of the concerto competition. He was awarded second prize in the 9th Steinway National Competition and 83rd Steinway International Piano Competition. His recent performances include playing John Corigliano’s Piano Concerto with the Juilliard Orchestra conducted by Simone Young, and performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with En Shao and the Orchestra Academy of China Conservatory of Music.

Please note that we will be adhering to CDC recommendations regarding Covid-19 at all performances. Before attending each concert, visit to confirm the safety protocols that will be in place at the time of the event.

Host or Publisher The Nancy Frampton Rising Artists Series