Kush Abadey (New York, NY)

Drums

Kush has performed and recorded with many notables including Ravi Coltrane, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, JD Allen, David Weiss, Andrew White, Gilad Hekselman, Azar Lawrence, Terrance Blanchard, Frank Lacy, Jeremy Pelt, Tomasz Stanko, Barry Harris, Gary Thomas, Jared Gold, George Colligan, Dave Stryker, Josh Evans and David Gibson among others. At the early age of 16, he joined the ranks as the newest member of the Wallace Roney Quintet, and has traveled, performed and recorded with the band at various concerts, jazz festivals and club dates in many parts of the world. Kush featured on Roney’s latest CD’s, “Understanding” (2013), “Home” (2012) and on his first live CD with the quintet entitled “If Only for One Night.” Kush has performed primarily as a soloist for various community service projects taking the music to those who don’t necessarily have the opportunity to go to live concerts; as well as to audiences at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Kush was the youngest artist to date selected for the Strathmore Artist-in-Residence program for performance and composition. In 2008, he was invited to perform for “Jazz at the White House” hosted by Michelle Obama, and performed in an ensemble led by Paquito D’Rivera featuring Wynton Marsalis. He was invited back to the White House in 2010 to be featured in a Harpers Bazaar photo shoot with the First Lady Michelle Obama. In 2009, Kush was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston Massachusetts, where he attended for two years. While at Berklee, he collaborated and studied with Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson, and Darren Barrett. In 2012, Kush moved to NYC to pursue the jazz scene, and now performs, records, and tours internationally.

Kinseli Baricuatro (Los Angeles, CA)

Bass

Kinseli Baricuatro is a session musician and producer based in Los Angeles, California. Originally hailing from Texas, this predominantly focused bass player has played with artists of all genres with a focus in R&B/Neo-Soul and Indie pop. She has been featured in She Shreds Media with an article titled Back to Bassics: A Guide to the Low End, an editorial focused on guiding beginner bass players through their journey on their new instrument. She is a two time nominee for the Austin Music Awards, Best Bassist, and has played in festivals such as Treefort Fest, Mala Luna, and SXSW.

Dayna Bee (Nashville TN)

Violin

Dayna Bee is an artist, multi instrumentalist and string arranger based out of Nashville, TN, by way of the Sunshine State. Dayna has performed live and/or worked in the studio with artists such as Johnny Mathis, ELO, Trampled by Turtles, Joshua Hedley, The War & Treaty, Al Stewart, Alan Parsons, Dennis Deyoung (of Styx), Josh Groban, and Natalie Merchant. Dayna has performed on many stages, including: at the Grand Ole Opry, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and Bridgestone Arena and The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. She has been teaching violin for 10+ years and is certified in the Suzuki Method.

Abigail Bemak (Pittsburgh, PA)

Timpani/Percussion

Abby Bemak is a classical percussionist/timpanist. She specializes in mallet percussion. She is currently in the Major Ensembles program at Carnegie Mellon University, in a duo with flutist Elizabeth Hebing, and in the Carnegie Mellon Percussion Ensemble. Before that she was in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, the Cleveland Pops Youth Orchestra, the Lakeland Community College Civic Jazz Ensemble (on vibraphone), and the Lakeland Community College Civic Band. She currently holds a position at The Ellis School as a summer camp counselor. She is currently purshing a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Perucussion Performance with a minor in Music Education at Carnegie Mellon University. She holds an Associates of Arts in music from Lakeland Community College.

Joaquin Bonilla (New York, NY)

Flute

Joaquín Bonilla is an award-winning flutist whose performance work spans classical, jazz, Brazilian and contemporary styles. Known for his precise technique, stylistic versatility, and clear musical presence, he brings a strong combination of artistry and professionalism to both solo and ensemble settings.

A repeat recipient of awards from the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Scholarship Competition, Bonilla has also earned major performance distinctions across the U.S. He is the First Prize winner of the NYU Concerto Competition, a two-time Outstanding Soloist at the Notre Dame and Elmhurst University Jazz Festivals, and a recognized artist by the National Flute Association, receiving 1st Place in the Jazz Masterclass Competition and 2nd Place in the Jazz Artist Competition.

Bonilla completed his Master of Music in Flute Performance at New York University, where he performs regularly. Additionally, he served as Adjunct Faculty Professor at Vaughn College, where he taught jazz history and supported student development through coursework and mentorship.

As an educator, Bonilla focuses on building confident, adaptable musicians. His approach emphasizes technique rooted in healthy fundamentals, a strong understanding of theory and style, and the ability to move comfortably between classical and improvisatory traditions. He aims to cultivate independent artists who can think critically, listen deeply, and communicate clearly through their playing.

Bonilla is an Associate Member and Cultural Ambassador of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, supporting its educational and cultural initiatives.

Olivia Breidenthal (Los Angeles, CA)

Cat Cantrell (Los Angeles, CA)

Oboe, woodwinds

Oboist/English hornist Cat Cantrell is a nomadic musician based in Los Angeles. Prior to joining the Redlands Symphony and working in LA, she freelanced in New York City and was a member of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra for six seasons.

As a teaching artist, Cat has worked with students of all ages through programs with the Tucson Symphony, the Huntsville Symphony, and as part of the Terry Barber Trio. She has taught privately and coached youth orchestras in California, Arizona and New York. In 2018 she was the Double Reed teacher at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts in Long Island.

Enamored with the power of orchestral music, Cat performs with symphonies in all corners of the US – including recent engagements with both the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Sarasota Orchestra, Boise Philharmonic, and more. She has played with diverse ensembles including the American Ballet Theatre, Bare Opera, and her own Central Avenue Trio. She tours and records on all woodwinds with Terry Barber, internationally performing countertenor. Not confined to the concert hall, Cat has appeared on “America’s Got Talent”, in musical theater pits, and on movie and television soundtracks.

Danielle Carr (New York, NY)

Piano

Danielle Carr is a classically trained pianist and a freshman at Columbia University, where she continues to develop the musical foundation she began at the age of three. Growing up in a small beach town in Delaware, she spent years commuting several hours each week for lessons in Northern Virginia and New York. She entered her first competitions at age eight and has since earned top honors in national and international events, with invited performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Polish and Hungarian Embassies, the Manhattan School of Music, and Columbia University.

Alongside her performance career, Danielle is deeply committed to the community impact of music. In high school, she founded the Musical Outreach Club, organizing student musicians to perform in retirement homes and local centers, inspired by the cognitive, emotional, and healing benefits music can bring to older adults. She now serves as a founding mentor with Columbia’s chapter of MMC, providing one-on-one piano instruction to elementary school students and helping young musicians develop confidence, curiosity, and joy at the keyboard. As she begins her college years, Danielle hopes to continue growing as both an artist and educator.

Jocelyn Chen (New York, NY)

Violin

Jocelyn Chen is a violinist based in Manhattan, New York, and the current social chair of the MMC Columbia University Chapter. A student at Barnard College studying Neuroscience and Behavior, she is also involved in other music organizations such as Bacchanal. Previously, Jocelyn studied under Eriko Sato at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale, New York, where she also worked as a practice partner for younger violinists. As a Musical Mentor, she values patience, encouragement, and fostering a love of music in young musicians through personalized guidance.

Taylor Clay (Denver, CO)

Saxophone

Taylor Clay was born in Brooklyn, NY and began his music journey at the age of 13 under the guidance of his father and drummer, John Clay, and high-school band director. Taylor then went on to study at Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY. During this time he studied with Christopher Creviston, Eric Alexander, and Lenny Pickett. After completing his degree in music performance in 2012, Taylor then moved to Greeley, Colorado to attend the University of Northern Colorado as a graduate student and teaching assistant. Here, Taylor studied under the guidance of Andy Dahlke and Jim White. Taylor currently lives in Denver, Colorado and is a busy freelance musician, and is a prominent figure in the jazz community.

Sanika Daga (New York, NY)

Vocals

Sanika Daga is a singer-songwriter and music producer based in New York City, currently studying Recorded Music at New York University. She trained in Western vocal music for eight years and has performed in school ensembles as well as at numerous fundraising and community events, where music served as a way to bring people together.

Sanika enjoys writing and producing her own music, using songwriting as a tool for self-expression and storytelling. Growing up in a musical family, she was surrounded by music from a young age and often taught her younger cousins at home, helping them explore singing and basic musicianship. Seeing the joy and confidence music brought to them sparked her interest in working with young people through music.

Through mentorship, Sanika hopes to make music feel accessible, encouraging, and personal. She values creativity, patience, and collaboration, and is passionate about helping young musicians discover their voice, build confidence, and experience music as a source of joy and connection.

Gabrielle De Jesus (Brooklyn, NY)

Guitar

Gabrielle De Jesus is a Filipino-American classical guitarist and teacher from Brooklyn, New York. She started taking classical guitar lessons at the age of ten with Yenne Lee. She earned her B.Mus in music performance from CUNY Hunter College in 2023, and her M.A. in music from the same institution in 2025. During both degrees, she studied under the tutelage of Prof. João Luiz (Brasil Guitar Duo).

As a performer, Gabrielle has played in masterclasses led by renowned artists such as Benjamin Verdery, Laura Snowden, Aaron Larget-Caplan, and Marcelo Kayath. She has participated in festivals such as the New York Guitar Seminar and the URI Guitar and Mandolin Festival. She also has experience performing in a variety of chamber music groups.

As someone who grew up in a low-income family and was fortunate to receive formal musical training, Gabrielle hopes that her playing and teaching will encourage other low-income students to explore the vast world of classical music and the guitar.

Taylor Dupuis (Nashville, TN)

Voice

Taylor Dupuis is a singer, songwriter, and performer based in Nashville, TN. She began singing at the age of eight. Over the years she has been in and out of voice lessons and studied vocal performance at Columbia College Chicago.

Taylor has been active in the music industry for 10 years, writing songs, recording, and going on tour across the U.S. as the front woman for the rock band Roanoke. Her music has been featured in publications such as American Songwriter, No Depression, The Huffington Post, The Tennessean, and PopMatters.

Taylor is passionate about all things music, and is dedicated to bringing her expertise, enthusiasm, and passion to each lesson.

Joseph Engel (Denver, CO)

Cello

Joe Engel is a Denver based performer and educator with more than 20 years of experience with the cello. He is a member of the Fort Collins Symphony and Alternate Assistant Principal for the Billings Symphony in Montana. As a member of the rock band “Milquetoast & Co.”, and the Balinese performing arts group “Gamelan Tunas Mekar”, Joe draws on both classical, contemporary, and non-western music for inspiration. Joe has taught extensively throughout the Front Range as a private and group instructor.

Luke Enyeart (Minneapolis, MN)

Guitar

Luke is a guitarist/singer-songwriter and composer based in Minneapolis, MN. He primarily performs as a lead guitarist/session musician for artists like Ryan Bingham, Chastity Brown, Ani DiFranco, Yola, Katie Pruitt, and several others. He has played at historic venues such as Red Rocks, The Ryman, and many others. He is a multi-disciplinary musician who feels comfortable in most genres and shines in any “Groove Based” style.  He has been performing and touring professionally for almost 10 years and discovered the joy of teaching at the beginning of the pandemic.

Joe Etzine (Philadelphia, PA)

Guitar

Joe Etzine is a guitarist, producer, composer, and bandleader who has been performing and teaching in the New York tri state area for over a decade. Studying classical composition at Carnegie Mellon and Jazz at William Paterson, he draws from a wide range of musical experiences and influences. He has studied with older masters such as Mulgrew Miller, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Gene Bertoncini to new masters like Wayne Krantz and Charlie Hunter. As a teacher, he has worked with all ages of students both privately and in classrooms with an emphasis on play, improvisation, and self-expression. Most recently you will find him performing and producing video game music with artists like Patrick Bartley, Adam Neely and his friends in the NYC VGM scene.

Chris Ferrari (New York, NY)

Clarinet, Saxophone, Flute

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Chris Ferrari is a New York City-based saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, improviser, composer, and educator. Chris received his BM in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2023 (Academic Honors, Phi Kappa Lambda Nominee, George Whitefield Chadwick Medal recipient), and his MM in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music in 2025.

Chris has performed alongside many notable musicians, including Jason Moran, Miguel Zenón, Dave Holland, Sean Jones, Ethan Iverson, Luisito Quintero, and John Benitez. In just the past four years, Chris has been a featured performer on over 12 recorded albums, spanning musical styles that range from modern jazz to psychedelia, Latin-jazz, third stream, chamber music, post-rock, improvised music, and musical theatre.
Chris is passionate about composing original music and exploring creative approaches to improvisation, which is reflected in his bold musical style, heavily influenced by Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, and John Coltrane. Chris also strives to encapsulate the soulful and folklike spirit of the “Denver Jazz Sound” into his music, an aesthetic established by Denver’s own Ron Miles, Bill Frisell, Rudy Royston, and Convergence, among others.

Additionally, Chris is a dedicated educator, having taught privately and within schools since he was 16. He feels strongly that educating the next generation and empowering them through arts and culture is key to creating a more interconnected and harmonious society. When he is not busy with his musical career, Chris loves to spend time outside hiking, running, and skiing, and frequently participates in Buddhist activities in his community.

Sarah Fleiss (Philadelphia, PA)

Voice

Described as “bright” and “stylish” by Opera News, American soprano Sarah Fleiss recently received her Master’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. This past season, she sang Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at Curtis, brought recitals across North America, and attended the Aspen Music Festival as a Renée Fleming fellow. Past roles include Pamina (The Magic Flute), Ginevra (Ariodante), and the Vixen (The Cunning Little Vixen). Concert highlights include the Fauré Requiem with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Poulenc’s Gloria and Dvořák’s Te Deum with the Wichita Symphony and The Brahms Requiem with the Dalton Chorale. This year, she tours South America with Curtis and joins the 12th edition of Le Jardin des Voix with Les Arts Florissants under William Christie and Paul Agnew, touring Europe and North America. Before Curtis, Sarah attended the Columbia/Juilliard-Exchange where she first taught lessons with MMC and has trained at The Verbier Festival, the Georg Solti Accademia and the Music Academy of the West. Sarah’s performance experience has led her to be passionate about teaching voice and allowing her students to sing as freely and healthily as possible!

Yunpeng (Christina) Gao (New York, NY)

Piano

Christina Gao is a dedicated pianist and educator committed to helping young musicians build strong musical foundations with confidence and joy. Trained in classical piano from childhood, she has developed a deep appreciation for both technical precision and creative expression. Christina has experience teaching students across ages in private-lesson and community settings, where she focuses on musical curiosity. Beyond teaching, Christina is actively engaged in arts education and mentorship work. She values creating a supportive, patient learning environment where students feel encouraged and motivated to grow at their own pace. Christina believes that music education should be accessible, empowering, and centered on each student’s individual strengths, which is an approach that guides every lesson she teaches.

Daryl Gott (Aurora, CO)

Saxophone

Daryl Gott began playing the saxophone in fifth grade and developed quickly. Gott studied at the City College of New York (earning a degree in jazz performance) and later earned a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. A fixture on the Denver music scene during the past decade, Gott teaches at the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts and has worked with Eric Gunnison, Danny Gottlieb, Ethan Iverson, Jon Gordon, Dick Oatts, Greg Gisbert and Sean Jones plus the top local musicians.

Katherine Gordon (New York, NY)

Katherine Gordon is a dedicated teaching artist, board director, and curriculum writer for the Musical Mentors Collaborative (MMC), where she has been a passionate advocate for equitable music education since 2016. Katherine began her journey with MMC as a volunteer instructor while a freshman at NYU, providing one-on-one piano lessons to students in underserved communities.

By her senior year, Katherine had risen to lead the NYU chapter as its president, playing a key role in formalizing the group as an official NYU club and expanding its impact on campus and beyond. In 2020, she joined MMC’s Board of Directors, helping shape the organization’s strategic direction while continuing her hands-on work in music education.

Katherine now serves as both a teaching artist and curriculum writer for Musical Mentors Exploration, a program that introduces students to a broad and inclusive range of musical concepts and experiences. Her work reflects a deep commitment to accessibility, creativity, and empowering the next generation of young musicians.

Jordan Grantonic (Boulder, CO)

Violin

An avid chamber musician, teacher, and advocate for diverse representation in the arts, Colorado violinist Jordan Grantonic merges these passions together through curated performances and her work as a Teaching Artist with El Sistema Colorado in Denver. Drawn to contemporary music especially, Jordan has performed in dozens of world premieres by composers such as Leilehua Lanzilotti, Curtis Stewart, and Yvette Young. Jordan is also the violinist of the Boulder Altitude Directive, a new music ensemble in Boulder, Colorado.

Jordan received her bachelor’s degree in violin performance and minor in English studies from Youngstown State University in 2019 where she studied with Dr. Joseph Kromholz, and her master’s degree from the University of Colorado under the guidance of Karòly Schranz formerly of the Takács Quartet. She is currently working towards an Artist Diploma at the University of Colorado with Prof. Alex Gonzalez. Outside of music, Jordan enjoys running up mountains, painting, baking bread, and bothering her two cats.

Kasey Hernandez-Sexton (New York, NY)

Piano, guitar, bass, ukulele

Kasey (she/they) is a senior at Barnard College majoring in medical anthropology and studying piano with Columbia University’s Music Performance Program. Kasey currently serves as the president of the Columbia University chapter of MMC and is in her fourth year as a volunteer music instructor. Passionate about expanding access to quality music education, she has found her volunteer work with MMC deeply meaningful and rewarding, especially in witnessing her various students’ growth! Beyond her work with MMC, Kasey is also the president of her a cappella group, the Columbia Metrotones; a lead Student Admissions Representative at Barnard; an EMT with Columbia’s volunteer ambulance service; and a Research Assistant at the Mount Sinai Louis Armstrong Department for Music Therapy. She plans to pursue a career in medicine as a physician after graduation.

Erin Higgins (Pittsburgh, PA)

Viola, Ukulele, Guitar

Erin Higgins is in her element when she’s making music with and for others. Currently based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Erin has been sharing her music with audiences for over 16 years. Specializing in classical viola performance, Erin is an experienced orchestral and chamber musician. Outside of the classical music realm, Erin has received training in jazz, Celtic music, and old-time fiddling. In addition to viola, she spent many years studying guitar and piano.

Erin earned her Master’s degree in Viola Performance at Carnegie Mellon University as the graduate assistant of David Harding. Previously, she received her bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro under the tutelage of Scott Rawls. She has participated in renowned music festivals including Brevard Music Center, Eastern Music Festival, and Festival del Lago. An avid chamber musician, Erin performs as a core member of the Pittsburgh-based string collective Radiant Strings. She also plays as an orchestral musician in various ensembles throughout the western Pennsylvania region.

Erin is passionate about sharing the knowledge she has gained from her mentors with the next generation of artists. She began teaching with MMC in 2025, offering ukulele lessons in the Summer Sounds program. She has experience teaching in both private lessons and classroom settings, and she is currently working towards her K-12 Music Education Certificate. Erin has also presented educational programs to all ages both in her 2023 residency with the Greensboro organization Music for a Great Space and in the annual Carnegie Day with Pittsburgh Public Schools. Erin’s teaching philosophy is that learning music brings us deeper connection with ourselves and others. She strives to provide her students with the tools to understand, appreciate, and create music throughout their entire lives.

Bernard Holcomb

Voice

Tenor Bernard Holcomb has “already made a name for himself in the world of opera” with his “delicate and flexible” voice (Opera Wire) and the “appealing sweetness and clarity [of] his tone” (New York Times). Katy Walsh of Chicago Theater Beat said it best: “Although everyone [at Lyric Opera of Chicago] can sing, Holcomb reminds us why we come to the Lyric.” In recent seasons, Mr. Holcomb returned to Long Beach Opera in the world premier of The Central Park Five, performed in Porgy and Bess in Italy with New York Harlem Productions, returned to Seattle Opera for Rigoletto, debuted with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as a soloist in Dancing in the Street: The Music of Midtown and More and performed the role of Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess with Harrisburg Symphony. Recent debuts include his Alaskan debut as Captain Leadbetter in the world premier of Emerson Eads ’Princess Sophia with Project Orpheus, his Carnegie Hall debut, his title role debut in Rossini’s Otello in NYC, and his debut at the Dresden Semperoper in Porgy and Bess. Other recent engagements include the role of Lechmere in Owen Wingrave with Little Opera Theater of NY, and his performance as a soloist in Gershwin’s Blue Monday with On Site Opera. Additionally, Mr. Holcomb performed with Sphinx Connect, as a soloist in Christian De Grè’s Twisted Operettas at Joe’s Pub, Poul Ruders’ The Thirteenth Child with Santa Fe Opera at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and BMP: Next Generation with Beth Morrison Projects. Additionally, Bernard made his return to Chicago Opera Theater as Tristan in Frank Martin’sLe Vin Herbé and was featured as a soloist with Renée Fleming and Sir Patrick Stewart in Second City’s Guideto the Opera.An alumnus of the Lyric Opera’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Bernard performed such roles as Ernesto in Don Pasquale and Rodolfo in La bohéme. During his Lyric tenure, Mr. Holcomb appeared in the main stage performances of Strauss’ Elektra, Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Offenbach’s Les Contesd’Hoffmann and covered major roles in Massenet’s Werther, Wagner’s DieMeistersinger von Nürnberg, and Verdi’s Rigoletto. Other notable engagements include Paolino in Cimarosa’s Ilmatrimonio segreto and Alfredo in Verdi’s La traviata with Pine Mountain Music Festival; The Crabman in Porgy and Bess, which led to an international tour of Porgy and Bess through Russia, Poland, Greece,Latvia, Estonia and Germany, and Gastone in La traviata with Michigan Opera Theatre. Bernard also appeared on several themed song recitals as part of a collaboration between Lyric Opera of Chicago and Chicago’s WFMT 98.7 which aired throughout the summer of 2013. As part of the Young Artist program at Sarasota Opera, Bernard appeared in main stage performances of Pagliacci, The Crucible, L’amico Fritz, and I Lombardi. At the end of the program, he was awarded with the Anne O’Donnell Award, given to an outstanding apprentice. Bernard has displayed a tremendous amount of musicianship and poise on concert and recital stages. These credits include a concert performance of La bohéme with Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Holiday Pops Concerts with the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra, a concert performance of Die Zauberflöte with The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Augustus Hill’s Exegesis with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Macon Symphony Orchestra and the Illinois Philharmonic, and Mozart’s Requiem with the DeKalb Festival Chorus. A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Michigan District), this Detroit native currently residing in New York City, has earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music. Collegiate operatic credits include Lensky in Eugene Onegin, lyric tenor in A Postcard from Morocco, Ruggero in La rondine , Rodolfo in La bohéme, and Jenik in The Bartered Bride.

Alex Heffron (Brooklyn, NY)

Guitar, Piano, Bass

Alex Heffron is an accomplished guitarist based in Brooklyn, NY. His impressive resume includes performances with acclaimed artists Big Gigantic, Veronica Swift, Mark Whitfield, Ernie Watts, The Colorado Symphony, Adam Deitch, Remy Le Boeuf, Kenwood Dennard, John Reilly, Matt Wilson, and many others. He has performed as a part of NPRs Tiny Desk, and has been featured at many acclaimed venues such as the Kennedy Center.
As an active composer, Alex leads his own band that seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary jazz styles, with his music featured on stages nationwide and at prominent festivals. Alex was also selected as one of 89.3 KUVO’s 30 musicians under 30 initiative and was KUVO’s artist of the month in December 2019. With over a decade of experience, Alex remains dedicated to refining his unique voice in jazz guitar while drawing inspiration from the rich tradition of jazz and other musical genres.
Alex holds a BM from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Tania Haralampieva (Norwood, MA)

Tania is a Bulgarian pianist and educator who has over 30 years of  teaching experience in Europe and the United States.

Tania received her Master’s Degree in Piano Education in 1988 from The  Academy of Music, Dance, and Fine Arts in her hometown of Plovdiv,  Bulgaria. She moved with her husband, Kosta to the Czech Republic in  1990 where they worked at the Silesian Opera Theater. Later, Tania started  working as a full-time piano teacher at the School of the Arts in the town  of Odry. At the School of the Arts, Tania and Kosta founded a touring  children’s choir that recorded CD albums and frequently collaborated with  the school’s dance troop and visual art department on special projects  such as the musical The Magic Song.

Тania and Kosta moved to Norwood in 2005 with their two daughters and  founded the TK Music Lessons Studio. Since then, Tania’s students have  won and received prizes at various competitions such as the Foxboro  Music Association Competition, Massachusetts Music Teacher  Association, and Keys! Piano Challenge. Her students also regularly  receive high scores on the annual Royal Conservatory of Music  examinations.

In her teaching, Tania combines her piano lessons with basic music theory  training and uses the “Fixed Do” system. She introduces a student to  various musical styles by including classical music, jazz, and world music  in her lessons according to the student’s interest and preferences. Tania  believes that music has an important impact on a person’s emotional growth and strives to help her students cultivate a positive emotional  attitude towards the piano.

Gergana Haralampieva (New York, NY)

Violin

Gergana is a Bulgarian-American violinist who is a passionate chamber musician and educator. Born into a family of music teachers, Gergana began singing in her father’s children’s choir at the age of three and playing the violin at the age of six. Although she was born in Bulgaria, she spent her whole childhood living in the Czech Republic where her parents worked and in 2005 moved to Massachusetts after her dad won the Diversity Immigrant Visa lottery. After moving to Massachusetts, Gergana continued her violin studies at the New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School and later attended the Walnut Hill School for the Arts. Upon her graduation from the Walnut Hill School, she moved to Philadelphia to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree at the Curtis Institute of Music where she studied with Ida Kavafian and Pamela Frank. In 2016, she moved back to the Boston area to complete a Masters Degree from the New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Paul Biss and Miriam Fried.

Gergana is currently a member of Ensemble Connect at Carnegie Hall which is a two year fellowship for young professionals who want to expand their experience in teaching, community engagement, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership. She is also the co-founder and co-director of Long Island Chamber Music (LICM). LICM presents engaging chamber music performances and community engagement events of the highest caliber that are specifically tailored to celebrating the history and culture of Long Island.

Timothy Horton (Denver, CO)

Timothy Horton is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, he’s based out of Denver. As a performing artist, he shows humility, compassion, and a strong urge to learn more not only through music, but life.

Arsal Ijaz (Long Island, NY)

Piano, Drums, Guitar, Violin, Bass

Arsal Ijaz is a multi-instrumentalist and educator based in New York City, where he blends jazz piano training with guitar, drums, and modern production to create narrative-driven musical experiences. His artistic focus centers on reimagining familiar works through layered arrangements, including his widely viewed Interstellar performance that reached over 1.7 million listeners. Arsal has performed in orchestras, jazz ensembles, and solo showcases, and continues to deepen his craft through interdisciplinary study at NYU. As a teacher, he is committed to building confidence and curiosity in young musicians, emphasizing patience, supportive mentorship, and the belief that students learn best when they feel both encouraged and creatively free. Alongside private teaching, Arsal also creates educational content for TikTok and Instagram, where he explains musical concepts in approachable, intuitive ways. He aims to make music feel welcoming, expressive, and exciting for students of all backgrounds.

Jeremy Jordan (East Stroudsburg, PA)

Piano

Critically acclaimed, “a clear technical virtuoso”, “a rare talent”, and “a true Wunderkind,” Chicago native Jeremy Ajani Jordan burst onto the music scene at age 9 playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in a live televised performance. Jordan was born into a musical family where his mother and father were his first instructors. They ensured that his burgeoning talent was nurtured by providing a strong foundation in classical training and also encouraged his study of improvised music and composition. Jordan went on to appear on the acclaimed radio program From The Top and From The Top: Live from Carnegie Hall performing Liszt. Since then Jordan has made his solo Carnegie Hall debut performing Chopin, Liszt, Schubert, and Wagner.

After winning the 2006 Steinway Concerto Competition playing the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1, Jordan delivered acclaimed performances with the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra and concerto performances and recordings with the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Following studies at The Juilliard School, Jordan received undergraduate and graduate degrees on the Van Cliburn and Irene Diamond scholarships. Acclaimed for his virtuosic deliveries of his Liszt/Horowitz, Wagner, and Saint-Saens transcriptions, Jordan has also performed to thunderous applause in appearances at the United Nations Arts Council, the American Liszt Society, Concertgebouw, Tokyo Opera City, Prague’s Rudolfinum, and Chicago’s Ravinia Festival. He has appeared as a chamber musician in tours throughout North America, Europe, and Japan.

Jordan continues to compose solo piano music, chamber music, orchestral music, and electronic music. His compositions have debuted on National Public Radio and have received world premieres at Seattle’s Emerald City Music Festival, New York’s National Sawdust, and Ireland’s Sounds From a Safe Harbour. His most recent album ‘For Flint’ featured several original jazz compositions and raised money to purchase clean water for families affected by the Flint Water Crisis.

Jillian Johnson (New York, NY)

Violin

Jillian Johnson is a violinist whose journey has taken her around the United States, from the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas to Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Career highlights include performing with the Grammy Award-winning sextet Eighth Blackbird and the American Pops Orchestra, as well as at the New York Philharmonic Biennial.

A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, Jillian received a full scholarship to complete her B.M. in Violin Performance from the University of Texas at Austin with Brian Lewis and the Miró Quartet. After earning her Masters in Music, she is now pursuing her A.D. at New York University where she studies with Giora Schmidt, and teaches as a graduate Adjunct Faculty member for Non-Major violin students.

When she’s not performing or teaching, Jillian enjoys playing video games and spending time with her friends and family.

Melina Jaharis

Voice

Heralded by the Chicago Tribune for their “rich” operatic voice, Melina Jaharis is a Greek-American trans voice teacher and mezzo soprano. They have been teaching transgender voice affirming therapy for more than 2 years now. They graduated in 2020 with a post-graduate Professional Studies Diploma from Mannes in Operatic performance, in 2018 with a Master of a Music from Northwestern University under the tutelage of W. Stephen Smith and in 2015 with a Bachelor of Music from Lawrence University. Equally comfortable speaking German and English, they studied in Vienna, Austria at the Konservatorium Prayner in the year before their graduate studies.

In their operatic career, they are thrilled to perform as Charley – a 19th century transgender man – in Good Country with LOLA Austin this fall 2021. In 2020 they performed Hannah after (As One) with the Carolina Performing Arts in Chapel Hill, NC. Soon after they would have covered Leonore (Fidelio) with the Oxford Philharmonic [covid cancellation] and they would have made their European debut performing As One in Lisbon, Portugal [covid]. Recent role studies and performances include Gertrude, Donna Anna with MIOpera, Mimì and Contessa Almaviva with ISOFOM, Anna Maurrant (Street Scene) with Mannes Opera and Fiordiligi (Così Fan Tutte) with the Martina Arroyo Role Prep Class. In 2018, they were a Studio Artist at the Wolf Trap Opera Company where they performed the role of the Contessa di Ceprano (Rigoletto) and covered Maddalena. They have recently been seen as or prepared the following roles: Alcina, Vitellia (La Clemenza di Tito), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Maurya (Riders to the Sea) and Ma Moss (The Tender Land). Melina is also known for their “dark, resonant” voice. They are thrilled to join the faculty and continue what they love.

Sarah Jylkka (Denver, CO)

Violin/Viola

Sarah Jylkka is a Detroit native living in Denver, Colorado. Sarah earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from DePauw University in Indiana and holds a professional teacher’s license in the state of Colorado. She plays both violin and viola professionally in classical settings and electric violin in the Viking rock band, Nordic Daughter. Sarah Jylkka is the founder and director of a community music project called Intramural Musicians.

Sarah enjoys playing in music jams, performing with her fellow string musicians, hiking, biking, cooking, and going to comedy shows.

Atushi Kumagi (Freeport, NY)

Voice, Piano

Atsushi (Sum) Kumagai is originally a jazz musician, primarily a vocalist, and a phonation researcher who is a multi-certified and one of the phonation committee members, based in New York City. While attending college, he has had performance experiences, including Carnegie Hall, Central Synagogue, the San Diego Music Festival, and the OC Japan Fair, both as his own jazz band and as the head of a gospel choir.
He was also awarded in the jazz composition division by Global Music Awards 2021, and showed multi-talented skills, not only singing performance. He currently teaches voice and piano at some private music schools, including music theory, composition, and arrangement.

Eva Kates (New York, NY)

Cello

Eva Kates is a New York based performer and educator with 15 years of experience studying the cello. She is passionate about sharing music with others, especially young children, and has been teaching both privately and in group settings for the past three years. Drawing on her classical training and a deep love of collaborative music-making, Eva brings warmth, creativity, and curiosity to every musical environment she enters. When she’s not teaching or practicing, she enjoys spending time with friends and exploring the city.

Eliot Krimsky (Brooklyn, NY)

Piano

Eliot Krimsky is a composer, pianist, and educator originally from Cambridge, MA. He studied jazz piano and composition at the New England Conservatory of Music.

His work explores time and memory through intimate piano textures, distant sonic techniques, and his distinctive falsetto. His latest album, I Made My House (Moon Glyph, 2025), evokes a liminal space of loss where dreams, memories, and the afterlife drift in and out of focus. The record has been described by Jonathan Herwig of WFMU as “a beautiful mix of outsider folk, atmospheric electronics, and ethereal multi-layered jazz.”

As a film composer, Krimsky has scored numerous award-winning works, including Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Netflix), This One’s For the Ladies (HBO Max), and Supergirl (PBS Independent Lens). He has performed worldwide, been an artist-in-residence at Performance Space New York, BAM, and the American Dance Institute, and collaborated with artists such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Robert Stillman, Domino Kirke, and Here We Go Magic

As an educator, Krimsky has taught piano and composition for over 20 years, working with students of all ages and backgrounds. He has taught at institutions and organizations including the Edward R. Murrow Highschool Music Institute, Pioneer Works, Music Mentor Collaborative and Brooklyn Conservatory.

Jocelyn Lai (Vancouver, Canada)

Piano

Passionate about performing and teaching, Jocelyn Lai is an experienced and versatile classical pianist and educator. As a concert artist, she has performed at festivals across Canada, the United States, and Spain, in prestigious venues such as the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie, Chan Center for the Performing Arts in Vancouver, and Paul Hall at the Juilliard School. Recent performance highlights include a solo concert in the Montreal Chamber Music Festival at the Salle Bourgie, a featured faculty recital at Hunter College, and performances at the 2019 Hilton Head and West Virginia University International Competitions.

With many years of competition experience, she has garnered distinctions on national and international stages, most recently winning the 2016 CIM Concerto and the 2014 American Protégé International Competitions, and capturing second prize in the 2016 Shean National and 2012 Knigge National Competitions. Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, she was a laureate at the Canadian Music Competition, and BC Provincial National Class.

During summer months, Jocelyn has worked with distinguished pedagogues including Anton Kuerti, Robert McDonald, Robert Levin, Yoheved Kaplinsky, and Claudio Martinez-Mehner as a participant in festivals and academies such as Banff, Aspen, Orford, and Gijon.

As an educator, Jocelyn taught classes in music theory while on the faculty of Hunter College (New York), guided children through private piano instruction at the Nord Anglia International School, and has years of experience teaching secondary piano in the college division at the Juilliard School. Furthermore, she has given presentations through education outreach programs in Vancouver, New York, Cleveland, and Hilton Head. Moving home from New York since the pandemic, she currently serves on the piano faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

 Jocelyn is a grateful recipient of many prestigious Canadian grants from the BC Arts Council, Koerner Foundation, and Hnatyshyn Foundation, enabling her to pursue advanced music degrees. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the UBC School of Music, Master of Music from the Juilliard School, and an Artist Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Currently, she is a doctoral candidate at the City University of New York Graduate Center. Her musical inspiration and guidance come from her teachers: Jane Coop, HaeSun Paik, and Julian Martin.

Cristal Li (New York, NY)

Piano, Ukulele, Guitar

I started learning piano at first and later expanded my musical world by learning guitar and ukulele in high school. Learning guitar actually deepened my understanding of the ukulele. This connection eventually led me to begin teaching private lessons, where I enjoy helping students explore both instruments.

My teaching style is encouraging and student-centered. I adapt my approach to each student’s personality and pace, aiming to help them experience music as something enjoyable and expressive rather than as a set of techniques to master.

Samantha Lu (Ashburn, VA)

Violin

Samantha (Sammy) is a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University and currently studies with Christopher Wu, who recently retired from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra after being a part of the 1st Violin Section for 36 years.

Sammy started both violin and piano lessons at age 5. At age 10, she was featured at the “Meet the Artist” series at the Reston CenterStage with a solo debut of the Mendelssohn Concerto in E minor. By age 11, she shifted her musical focus to violin and became a student of Mrs. Holly Hamilton, who has been with the National Symphony Orchestra since 1978. She has been named Co-Concermaster, Assistant Concertmaster, and Principal 2nd with various youth orchestras in Maryland and Virginia since 2019. She has also played with the Virginia All-State orchestra throughout her entire highschool career. Sammy has performed in various masterclasses for accomplished violinists including David Chan, Violaine Melancon, Janet Sung, Gerardo Ribeiro, and others.

In addition to her love for violin, Sammy is a nationally rated epee fencer. She has competed in the Junior Olympic Championship as well the Summer Nationals every season since 2019.

Kuan Cheng Lu (New York, NY)

Violin

Violinist Kuan Cheng Lu joined the New York Philharmonic at the start of the 2004–05 season — the first Taiwanese classical musician to earn a seat in the Philharmonic in its 170-year history. Mr. Lu has received numerous awards and scholarships that include the top prize in the Taiwan National Violin Competition, first prize in the ASTA string competition, the Raphael Bronstein Award, and the Taiwan Chi-Mei Corporation’s Outstanding Young Artist award. He received his bachelor’s in music degree from Oberlin College, his master’s in music from the Manhattan School of Music, and his doctor of musical arts from the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY). He is an alumnus of the Music Academy of the West, now a partner in the New York Philharmonic Global Academy, and has studied with former New York Philharmonic Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow, Lisa Kim, Associate Principal, Second Violin Group, and Yoko Takebe. Other teachers have included Roland and Almita Vamos, Daniel Phillips, Julia Bushkova, as well as his father, Chung Chih Lu. Mr. Lu has served as concertmaster of the Verbier Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Oberlin Orchestra, Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble, Manhattan Chamber Sinfonia, Manhattan Symphony, and Manhattan Philharmonia. As a member of the New York Philharmonic Ensembles, he makes regular appearances at Merkin Hall. Mr. Lu teaches at the Manhattan School of Music in the graduate program for orchestra performance.

Jane Lee (New York, NY)

Jane is a passionate violinist and music educator currently based in New York City. She is a graduate from the University of Michigan where she earned her Master of Music degree in Violin Performance and studied with Professor David Halen, a concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she studied with Dr. Hong Zhu, a violinist of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

​Jane currently teaches at multiple schools in NYC, including the Rosalyn Yalow Charter School in the Bronx, P.S. 66 – The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Elementary School in Queens, and P.S. 11 – The Purvis J. Behan Elementary School in Brooklyn. In addition to her work during the school year, she serves as a music teacher and counselor at The Sands Day Camp during the summer in Long Beach, NY. Jane also completed Suzuki teacher-training in unit 1-3 with Mark Mutter and registered as a certified Suzuki violin teacher, and she previously maintained a private studio of 35–40 students in southeast Michigan.

​As a professional violinist, Jane is an active violinist with the Elegant Music Group and SPN Events, performing in small ensembles for weddings, concerts, and private events across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. She also holds an orchestral position with the Holland Symphony Orchestra (MI) since 2024 and frequently performs with the Cape Symphony (MA), the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (MA), the Peoria Symphony Orchestra (IL), Traverse City Philharmonic (MI), and Windsor Symphony Orchestra (Canada). She has appeared in performances with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra (IL), the Rochester Symphony Orchestra (MI), and the Akron Symphony Orchestra (OH).

Additionally, Jane has extensive experience as a pit violinist. She played with the Painted Sky Opera, Oklahoma City’s professional opera company, while residing in metro OKC area and is appeared in numerous PSO’s opera productions. Her opera performances include: Werther (2023), Carmen (2022), L’Orfeo (2022), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2022), Das Rheingold (2022), Magic Flute (2022), Pagliacci (2022), The Consul (2022), A Painted Sky Holiday Show (2021), and Cosi Fan Tutte (2019).

During her time in Oklahoma, Jane served principle second violin in the University of Central Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra and associate concertmaster in the University of Central Oklahoma String Chamber Orchestra. Outside of college, she played for An Evening with Michael Bublé 2021 concert at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, where has about 18,200 seats. Jane also won a 1st Alternate Prize and $500 Cash Award in string section from the Oklahoma City Ladies Music Club Competition in 2019. Jane received Viola Bowman String Scholarship, University of Central Oklahoma Foundation Scholarship, and Dr. John Clinton Orchestra Endowed Scholarship, which were awarded by committee nomination, and Symphony Scholarship, Non-Resident Fee Waiver; Music, College of Fine Arts and Designs Scholarship, and more from the University of Central Oklahoma. Outside of music school, Jane served as a Global Leadership Ambassador and received Global Education Award Scholarship and Global Scholarship while fulfilling her role. She also was awarded for Outstanding Senior in 2021 and President’s and Dean’s Honor Roll in 2020.

Jane is also a dedicated collaborative piano accompanist and piano instructor. Jane started playing piano when she was 5 and won the 2nd prize in piano section from the 21st Kyung-Hyang Music Nationwide Competition (South Korea) in 2007 at the age of 7. She studied collaborative piano at the University of Central Oklahoma under the instruction of Dr. Sallie Pollack. After she graduated from the college, she was referred to a full-time job by her collaborative piano professor, Dr. Pollack, and has served as a Choir Assistant Director and Choir Piano Accompanist at the Mustang Public Schools; Mustang North Middle School for the 2021-2022 school year in Mustang, Oklahoma.

​​Jane was born in South Korea and raised in Chicago. She later returned to South Korea to attend a prestigious arts high school. During her high school years, she served as concertmaster of several youth symphony orchestras. She earned multiple awards in national and international music competitions such as Sang Myung Nationwide Competition, Se-Jong Arts Cultural Foundation International Music Competition, and 32nd Han-Eum Music Competition. Jane soloed Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 on numerous concerts and recitals in South Korea as a high school student.

Ronald Long

Violin

American violinist Ronald Long spends most of the year performing with major UK ensembles including the Aurora Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Chineke! Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia to name a few. When he’s not performing on the stage, he has a love for working with Hollywood actors on how to play the violin, conduct and write music on the screen. Ronald has been heard in festivals throughout the world from the Ghent Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Cambridge Music Festival, Wimbledon Music Festival, and London’s BBC Proms. 

Ronald graduated from the Manhattan School of Music studying with Pinchas Zukerman’s assistant Patinka Kopec and spent a year of Masters at the Paris Conservatoire studying with Boris and Daniel Garlitsky.

Ronald hopes to continue his career in chamber music, teaching and inspiring other young musicians. 

Qin Li (Jersey City, NJ)

Voice, musicianship

Qin Li is a soprano and dedicated music educator with more than nine years of classical vocal and opera training. She began studying dance at age three, vocal music at age seven, and later developed a deep passion for opera, performing roles such as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), and Bastienne (Bastienne und Bastienne). She has also appeared in La Traviata and L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, and participated in international programs including performances in Zürich and Vitznau.

Currently pursuing her DMA at Stony Brook University, Qin also serves as a teaching assistant working with undergraduate voice students. Her teaching experience spans private lessons, opera scene coaching, and community music programs. She is particularly skilled at helping students of all ages learn musical theatre repertoire in multiple languages—including German, French, English, and Chinese—and guiding them to confidently pronounce, understand, and perform short excerpts within a short period of study.

In her lessons, Qin integrates elements of sight-singing, ear training, and basic music theory to help students develop well-rounded musicianship alongside healthy vocal technique. Her teaching philosophy centers on curiosity, confidence-building, and empowering students to discover their unique artistic voice while gaining solid technical foundations.

Yu Yu Liu (New York, NY)

Cello

Taiwanese cellist Yu Yu Liu is an active chamber musician who regularly gives concerts throughout New York City with her pianist and partner, Luis Ortiz. She holds a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School under the guidance of Astrid Schween and Fred Sherry. She also recently received a degree in Orchestral Performance from Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of Qiang Tu. As an orchestral player, Ms. Liu has held the principal position in Ensemble 212 since 2016. She has worked under the batons of Leonard Slatkin, Semyon Bychkov, and Alan Gilbert in venues such as Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, and Alice Tully Hall. Yu Yu gave the NY premiere of Yoshirō Irino’s Three Pieces for Cello Solo (1969). Ms. Liu currently teaches at Musical Mentors where she holds a private studio. She has been invited to several summer programs such as Composers Conference: Contemporary Performance Institute, Interlochen Arts Camp, Music@Menlo, and the Pacific Music Festival in Japan. As a chamber coach, Ms. Liu is a faculty at ArtsAhimsa Chamber Music Festival. Outside of the practice room, Yu Yu enjoys going to the movies and playing with her four cats, Bonnie, Clyde, Ernie, and Rudy.

Aurora Mendez (New York, NY)

Violin

Violinist Aurora Mendez has performed extensively across Europe, Asia and the Americas. She holds a Performer’s Certificate and BM in violin performance from the Cali School of Music MSU under the tutelage of Prof. Mary Ann Mumm. During her studies, she served as concertmaster of the MSU Symphony Orchestra and formed part of the conductor’s quintet and Opera Orchestra under Maestro Ken Lam. Aurora is also an alum of the National Youth Orchestra Foundation of Chile where she served as concertmaster of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and member of the National Youth Orchestra of Chile. A seasoned orchestral player, Aurora is a member of the New Haven Symphony, Montclair Orchestra, and the Latin Orchestra of Europe. She has participated in selective fellowship programs such as the Orchestra of the Americas, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Spoleto Festival, Monteux Festival, and the Marrowstone Music Festival. Aurora has also worked with distinguished conductors including David Chan, Semyon Bychkov, Krzysztof Urbánski, Christoph Eschenbach, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Jaime Martin, and Dale Clevenger. As a soloist and chamber player, Aurora has performed alongside members of the MET Opera Orchestra, been coached by members of the Shanghai and Latin American Quartets, and worked with composers such as Jeff Scott and Amy Reich. A passionate advocate for music education and social change, Aurora is a former Orchestra of the Americas Global Leader Fellow and has served as faculty for missions in El Salvador and Chicago. During her studies, Aurora worked with several El-Sistema USA programs such as the Union City Music Project and the NJ El-Sistema Alliance. Currently, Aurora is the Teaching Artist in Residence at SOPAC, and a Teaching Fellow with Music Mentors Collaborative in NYC.

Molly Noel (Thompsontown, PA)

Piano

Molly Noel is a collaborative pianist with a dual passion for performance and education. While she loves performing, her heart truly lies in teaching. She thrives on guiding students, meeting them where they are in their unique musical journeys, and making music accessible and fun for individuals of all ages and abilities. Her approach empowers students to discover the inherent joy of music in a supportive and engaging environment.

Molly has extensive experience collaborating with many of the Aspen area’s top musicians, as well as students from the prestigious Aspen Music Festival and School. She earned her Master of Music from Boston University and has performed with various esteemed institutes and ensembles, including the New England Philharmonic and Concord Orchestras. A performance highlight was playing on the stage of Boston’s Symphony Hall with the Boston University Orchestra. As a staff accompanist with the Boston Conservatory, she coached vocalists, played for private voice studios, and accompanied ensembles and numerous private recitals. Her performances have taken her across the United States and Europe. Molly studied in Salzburg, Austria, and was the winner of the 2002 Leopoldskron Concert Competition. She has also served as a staff accompanist for the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, the Heifetz International Music Institute, and the Maroon Bel Canto Choir.

Her professional history includes serving as the Music Director at Christ Episcopal Church, Aspen, for 11 years, and working at the Aspen Music Festival and School for five years. She enjoyed her role as the music teacher at Liberty Classical Academy and continues to teach private piano lessons. It is a joy to watch her students grow!”

Jordan Peters (Brooklyn, NY)

Guitar, music production

Jordan is a Brooklyn based guitarist and producer whose influences range from jazz, hip-hop, blues, folk, rock, funk, soul and electronic music. Originally from Lachute Québec, he has a degree in Jazz Guitar Performance from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. In 2011, he attend the Banff International Jazz Workshop led by trumpeter Dave Douglas. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where his time is split between recording, producing, touring and teaching. He has worked, toured, performed and recorded with numerous artists such as Lauryn Hill, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jon Batiste, The Weeknd, NAS, Billy Porter, Quiñ, The Roots, Andra Day, Antonio Sanchez, Tony Allen, Femi Kuti, Darlene Love, Bokanté, Alex Clare, Renee Neufville, Becca Stevens, AHI, Vassy, Malika Tirolien, Elise Testone, Thana Alexa, Sarah Elizabeth Charles and Linda Briceno. He has appeared on the Tonight Show, NPR Tiny Desks, Austin City Limits, The View, CBS This Morning, NBC’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, and BET Black Girls Rock.

Danny Pratt (Nashville, TN)

Danny Pratt is a drummer/percussionist and educator based in Nashville, TN. He is a founding member of rock band Flying Buffaloes, with whom he has released two albums and toured nationally over the past five years. Additionally, Pratt splits his time songwriting, recording, and touring as a sideman with various artists in Nashville and abroad.

He holds bachelors degrees in percussion performance and jazz studies from Northern Illinois University. Up until 2015, Pratt resided in Chicago, where he performed and taught music both privately and in the public school system. Upon arrival in Nashville, Danny set to establishing himself in the East Nashville music community, where he now lives with his family.

Connection and community are the driving forces behind Pratt’s musical journey, and these qualities are evident in his holistic teaching style and his approach to performing and navigating the music industry.

Maksim Perepelica (New York, NY)

Bass

New York City-based internationally renowned and multi-awarded Latvian jazz bassist, producer, arranger, editor, and educator Maksim Perepelica is one of the brightest musical talents in his country as well as far away from its borders. He is a true artist with a unique vision and understanding of music, deep knowledge of jazz idiom, big sound, and a solid rhythmic feel. He is one of the finest bassist on the scene whose passion and dedication to music has brought him over three continents including Europe, Australia, and the United States, where he has performed at some of the biggest festivals, venues, and concert halls, appeared in various TV and Radio programs, won multiple international jazz and independent competitions, played and recorded with some of the most sought-after musicians in from around the world: Steve Wilson, Alex Sipiagin, Valery Ponomarev, Manuel Valera, Edsel Gomez, Bobby Sanabria, Ron Jackson, Shai Maestro, Troy Roberts, Seamus Blake, Berta Moreno, Alina Engibaryan, Samvel Sarkisyan, Oscar Feldman, Jason Rigby, Silvano Monasterios, Leonid Ptashka, Taber Gable, Raphael Pannier, Kelly Green, Flavio Silva, Willerm Delisfort, Jordan Pettay, Franco Pina, Alana Sinkey, Debborah Ayo, Naima Acuña, Yaacov Mayman, Aleksandra Mogilevich, Grace Garland, Ilona Kudina, Maxim Lubarsky, Edmar Castañeda, Gabriel Grossi, Park Stickney, Deborah Henson-Conant, Maeve Gilchrist, Rossitza Milevska, Benjamin Herman, Ilja Reijngoud, Peter Beets, Simon Rigter, Johan Clement, Miguel Rodriguez, Jun Hyung An, Melissa Oliveira, Tuur Moens, Thomas Maasz, Juanma Barroso, Ruven Ruppik, Abel Marcel, Alex Correa, Viktorija Pilatovic, David Sancho, Jorge Vistel, Miguel Benito, Jorge Castañeda, Dani Juarez, Kestutis Vaiginis, Leonardas Pilkauskas, Viktors Ritovs, Toms Rudzinskis, Ivars Arutunyans, Arta, Jekabsone, Kaspars Kurdeko, Simona Smirnova, and MTV EMA-winning band “Happyendless”, among many others.

Perepelica has been performing in some of the most important venues in the New York, such as Blue Note Jazz Club, David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, Instituto Cervantes, Minton’s Playhouse, Club Bonafide, ShapeShifter Lab, Joe’s Pub, Fat Cat, Luca’s Jazz Corner, Made In NY Jazz Club, Terraza 7, The Kosciuszko Foundation, American Theatre of Actors, The City College of New York, The Master Theater, Rockwood Music Hall, Queens Library, The Lexington Hotel, Tomi Jazz, Silvana, The Shrine, Williamsburg Music Center, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Cafe Vivaldi, Cleopatra’s Needle, The Hudson River Museum Amphitheater, The Blue Door Art Gallery, Dwyer Cultural Center, The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center among others, as well as globally at Foundry 616 (Australia), Ellington Jazz Club (Australia), Paris Cat Jazz Club (Australia), MONA (Australia), Launceston Jazz Club (Australia), The Byron Theatre (Australia), Sala Clamores (Spain), Jimmy Glass (Spain), Circulo de Bellas Artes (Spain), Jamboree Jazz Club (Spain), Bilbana Jazz Club (Spain), Recoletos Jazz Club (Spain), Bogui Jazz Club (Spain), Club Matador (Spain), Espacio Turina (Spain), Taller De Musicos de Gijon (Spain), The Music Village (Belgium), De Doelen (Netherlands), Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg (Netherlands), Bird Rotterdam (Netherlands), Dizzy’s (Netherlands), Bethany’s Club (Netherlands), Badcuyp (Netherlands), Jazz Cellar 11 (Lithuania), Punto Jazz Club (Lithuania), Saule Concert Hall (Lithuania), Kaunas Philharmonic Hall (Lithuania), Pashkevich Jazz Club (Latvia), Great Amber Concert Hall (Latvia), Juras Varti Concert Hall (Latvia), Ventspils Cultural Center (Latvia), Sala cu Orga (Moldova), Palatul National (Moldova), and many more.

He also performed in multiple international jazz and live music festivals: Jazzaldia Jazz Festival (San Sebastian, Spain), Canarias Jazz y Mas Festival (Spain), Burgos Jazz Festival (Spain), Barco de Avila Jazz Festival (Spain), Devonport Jazz Festival (Devonport, Australia), Babel Med Music Fest (Marseille, France), North Sea Round Town (Netherlands), Leiden Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Dordrecht Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Zoetermeer Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Jazz an de Gracht Festival (Netherlands), Zommerterras Open Air Festival (Netherlands), Haarlem Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Kaunas Jazz (Lithuania), Vilnius Jazz (Lithuania), Klaipeda Castle Jazz Festival (Lithuania), Birstonas Jazz (Lithuania), Be2Gether (Lithuania), Tallinn Music Week (Estonia), Baltic Beach Party (Latvia), Martisor (Moldova), Regeneratorius (Lithuania), Ventspils Groove Festival and Ventspils City Festival (Latvia) among others.

Perepelica produced and recorded Spanish multi-awarded saxophonist and composer Berta Moreno’s debut album “Little Steps,” winning “The Global Music Awards” for the Best Album of 2017. “Little Steps” was also nominated for the prestigious Independent Music Awards and Spanish “Premios MIN.” He also appeared in the globally renowned DownBeat Magazine as bassist and producer of the album. 
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Maksim’s produced “The Beauty of the Slum” from Berta Moreno’s album “Tumaini” won the Grand Prize and “Karibu” was the Finalist in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest, both in the Jazz category.

He is the winner of three international jazz competitions in the Netherlands: “Leidse Jazzaward 2011” with David Sancho Trio, “Dordtse Sena Jazz Prijs 2013” with The Hat Bangers, and “Zoetermeer Jazz Concours 2013” with Kind of Brown Quartet.

Maksim Perepelica regularly gives clinics and master classes worldwide specializing in Jazz and Latin bass, ensemble playing, and music production. 
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Born in the small Latvian town of Ventspils, Perepelica only discovered music in his teen ages. Enchanted by the rich and powerful sound of an electric bass he once tried to play in a small music store, he decided to take private lessons of bass, music theory, and ear training to transform his passion into a full-time career.

After graduating from secondary school and performing locally on various stages with an after-school music program band, Perepelica moved to Lithuania to study jazz at Klaipeda University and Lithuanian Music and Theater Academy in Vilnius and play music professionally. During five years spent in the neighboring country, he had become one of the busiest bassists in the Baltic area performing with MTV EMA-winning band “Happyendless,” Evelina Sasenko’s “Rendez-Vous,” “Colder,” Kestutis Vaiginis, Liudas Mockunas, Arturas Anusauskas, Vytautas Labutis, Andrej Polevikov, Paulius Zdanavicius, Darius Rudis, Augustas Baronas, Leonardas Pilkauskas, Giedrius Nakas, Laura Budreckyte, Daiva Starinskaite, Jurgis Bruzga, Egle Sirvydyte, Domantas Razauskas, and many others around the Baltics at various venues and international jazz and world music festivals.

Perepelica also appeared on the Lithuanian National TV and Radio, including the LRT-2 music program “Improvizaciju Aleja” with Egle Sirvydyte band; recorded and released popular singles with “Happyendless,” “Colder,” and Egle Sirvydyte; was a member of Lithuanian Jazz Federation.

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While living in the Netherlands between 2009-2014, he had the honor of playing with some of the most in-demand Dutch jazz musicians, like Simon Righter, Bob Righter, Kris Goessens, Peter Beets, Benjamin Herman, Ilja Reijngoud, Bart van Lier, and Johan Clement among others. He appeared in Dutch TV and Radio music programs: RTV Rijnmond, “Virus,” Omroep Zuidplas.

Perepelica has been a member of “IJHF” (International Jazz Harp Foundation), working and performing with the world-class jazz harpists-virtuosos: Edmar Castañeda, Park Stickney, Deborah Henson-Conant, Maeve Gilchrist, Rossitza Milevska, Sabine Meijers, Brenda Dor-Groot, and many others.

Alex Petti (New York, NY)

Guitar, Songwriting

Alex Petti is a Lebanese Irish-Catholic writer from Massachusetts who grew up as a pop punk rocker. Though his dreams of headlining Warped Tour have ended, the energy of the genre still infuses his music. His show, The Trouble With Dead Boyfriends (music and lyrics) was produced at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh (2016), won Best in Fest at Premiere Premieres! at MCL Chicago (2017), won Best Score at SheNYC at the Connelly Theater (2018), and was workshopped at Berklee School of Music in Boston (2019). Alex was commissioned by CPA Theatricals to write and record music for Girlhood: The Musical, which premiered at the Bravo Performing Arts Center (2019). He has been a host at a Musical Theater Factory Salon in March 2021 and was invited to showcase songs from his musical, Alex Petti and The Nervous Rex Present The Hometown Tour, at Musical Theater Factory in the 2021-2022 season. Alex also leads the New York based rock band ‘good thoughts’ who released their debut EP ‘For Hard Times/From Hard Times’ in October 2021.

Alex is a proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, a member of the BMI Advanced Musical Theater Workshop, and a proud Dad to his cat, Sonia.

Zara Rahman (New York, NY)

Piano, violin

Zara is a pianist and violinist based in New York City, currently studying neuroscience and behavior at Columbia University. She has studied piano for fifteen years and violin for twelve, performing in school orchestras, chamber ensembles, and concert festivals across Manhattan and upstate New York.

Zara has performed in local pit orchestras for musical theater productions and has served as concertmaster for several ensembles, including the Hudson Valley Performing Arts Foundation. She has also performed both piano and violin annually in the New York State Music Association solo festival competitions for many consecutive years.

Zara has worked with beginning music students in elementary schools and performed at various school and community events, such as town memorials and local nursing homes. Her experiences with younger students strengthened her interest in music mentorship and inspired her to continue sharing music with others through creativity, encouragement, and collaboration.

Marié Rossano

Violin

Marié Rossano joined the New York Philharmonic in May 2016. Since making her solo debut at age 11, Ms. Rossano has performed as soloist with the Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, Northwest Sinfonietta, and more than a dozen other orchestras in the western United States. In 2015 she performed as concertmaster of the Malaysian Philharmonic under Giancarlo Guerrero and Fabio Luisi. She has enjoyed summer engagements at the Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival, Strings Music Festival, Music From Angel Fire, Deer Valley Music Festival, and Methow Valley Music Festival, and has also performed at Keshet Eilon Violin Mastercourse, Verbier Festival Academy, and Starling-DeLay Symposia.

Ms. Rossano performed on the 1715 “Baron Knoop” Stradivarius violin in the 2010 PBS documentary Violin Masters: Two Gentlemen of Cremona,courtesy of the Fulton Collection. She was named First Laureate of the 2010 Stradivarius International Violin Competition and National Winner of the Music Teachers National Association 2008 Junior Strings Competition; she was also awarded the 2005 Seattle Young Artists Festival Medal and the Music of Remembrance David Tonkonogui Memorial Award in 2008.

Marié Rossano studied with Ida Kavafian and Joseph Silverstein at the Curtis Institute of Music, where she graduated in May 2016 with a bachelor’s of music and the 2016 Edward Aldwell Award for Excellence in Musical Studies, and was recognized on the Dean’s List for excellence in academics. While at Curtis, she performed in the 2015 Dean’s Honors Recitals and the 2015 Beethoven Residency with Miriam Fried and Jonathan Biss, and toured worldwide with Curtis on Tour on multiple occasions as a soloist, chamber musician (including at the 2014 Henry Kissinger Award Ceremony in Berlin), and concertmaster of the Curtis Chamber Orchestra with Roberto Díaz and Robert Spano. Ms. Rossano also performed under the baton of conductors Rossen Milanov, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Robert Spano, and Osmo Vänska, as concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra in 2015.

Ms. Rossano was born in Japan and raised in the Seattle area. In 2009 she founded Orcastra, a small, flexible, conductor-less string ensemble that has organized community engagement and charity concerts in the Seattle and Philadelphia areas, raising tens of thousands of dollars for tsunami victims in Japan and the impoverished in Tanzania and Guatemala.

Kaycie Satterfield (Los Angeles, CA)

Guitar, Bass

Kaycie Satterfield is an established singer-songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and bassist. Growing up in Austin, Texas, she cut her teeth performing festivals around Texas with several Western Swing outfits. She was involved in choir and rock bands from a very young age, and also competed in songwriting competitions in central Texas including Old Settler’s Music Festival. Kaycie attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Commercial Music with a voice principle and an emphasis in composition and arranging. During her time at Belmont, she sang in Belmont Chamber Singers, a chamber vocal ensemble, and Jazzmin, Downbeat award-winning jazz vocal ensemble. She was also part of indie-rock group The Reckless Charms, whom were chosen for a live audition in Los Angeles for America’s Got Talent in 2015. Her senior year, she was chosen as one of four finalists in Belmont School of Music’s 25th Commercial Showcase. She taught at Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp every summer. After graduation, she spent a season as the house guitarist at the world-famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. She then performed locally in Nashville, including as a house band member for She’s A Rebel: A Girl Group Tribute Show before moving to New York. There she began working as a singer-songwriter, performer, session and live musician for artists such as Madame Gandhi, as well as songwriter and music educator. She is currently working on her debut album.

Rose Stoller (Beacon, NY)

Voice

Rose Stoller is an NYC-based multidisciplinary artist. She merges her influence of contemporary jazz, r&b, the Laurel Canyon folk rock scene, Brazilian music, and ambient soundscapes into a corner of her own. Rose has worked as an actor and collaborator in various theatrical productions, both with her co-created production company, Rascal Arts, and with a variety of other organizations nationwide. Recent involvement includes The Atlantic Center for the Arts (New Smyrna Beach, Florida) and The Puzzle Festival of New Works (NYC).

Caeli Smith

Violin, viola

Called “intense, precise, and full of personality” after appearing as concerto soloist with The Juilliard Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall (OperaClick), Caeli Smith is an award-winning chamber musician, educator, and facilitator. She has performed across the United States, Europe, and Asia with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Knights, Sejong Soloists, Jordi Savall, and the Verbier Chamber Orchestra. Caeli is an alum of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect, the post-graduate performance, education, and leadership program of Carnegie Hall and The Juilliard School.

A curious and enthusiastic teacher, Caeli is on the faculty of the Heifetz International Music Institute, the Kinhaven Music School, and the New York Philharmonic Teaching Artists. She is a Teaching Assistant and Technique Instructor for the ACHT Viola Studio at The Juilliard School. She has led educational workshops for the fellows of Ensemble Connect and the music teachers of Musical Mentors Collaborative.

Caeli holds two degrees from The Juilliard School: a bachelor’s degree in violin performance and a master’s degree in viola performance. Upon graduating, she received the William Schuman Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music. In May of 2022, Caeli will graduate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Masters in Education, Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship; with a concentration in Arts and Learning.

Caeli has written for radio, TV, and print, and her articles have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as Strings, Teen Strings, and Symphony magazines.

Claire-Frances Sullivan (Brooklyn, NY)

Piano, Voice, Songwriting

Claire-Frances Sullivan is a Brooklyn-based actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and writer. She is a professional musical theater artist who has performed regionally all over the country and Off-Broadway. As a playwright and songwriter, she is award-winning and internationally produced. Claire-Frances has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance and is a trained classical pianist and vocalist with a strong choral background. She has been teaching piano, voice, songwriting, and theater for over a decade to private students and group classes. Known to her students as “Frankie”, she’s been with the Musical Mentors Collaborative since 2020. Claire-Frances believes in learning and sharing music as a vehicle for joy, growth, and discovery and loves working with students of all ages, from absolute beginners to professionals!

Tyler Stell (Los Angeles, CA)

Percussion, timpani

Tyler began his journey in the realm of percussion in his high school marching band in Phoenix, Arizona. This led him to pursue his Bachelor of Music at Arizona State University, where he had a widely diverse education including performance opportunities with the university’s Brazillian percussion ensemble, contemporary percussion ensemble, percussion jazz ensemble, Pan Devils Steel Drum Band. Throughout this time, Mr. Stell was almost always teaching, primarily in the high school marching band circuit.

He moved to Los Angeles to pursue advanced degrees in percussion at the University of Southern California. Immediately upon graduation, Tyler was the inaugural percussion director of the very first U.S. branch of Mexico’s Esperanza Azteca Youth Orchestra, an organization with dozens of chapters throughout its home country.

As a performer, Mr. Stell has been principal timpanist of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra since 2015, and performs regularly with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as an extra percussionist and timpanist, including as a soloist in Philip Glass’ “Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra” on the Philharmonic’s Symphonies for Youth series.

Prawit Siriwat (Irvine, CA)

Guitar

Prawit Siriwat is a guitarist, composer, and educator whose work blends folk-influenced acoustic textures, jazz improvisation, and contemporary creative music. Raised in Alabama, North Carolina, and Maryland, he grew up moving between musical worlds, an experience that continues to shape his open, exploratory approach to sound. His primary instruments are acoustic and electric guitar, and his current projects include new solo music and a duo with longtime collaborator and bassist Daniel Durst.

Prawit’s performance career spans intimate solo sets, collaborative ensemble work, and recordings across genres. He has appeared at notable venues such as National Sawdust, Le Poisson Rouge, The Stone, Bar Next Door, and Nublu, and has worked with artists including Ruby Greenberg, RVBY MY DEAR, Juno Roome, and Chien Chien Liu. His debut album Blueberry captures the range of his musical identity—combining tactile soundscapes, improvisation, and lyric melodies with a trio of trusted collaborators.

As a teacher, Prawit has taught at New York University and maintains an active private studio. He works with students of all ages, from beginners learning foundational skills to advanced players deepening their artistic voice. His training includes a BFA and MM in Jazz Studies from The New School and NYU, where he studied with influential mentors like Steve Cardenas, Julian Lage, John Scofield, Jane Ira Bloom, Andrew Cyrille, and Vijay Iyer.

Rooted in curiosity and play, Prawit’s teaching philosophy emphasizes attentive listening, creative exploration, and building a sustainable, joyful relationship with music. He aims to help students grow not only as players, but as artists who feel connected to their own sound.”

Olivia Schulte (New York, NY)

Cello

Based in New York City, Olivia Schulte is a cellist and teacher having performed in different orchestral, chamber, and varied groups for new compositions. She has held a section cello position with the West Valley Symphony, and has been a substitute cellist with other orchestras including Cinematic Pops and Music Nova Orchestra in Arizona. Olivia has previously attended music festivals including the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, Varna International Music Academy, Lyricafest Boston, and International Cello Institute. She enjoys performing at different venues including assisted living homes, community centers, and schools, and sees the value of each performance as a way to connect with others through music. Olivia has taught group classes and individual lessons through her private studio, and teaches as an Associate Mentor with Musical Mentors Collaborative. She is currently studying Classical Cello Performance at Manhattan School of Music with David Geber.

Colin Stranahan (Brooklyn, NY)

Drums

Born In Denver, Colorado, and the son of a Jazz Educator, Colin Stranahan has always been surrounded by music. By his teenage years he was already actively working on the local Denver scene, and has recorded multiple records of Capri Records. After receiving the prestigious NFAA Presidential Scholar award in 2005 , he studied in California for one year as a Brubeck Institute Fellow. Shortly there after he attended the prestigious Monk Institute of Jazz. Stranahan was also one of the winners of the 2012 Thelonious Monk Drum Competition. Now living in Brooklyn, New York, Colin is among the most sought-after drummers in the world. working with such artist as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jonathan Kreisberg, Fred Hersch, Terence Blanchard, Dave Kikoski, Kevin Hays, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and many others. He also now is part of a collective trio featuring some of the most talented and praised you musicians in New York City. Rick Rosato on bass and Glenn Zaleski on piano. Together they are the Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato trio. They have recorded 2 albums that have been very successful and a third on the way which was recorded Live at Smalls which is scheduled to be released in 2015. Colin Stranahan currently holds teaching positions at a couple of different conservatories in Europe, where he teaches both private lessons, and ensemble teaching. Aarhus Royal Academy of Music, and London’s Royal Academy of Music. Colin also has started teaching at a few summer Jazz programs including The Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony, and The Fara Sabina Summer Jazz school and Festival in Fara Sabina, Italy. Colin also has been giving drum master classes all over the world. Some of these recently have included, Oberlin Collage, New England Conservatory, International Jazz Conference in Thailand, and at the Singapore Esplanade Jazz Festival.

Allison Su (New York, NY)

Piano, Clarinet

Allison is a Chinese American writer and musician from Connecticut. She grew up playing piano and clarinet, and performed in ensembles like the Connecticut Southern Regionals Music Festival, New England Youth Symphony, and Neighborhood Music School Greater New Haven Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Youth Orchestra. She has also played in the pit orchestra for various high school and college productions, and was a board member of the Columbia University Wind Ensemble when she attended Barnard College. She began her journey as a musical instructor through the Columbia University chapter of Musical Mentors. She is also a self-taught composer and singer/songwriter. In the last few years, she has written and performed an original song, developed a play with her own piano compositions, and started writing the book, lyrics, and music for a new musical.

Erica Tursi (Medford, NJ)

Violin

Erica Tursi is a classical violinist that enjoys performing, teaching, and spending time with her cat, Bentley. She has received top prizes at competitions in the United States and in Europe as a founding member of the Omer String Quartet, which include first prize in the Young Concert Artists International auditions, first prize at the Premio Paolo Borciani Competition in Italy, First prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and 2nd prize at the Trondheim International Competition in Norway. The quartet has been hailed by the New York Times as “glowing and vividly dramatic.”

Erica received a Masters of Music at The Juilliard School, a Bachelors of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music as well as Suzuki certification (books 1-10 and pre-twinkle), and a Graduate Diploma from The New England Conservatory of Music. She has held a private teaching studio for over 8 years, and she has experience teaching in the New England Conservatory Prep program as well as undergraduate chamber music students at Yale University and the University of Maryland. In addition to being a teacher at MMC, she is currently leading virtual masterclasses in the Harmony Program, based in NYC and teaches at the Bronx School for Music.  

Maxim Tikhonov (Denver, CO)

TUBA
Maxim Tikhonov is a freelancer, educator, and tubist based in Denver, Colorado. He is a substitute tubist for the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and Longmont Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his classical performance experience, he has performed with a variety of non-classical artists, including Jamey Haddad, Luis Perdomo, Jonatha Brooke, Helio Alves, and Arun Ramamurthy.

He began his education on trombone in the 5th grade, switching to tuba in the sixth grade because his school band had no tubist. Starting his sophomore year of high school he began studying with Thomas Hornig of the California Symphony. He received his undergraduate degree at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where he studied with Dennis Nulty of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and David Saltzman of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. Maxim is currently completing his Masters in Music Performance at the Lamont School of Music, where he studies with Stephen Dombrowski of the Colorado Symphony.

Anthony Trionfo (New York, NY)

Praised as a “breezily virtuosic flutist” by The New York Times, Anthony Trionfo has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and Riverside Symphony. In recital, Anthony recently presented programs alongside pianist Albert Cano Smit for the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, Morgan Library & Museum, and Cosmos Club in Washington, DC. He is second flutist of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Ohio and frequently appears with the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Princeton Symphony.

Anthony is a founder of the Umoja Flute Institute, a non-profit dedicated to providing flutists of African descent with the tools needed to succeed and thrive at all levels of music-making. He serves on Aspen Music Festival and School’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee and has collaborated with the Sphinx Organization, DC Youth Orchestra Program, and Harmony Program. Anthony won first prize in the 2016 Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions. He has presented masterclasses for Florida State University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Ithaca College, and the Juilliard School.

Anthony will serve as instructor of flute for the Interlochen Arts Academy spring 2024 semester. He studied at the Colburn School with James Walker and the Interlochen Arts Academy as a student of Nancy Stagnitta.

Ben Wexler (New York, NY)

Composition

Ben is a New York-based composer, arranger and teaching artist. Recent projects include composition for Lucy Thurber’s The Insurgents (LAByrinth), The Orchestra (Whitman/Grove New Works Commission), Appaholics (TheaterWorks USA Commission), Key Change (Richard Rodgers Award Finalist), Ship Show (dir. Mark Brokaw), and Washington Square (in development with Kirsten Childs). He arranged and co-produced new music for the feature film Speech and Debate, with screenplay by Stephen Karam (Sycamore Pictures, 2017). He was music supervisor and arranger for Fun Home’s Spotify Session, the first-ever featuring a Broadway Musical.

Ben is the Artistic Director of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, which merges Broadway Artists with justice-oriented organizations to integrate the arts into their change work. Projects have included collaborations with The Center for Popular Democracy, New York City Council, the Alliance for Quality Education, and a course at Columbia Law School, where he is an adjunct lecturer. He is a teaching artist for Lincoln Center’s Songwriting in the Schools program. Ben is resident composer for A Broader Way Foundation, an immersive arts-education program for young women that was founded by Idina Menzel and Jeanine Tesori. Ben served as associate to Ms. Tesori on four seasons of Encores: Off-Center at New York City Center and for Fun Home, Violet, and Sunday in the Park With George, all on Broadway.

Ben has been commissioned to compose original music for choirs in eight states, from Alabama to California to Ohio, leading these groups to top honors at both local and national competitions.

Ben is the recipient of a 2019 Jonathan Larson Grant, The Jerry Harrington Award for Creative Excellence (2013, BMI), a finalist for the 2018 Fred Ebb Award and 2019 Richard Rodgers Award, trained through the New Dramatists’ Composer-Librettist studio, and was a Dramatists Guild Fellow (2015-16). Ben holds a B.A. in Music with a focus in composition from Yale University and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Cameren Anai Williams (New York, NY)

Viola

Cameren Anai Williams is an alum of The Juilliard School. She is currently in the first year of her doctoral program at The Graduate Center under the tutelage of Daniel Philips. As an educator, she currently teaches private lessons at The Spence School and is an adjunct professor of music at Palm Beach State College. Williams, a dedicated chamber musician, was a founding member of the Marian String Quartet (2021-2023), formed at The Juilliard School. Cameren’s foundation, CamAnai Strings, repairs instruments for students who are financially insecure in South Florida.

Tamara Winston (Nashville, TN)

Oboe

Paraguayan/American oboist Tamara Benitez Winston is the acting English Horn/Oboe of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. As a recent alum of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect, Tamara enjoys a busy orchestral career and performs regularly with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the New York City Ballet, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and the Montclair Orchestra. She is a founding member of the NYC based woodwind quintet, ConnectFive.

As a teaching artist, Tamara is passionate about sharing music with a wide range of audiences and promoting inclusivity in arts education. As part of her Ensemble Connect fellowship, Tamara created and performed numerous interactive performances for communities throughout New York and abroad. She is on the oboe faculty at the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College.

This past summer, she performed at the Grand Teton Music Festival. During previous summers, she has attended Classical Tahoe, The Aspen Music Festival, the Spoleto Festival USA, National Symphony Orchestra Summer Institute, Brevard Music Center, and the Eastern Music Festival where she won the concerto competition performing the Kalliwoda Concertino.

Tamara holds a bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School and a master’s degree from Mannes School of Music. She has studied with Nathan Hughes and Elaine Douvas. Other primary teachers include Richard Dallessio, Jelena Dirks, and Linda Strommen.

Davis Whitfield (New York, NY)

Piano

Davis Whitfield is a talented pianist on the New York scene who has accomplished a lot at a young age. The son of two musicians, Davis was exposed to great music his entire childhood and started playing guitar at a very young age. He eventually switched to piano, where he began practicing and studying more seriously. In 2008, still in high school, Whitfield was appointed the Assistant Director for the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra, performing at the New York City club weekly. He continued his studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he was a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship – a top honor at Berklee. He has since gone on tours in the United States, France, and this Summer will be traveling to Spain with the Felix Rossy Quintet. He also performs and travels with his father and renowned guitarist Mark Whitfield, as well as his brother Mark Whitfield, Jr. — the three often times traveling together as the family band. Influenced by the likes of McCoy Tyner and Thelonious Monk, Davis has created a path and a voice of his own on the piano. He maintains a residency at Mezzrow in the West Village and performs with various artists as a sid an. For more information, go to www.daviswhitfieldpiano.wix.com.

Jonathan Xu (New York, NY)

Clarinet

Jonathan is a clarinetist and composer originally from Seattle, Washington. He is currently a sophomore at Columbia University studying Applied Mathematics and Music. Jonathan’s music has been performed and recorded by distinguished ensembles, including the Seattle Symphony, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, and artists from the Chinese Music Ensemble of New York. Jonathan has also scored several video game projects, including the endless runner, Snowdrift, and the main titles for Elysium Ascent, which was part of Game/Music Jam ’24. Outside of music, Jonathan enjoys reading (especially fantasy) and collecting integrals like Pokémon.

Candy Yang (New York, NY)

Carter Yasutake (New York, NY)

Trumpet

Carter Yasutake is a professional musician with over 15 years of experience as a performer. He attended the New School and studied with musicians such as Jimmy Owens, Cecil Bridgewater, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Sanabria, Billy Harper & Ahmed Abdullah. All of whom would be integral in shaping his musical and teaching philosophy.

Since moving to New York city in 2002, Carter has performed with such notable acts as Irving Street Repertory, LCD Soundsystem, Macklemore, David Byrne & St. Vincent. He is currently working with Brooklyn-based bands: Midnight Magic, Underground System, Living Language, and the Great Long Meadow Fire.

Shuhui Zhou (New York, NY)

Piano

New York- based pianist Shuhui (Sophia) Zhou has been performing as a soloist and chamber musician internationally in the USA, Europe and China. She was the winner of the V BPA International Piano Award of Barcelona, engaged for 5 solo recitals across Spain. Her recent concert appearances include the Royal Concertgebouw, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Shanghai Concert Hall, etc. As a chamber musician, she frequently collaborated with members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera House, HK Philharmonic, etc.

Ms. Zhou holds a Master of Music degree from Mannes College of Music in New York, studying with Thomas Sauer. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Bachelor of Arts in German Literature from Oberlin College. Ms. Zhou was invited as a post-graduate piano fellow by the Bard College Conservatory, working with the Graduate Vocal Arts Program under the guidance of Dawn Upshaw and Stephanie Blythe and offering Secondary Piano lessons to college undergraduate students.

As one of the most dynamic and versatile young musicians of her generation, Sophia recorded and premiered music by renowned composers such as Andrew Norman (Pulitzer- Prize and Grammy-Award nominee) , Benjamin Broening (recipient of Guggenheim Award), Alexander Goehr, John Harbison, Nina Shenkhar, etc.
Her recent projects include multimedia concert project “Bach VS The Climate Crisis” in collaboration with renowned environmental photographer J Henry Fair, an interdisciplinary performance in the Nam June Paik retrospectives show in San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, chamber music concerts with members of Carnegie Ensemble Connect, song recitals with American tenor Daniel McGrew (2021 YCA Winner) in Merkin Hall and Morgan Library, New York City, Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington D.C, Harvard Music Associations in Boston and concert tours with ATL Piano Trio in Florence, Livorno, as well as appearances at the Mexican Republican Senate Hall to be broadcasted on national television for 2 consecutive weeks.

Ms. Zhou is the founder and director of two concert series in upstate New York, Chamber Music at The Stissing Center and Millbrook Music Salon. She has created and produced critically-acclaimed concerts for six consecutive seasons, bringing world-class music making into the community.

For more information, please visit: SophiaZhouPiano.com