Maya Joshi, 16, Voice

Maya is a classical vocalist from Cresskill, New Jersey, who has been training at the Bergen Performing Arts Center since 2019 under instructors Amelia DeMayo, Liliana Sortirova, Guilia Mitzanova, and Glenn Gordon. She has attended summer programs at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute (2025) and Interlochen Arts Camp (2023, 2024). She performed as part of The Boston University Tanglewood Institute with Sir Bryn Terfel and has also performed at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), Maya has sung the national anthem for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and the NBA’s Washington Wizards and serves as Youth Cantor at St. John's Catholic Church in Hillsdale, New Jersey.

Maya has competed in vocal competitions across multiple categories including classical, art song, and musical theater. Her competition results include first-place finishes at the Prima Volta International Music Competition (2021, 2024, 2025 Summer Edition), the Bellagrande International Competition (2023 and 2020), the International Grande Music Competition (2021), and the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition in Musical Theater (2022). She was named a finalist in the 2025 Berlin Classical Music Competition and received the Accolade Award at the 2024 Schmidt Music Regional Competition. Maya has performed with the Bergen PAC Special Events Choir and The Broadway Youth Ensemble at events including the 2024 UNICEF Annual Gala and the 2021 Bergen Performing Arts Center Gala with Dionne Warwick.

Maya plays varsity soccer as a goalie and varsity basketball, earning Second Team All-League honors in soccer (2023, 2024) and Honorable Mention All-League in basketball (2025). She has served as a Student Council Class Representative from 2023 to 2025. Maya volunteers bi-monthly at retirement homes and senior centers in New York and New Jersey, where she performs vocally, and coaches youth and special needs athletes in basketball and soccer in Cresskill.