Mezzo-soprano Chloë Schaaf holds degrees from the Juilliard School (BM), The Guildhall School (Mmus), and Bard College Conservatory of Music (MM). Experienced as both a performer and teacher, Chloë maintains an active studio of private voice students. She is also a member of the voice faculty at Bard College Conservatory of Music’s Preparatory Division, where she teaches private lessons and directs two choirs.

Kimberly Bill is a recent graduate of University of Colorado Boulder where she served as a Masters Teaching Assistant for Takács String Quartet violinist, Harumi Rhodes. Kimberly received her B.M. from the Oberlin Conservatory where she had the privilege of studying Suzuki method pedagogy under the instruction of Mary Price at the Oberlin Community Music School. Kimberly has participated in festivals such as The New York String Orchestra Seminar and National Orchestra Institute, and is a substitute violinist for symphony orchestras in Colorado.

Gregory Harrington is a concert soloist who has performed with esteemed orchestras & conductors around the globe. He has released 5 acclaimed solo recordings & his latest album of the Philip Glass Violin Concerto #2 & his arrangement of the "Hours Suite" (Janacek Philharmonic & Mark Shapiro) debuted at #3 on the Billboard Charts. He has 20 years teaching experience & studied under esteemed soloist & pedagogue Erick Friedman & Sally Thomas. Ideal for students looking to create an excellent foundation in violin playing.

Amber Ginmi Scherer is a Korean-German classical pianist, educator, and activist. In May 2021, she graduated from Oberlin College & Conservatory with degrees in Psychology (BA) and Piano Performance (BM) from Oberlin College & Conservatory. During the 2021-22 season, she will be working as a Teaching Fellow for the AmeriCorps ArtistYear program in Queens, NYC. She hopes to pursue advanced degrees in Education and Public Policy, as they impact childhood development and musical training.

Hailed for her “masterful and show-stopping performance” (Opera News), internationally acclaimed soprano Ashley Milanese has performed with Teatro Regio Torino, Komische Oper Berlin, Opera Philadelphia, among others. When she is not performing, she enjoys teaching private voice lessons and masterclasses. Ashley teaches a foundation rooted in Classical Voice which enables her students to strengthen their musical ear, free their natural artistic inclinations, and build a strong technique so they can feel secure and confident across all genres.

Brianna holds a bachelor of music in voice from Oberlin Conservatory, and a master of music in voice from Indiana University. Certified in vocology, she focuses on teaching sustainable vocal techniques, vocal rehabilitation, and injury prevention. Brianna works with her students to develop healthy singing habits, build confidence and musicianship skills, and grow their love of singing. Her performance credits include opera, musical theater, and concert work.

Praised for his “dark, rolling baritone“(Münchener Merkur) and “soft and compact timber“(Corriere del Ticino), Italian baritone Nicola Ziccardi is a sought-after performer throughout Europe. Under the baton of Maestro Gustav Kuhn, Ziccardi had become a regular member of the Tiroler Festspiele Erl. In February 2018 He made his debut in Teatro La Fenice of Venice in Die Lustige Witwe directed by Damiano Michieletto and conducted by Montanari...

Tenor Vincent Festa feels equally at home both on stage and in the studio, boasting a diverse repertoire that spans from baroque to contemporary genres. An Italian-American from New York, Vincent's musical journey began at the Juilliard School's Pre-College division before earning his bachelor's degree. He further honed his craft at Bard College Conservatory's Graduate Vocal Arts Program, where he was mentored by soprano Dawn Upshaw. He then obtained a performance diploma from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music under the guidance of Tim Noble and Carol Vaness.

Soprano, Samantha DiCapio, has been praised for her “seamless technique” and “uniquely warm vocal color.” As a teacher, Samantha is comfortable teaching students of all ages and levels. She specializes in the Bel Canto Technique and specializes in opera, art songs and musical theatre songs. Samantha made her opera debut as the 2nd Nymph in Rusalka with Opera Slavica. Abroad, Samantha is a regular performer in both France and Italy.Samantha is a graduate of the Mannes School of Music.

New York native, Katherine Lerner Lee enjoys a diverse performance career spanning opera, art song, chamber and contemporary music. In the Summer and Fall of 2023, Katherine has sung with Bard Summerscape, Bard Music Festival and the SUNY Stony Brook Contemporary Players. She recently presented two recitals in the Hudson Valley and appeared on a program of Chopin and Rachmaninoff through Legacy Arts International in Princeton, NJ, a musical program she will be reprising in Italy later this year.

Chelsea Feltman is a soprano, actor, and teaching artist. She performs in opera, recital, musicals, straight plays, film, and interdisciplinary art pieces around the United States, Europe, South America, and East Africa. As a teaching artist, she has led workshops around the world and teaches private students of all ages, experience levels, and interests. In addition to opera/classical, Chelsea is versed in belting and contemporary commercial singing techniques, as well as acting techniques that help singers better express themselves through song.

Marie Engle, mezzo-soprano, is an opera singer, recitalist and chamber musician. She has produced recitals internationally and made her professional debut as Donna Elvira at Wichita Grand Opera. Marie completed studies at Northwestern University and the Juilliard School. Fluent in English, German and French, Marie has studied in New York, Vienna and Paris. She also taught vocal trio, Girl Named Tom, prior to their winning NBC’s The Voice.

Morgan Paige is a bicoastal soprano, actress and songwriter in NYC/Los Angeles with over 78K followers on Tik Tok where she features opera, theater and Disney styles of singing. She is a graduate of the Maryland Opera Studio with a Master’s in Opera Performance and earned her undergraduate degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Oregon.

Krebs holds a master’s degree in voice and opera performance from Northwestern University, and a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and psychology from Oberlin College and Conservatory. With a background in psychology, Krebs specializes in working with students that experience performance anxiety. Krebs is excited to be singing with Off the Dock Music Festival this summer. Krebs has performed with the Syracuse Opera, Chautauqua Institution, College Light Opera Company, Oberlin in Italy, and Northwestern and Oberlin Opera Theater.

American soprano India Rowland has been praised for her “full command of the stage and fetching demeanor, combined with a warm timbre has made her a real discovery” (South Florida Classical Review), during her performance of Cherubino with the Miami Music Festival. Recent performances include the roles of Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflote and Zina in Dark Sisters with Mannes Opera and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with Utah Vocal Arts Academy.

Tyreek McDole, a remarkable 23-year-old vocalist, captivates audiences with his velvety tone and polished delivery. Since his singing career began at age 18, he's been compared to vocal legends such as Andy Bey, Johnny Hartman, and the Illustrious Joe Williams. Tyreek has graced the stage with some of the best in the business including NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz, Rodney Whitaker, Theo Croker, Nicholas Payton, Ted Nash, Russell Hall, Jonathan Michel, Eric Reed, Carl Allen and many others.

Violist/Violinist Serena Hsu is an avid chamber musician and dedicated pedagogue based in New York City. She has studied at Yale University, The Juilliard School, The Cleveland Institute of Music, the Paris Conservatoire, and the International Musicians Seminar in Prussia Cove, England. Her main mentors include Ettore Causa, Hsin-Yun Huang, Misha Amory, Jean Sulem, Lynne Ramsey, and Jeffrey Irvine.

Corinna Canzian is a graduate from Triest Conservatorio, HfMDK Frankfurt am Main and Lucerne Musikhochschule, where she holds a BA in Violin, Master in Contemporary Music, Master in Violin Performance and Master in Solo Performance. She appears regularly in orchestras, chamber music groups and as a soloist all over Europe.

Japanese Violinist, Koko Watanabe is excited to share her passion with students who love making music. She graduated from Cleveland Institute of Music where she earned Artist Diploma in Violin Performance. She is a member of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony regularly. Koko is a certified Suzuki Method instructor and has over 10 years of experience. She provides a positive, fun, and safe environment to each class and likes to focus on developing beautiful tone/posture. Parental involvement is welcomed and encouraged for beginners under 10 years old.

Violinist Austin Berman is a former concertmaster, classical performer, and passionate teacher who prides himself on his analytical, strategic, and creative approach to music and violin technique. Over the past decade, he has taught students of all ages and levels, ranging from young beginners and adult amateurs to elite conservatory applicants and competition participants. Austin studied at Colburn, Princeton University (A.B.), and Juilliard (M.M.). His primary teachers and mentors include Li Lin (Juilliard), Glenn Dicterow (ex NY Phil), Robert Lipsett (Colburn), and CJ Chang (Philly Orch).

Natalia Badziak is a member of the California Symphony and a substitute with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. She is a graduate of the Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, where she completed Bachelor’s degrees in viola performance and comparative literature, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she completed her Master’s degree. Natalia has taught both violin and viola for ten years in music schools, privately, and through conservatory preparatory departments to students of all ages. She specializes in both classical and contemporary techniques.

Israeli violist Yehezkel Layoun (1991) earned his bachelor of music (2014) from Temple University as a student of Che-Hung Chen of the Philadelphia Orchestra and a master of music (2016) on full scholarship from Wichita State University, where he was a student of Boris Vayner of the St. Petersburg String Quartet. Most recently, he studied three years in an artist diploma program (2017- 2020) from Rutgers University on full scholarship, under the tutelage of Daniel Panner of the NYC Opera.

Rachel Halvorson currently enjoys a career as a freelance violist and dedicated music teacher based in Houston, Texas. Most recently, she served as an acting section violist in 2023 with the San Diego Symphony. Previously, Rachel spent four seasons as the principal violist for the Sarasota Orchestra and the Sarasota String Quartet.

Bulgarian Violist Raisa, is a member of the English Symphony Orchestra and the Ulster Symphony Orchestra, and performs regularly at The Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, and in many international music festivals in the UK and Europe, plus appearing on ITV and BBC broadcasts. She is an experienced chamber musician, currently performing on a 1845 viola by J.B. Vuillaume and is completing her PhD in solo & chamber Viola repertoire. Raisa teaches at the Junior department of Trinity Laban Conservatoire, in addition to private teaching.

Unrestrained curiosity and a devotion to fundamentals fuel Dan Pappalardo's relationship with music. Performing on both upright bass and bass guitar, Pappalardo has served artists from Billy Hart, Wallace Roney, and Sullivan Fortner to Cautious Clay and John Mayer. Dan has taught across different mediums for more than 15 years. His approach is simple: joy is infectious. He hopes to empower students to break perceived impossibilities into manageable pieces, with and without the bass.

Hunter Farley is currently a Doctoral student at Boston University as well as a Freelance Tubist and Teacher. He also is the director of athletic bands at Bentley University. Before moving to Boston, he received his Masters degree from Northwestern University in Tuba Performance and Undergraduate degree in Music Education at the University of Memphis. While at these institutions, he was an active member of the National Association for Music Education organization and the President of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association Chapter.

Originally from the Delaware Valley, Eric Rizzo is a freelance musician and teacher currently based in New England. He holds degrees from New England Conservatory and Yale School of Music, and is currently in the Doctor of Musical arts program at the University of Connecticut. He has performed with the Hartford Symphony, Phoenix: The Orchestra Reborn, and the Boston Festival Orchestra, as well as at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and Lake George Music Festival.

Nathaniel Meyer is an accomplished trumpet player, and the winner of the National Trumpet Competition and International Trumpet Guild Competition. The Boston Globe described him as "outstanding in the prominent trumpet part, playing with spirit, accuracy, feeling, and beautiful tone". He is the Music Director of Coro Dante, the Italian Opera chorus in residence at the Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts.

Trumpet player, Sam Atlas, is obtaining her Master of Music in Orchestral Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Ethan Bensdorf. As an orchestral musician, Sam has enjoyed performing as principal trumpet with the Manhattan School of Music's Opus 130 Orchestra as well as the Oberlin Orchestra. She has performed in Europe and the U.S. and is on sub lists for a variety of ensembles in NYC. Sam is an avid educator and has taken an active role maintaining a trumpet studio since 2017, focusing on each individual student’s goals.

George Jones is the trombonist for the Reagle Musical Theatre and performs across New England with ensembles like the PSO and BSO of Maine. As one of the first teachers of Virtu.Academy, he has strategies to help all ages and skill levels. He received his B.M. from the Oberlin Conservatory and his M.M. from the San Francisco Conservatory. With the Community Music Center of Boston he developed programs for schools across the city focused on a love of music and the simple fundamentals of brass playing.

Dr. Stephen Whimple is currently an orchestra fellow with The Orchestra Now at Bard College, where he plays tenor, alto, and bass trombone. Previously, Dr. Whimple served as an Instructor and Graduate Teaching Assistant at The University of Alabama. Prior to his doctoral studies, Stephen attended the Juilliard School as an Irene Diamond Graduate Fellow, Music Advancement Program Teaching Fellow, and Morse Teaching Artist Fellow. He completed his bachelor’s degree at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

Patrick Gillespie is a trombonist who has been performing and teaching in the Washington D.C. area for over 20 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from West Virginia University and a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from the University of North Texas. Former teachers include Michael Wheeler, Dr. Keith Jackson and Tony Baker.

Praised for his “saxophone virtuosity” by Downbeat Magazine, Max Bessesen is a rising young saxophonist and composer in New York City. His 2020 debut album Trouble (Ropeadope Records) features Cornettist Ron Miles and was well reviewed by Jazziz, Jazz Times, and Jazzwise. He has performed with musicians like Greg Ward, Dana Hall, and Bobby Broom and his work is supported by The Luminarts Foundation, Pathways to Jazz, and The Frank Huntington Beebe Fund. Max teaches jazz, classical and popular music to his students and is currently pursuing a masters degree at the Manhattan School of Music.

Chris Byars is a steady contributor to the New York City jazz scene as a performer and educator since the early 1990s. He has released sixteen (16) CDs under his name. An award-winning bandleader and composer, Byars has led his group to perform concerts, commissions, recordings, and educational programs all over the world. Byars teaches jazz improvisation as learned from his mentor, the late Dr. Barry Harris.

Named one of Canada's 30 hot classical musicians under 30 for 2020 by CBC Music, Quebec born pianist Jean-Luc Therrien has been an active soloist in Canada and abroad. In the later years, he toured across Quebec and the Maritimes as part of the Jeunesses Musicales Canada’s Emerging Artists Concerts on tour. He also made his orchestral debut in Japan with the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Beethoven’s fourth piano concerto.

American pianist and coach Nicole Cloutier specializes in operatic repertoire. She maintains a working relationship with Kennedy Center, having been an assistant conductor and pianist at Washington National Opera for Blue, La bohème, The Lion the Unicorn and Me, and Turandot. Ms. Cloutier was a resident artist at Merola Opera Center of San Francisco Opera for the 2023 summer season, where she was the principle pianist and coach for Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia.

Shuyi Guan was born in Shenyang, China; being inspired by great musicians at the time she began her career as a pianist at the Middle School attached to Shenyang Conservatory of Music. As a pianist, she received recognition from fellow musicians as she received the Dean's Talent Award of the Oberlin Conservatory, Thaviu/ Issak Endowed Scholarship, and Eckstein Fund at Northwestern University. In addition, she also received scholarships to further improve her musicianship attending the Banff Centre in 2010, 2011, 2012.

Alfonso Hernández is a Doctorate in Musical Arts candidate at the University of Maryland working with Russian pianist Larissa Dedova. Alfonso holds degrees from the University of Houston, Eastman School of Music, and Lynn University; he has participated in many renowned music festivals including the Chautauqua, Aspen, and Zeister Muziekdage in the Netherlands. A passionate educator, Alfonso is Co-founder of the International Chamber Music Festival of Guatemala and has served as visiting faculty at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala.

Alison received her Doctorate in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music in May 2020. She made her Carnegie Hall debut recently with works by Schubert, Rachmaninoff, and Prokofiev. Alison has taught college students and beginner to advanced levels of all ages. She approaches each student as unique and caters the lessons to their individual learning style. Her teaching philosophy aims to develop the imaginative mind, sensitive ears, and technical facility so that students become self-directed learners with a fierce love of music.

Born and raised in Brazil, I started taking piano lessons when I was 7 years old and played in my first recitals and took part in piano competitions by 8 years old. I moved to Curitiba to college, where I took my Bachelor in Music at the School of Fine Arts of Paraná. In 2019, I moved to the USA, where I went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I have been working as piano, music theory and history of music for 9 years and I am looking forward to teach and learn much more.

Jazz pianist, producer and educator Aman Almeida grew up in Bangalore, India. He has played with many distinguished artists including trumpet player Dominick Farinacci, film scorer Terence Blanchard and tenor saxophonist Ernie Krivda. In 2021, Aman received his B.M in professional music from the Berklee College of Music, Boston.

Liza Wu is a classical pianist/keyboardist, performing regularly in Manhattan, as well as internationally. She is an affiliate of Barnard/Columbia, NYU, Avenues, Marsalis RMPBB, and studio pianist of renowned vocalists Josephine Mongiardo, Harolyn Blackwell, and Catherine Malfitano. (Prev: Holy Trinity Archdiocesan Cathedral, Interlochen Arts Camps, School for Strings, Prof Perf Arts School, Westchester Cons, NY Youth Symph Singers, Columbia Artists' Theatricals, Bx Opera, Chelsea Opera & Orch, Concerts in Motion, 'Smash' (NBC).

Arianna Giesbrecht is a graduate of the highly selective Accelerated B.M./M.M. Program at The Juilliard School under the guidance of Jerome Lowenthal and Hung-Kuan Chen. She has appeared in performance ranging from a piano arrangement of the national anthem at the Cleveland Indians Home Opener to a performance of Chopin's Concerto No. 2 with orchestra. Arianna is passionate about the growth of all students and believes in creating and fostering a positive environment where her students have the abilities to grow as both musicians and individuals.

Dr. Michael Kaykov earned his Undergraduate degree from Mannes College of Music, Master’s degree from Juilliard, and DMA at the Manhattan School of Music (dissertation: “The Evolution of Alexander Scriabin’s Harmonic Language and Pianistic Textures Across his Etudes Op. 8, 42 and 65”.) His scholarly articles have been published in Europe. An album featuring the works of Chopin was released in the Fall of 2022. A third all-Liszt album will be issued by Odradek Records in 2024.

DR. LYDIA CONSILVIO is an oboist, arranger, and music educator. She has performed with a variety of orchestras, including the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Chamber Orchestra, and Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Notably, part of her recording of Pasculli’s “Le Api” appeared on the “Telling the Bees” episode of the popular BBC Radio 3 broadcast series, Between the Ears.

Korey Brodsky is a mandolinist and guitarist from the New England area where he built strong roots in the local bluegrass music scene. He has been featured in numerous publications such as Flatpicking Guitar Magazine and Bluegrass Unlimited, was a 2013 IBMA Youth All Star, a member of the 2018 Acoustic Music Seminar, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, a finalist in the 2021 Freshgrass guitar awards, and a member of the international touring group Mile Twelve who released their third full length album in February of 2023.

Antonia Chandler lives in Lisbon, Portugal, where she plays 2nd/4th horn with the Orquestra Gulbenkian. Originally from Seattle Washington, Antonia earned a Master of Music and a Master of Musical Arts from the Yale School of Music, where she studied with Bill Purvis, and a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin Conservatory where she studied with Roland Pandolfi and received Kappa Lambda Honors. With over 10 years of teaching experience, Antonia enjoys teaching all ages and skill levels, and believes learning to play the horn should be fun and engaging!

Liana Hoffman is currently Fourth Horn of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. She has performed with the Houston Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, the Charlotte Symphony, and the London Symphony Orchestra and recently played as a soloist with the MSM Symphony Orchestra. She has participated in festivals around the country and gained her philosophy of horn playing from stellar teachers and colleagues along the way. With years of teaching/coaching experience, Liana is eager to make the horn fun for her students!

Singaporean classical harpist, Ashley Lim Cheng Wei, is a current fellow at The Orchestra Now where she holds the position of principal harpist. Since starting the harp at age fourteen, Ashley has performed internationally in major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Met Museum, Symphony Space, the Esplanade and Victoria Concert Hall among others. As an active orchestral musician, she has played with The Orchestra Now, Buffalo Philharmonic , CCM Philharmonia, RCM Orchestra, Orchestra of the Music Makers, Re: Mix (Singapore) and Jakarta Symphony Orchestra.

Over the years Roni Eytan has developed a unique way of playing the harmonica, by drawing on influences from a wide range of music, transcending the traditional sonorities associated with the instrument, and achieving a singular musical voice. Still only in his twenties, Roni has already performed with a galaxy of world-renowned musicians, such as bassists John Patitucci and Eddie Gomez, drummer Brian Blade, pianist-vocalist Kevin Hays and pianist John Beasley.

Upon moving to New Jersey in 2010, Ryan was gradually exposed to the New York metropolitan area jazz scene, becoming enamored with it. This passion led him to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's jazz program and the New Jersey Youth Jazz Orchestra. Ryan graduated from the William Paterson Jazz Program in 2020 and plays regularly in Manhattan at various restaurants and bars. He is currently enrolled at the Manhattan School of Music to further pursue his studies in jazz music.

Benjamin Ellis is adjunct professor of Guitar and director of the Classical Guitar Ensemble at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and the St. Peter’s Community Arts Academy. Ellis performs regularly and has been a featured soloist at festivals, universities and concert venues throughout the north east. Ellis is an active teacher in the Syracuse area and has been featured as a guest instructor at Syracuse University, Mansfield University and the Eastern U.S. Music Camp at Colgate University.

I'm a professional guitarist and educator based in Chicago, IL. I graduated from Oberlin's Double Degree program in Jazz Guitar Performance, and currently perform in projects that range from jazz and improvised music to country and indie rock. I welcome students of all ages and all experience levels.

Guitarist Emmett Sher grew up in Staten Island, New York. Coming from a musical family he started guitar at a young age and decided early on to pursue music professionally. Emmett went to Laguardia High School, the Brubeck Institute Fellowship program and finally, Oberlin Conservatory. At Oberlin, Emmett was awarded the Wendell and Bettye Logan Prize in Studies. Last summer, Emmett toured with various bands across the United States as well as Portugal. Emmett recently won second place in the Jarek Smietana Jazz Guitar competition.

Leonid Morozov is a 5th generation musician in his family. Before coming to the US Leonid successfully established himself on the Russian jazz scene: participated multiple times in the “Jazz Province” Festival (years 2014,2015,2016 and 2017) and “Lundstrem-fest-100”. Led his own gigs in the top tier Moscow jazz clubs like “Esse”, “Kozlov Club”, “B.B. King club” as well as played as a side man with famous Russian and European jazz musicians.

Luca Ferrara is a guitarist and composer with an extensive background in jazz. He holds a BM from New England Conservatory, where he studied primarily with Joe Morris. Luca aims to teach his students the importance of finding their own unique voice in their craft, and how to refine their technique and musicianship to help carry that voice forward. He believes a strong foundation in the fundamentals of one's instrument and music theory is essential. Inspiration from jazz, bluegrass, and folk music can be heard in his latest original work.

Colombian Flutist Laura del Sol Jiménez performed with the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra and Colombia National Symphony Orchestra before moving to New York in 2016. Laura has also appeared as a soloist, chamber musician, and with orchestras in China, Japan, Israel, Italy, Argentina, Chile, and throughout the United States. In 2015, Laura founded the Linos trio, which toured South America and produced an album premiering music of contemporary Latin American composers. Laura serves as flute faculty at the Portland Conservatory of Music and Director of the Conservatory’s Preparatory Program.

My name is Kelsey and I'm currently finishing up my masters at Juilliard. I'm very passionate about flute, teaching, animals, languages, and pop culture. I teach a variety of different types of music, so sign up, let me know what music you like, and let's get started :)

Born in Toronto, Canada, Keilan Aplin-Siegel has found herself deeply entwined in traditional American fiddle music. Her first exposure to traditional music was in high school, when she began learning banjo from a local instructor in Toronto. Fiddle music has largely driven her trajectory since then: following high school she performed in various folk bands/duos in Dawson City, Toronto, and Montreal, and spent a year studying Norwegian fiddle music in Rauland, Norway. After relocating to the Southern US four years ago, she has been teaching and performing in Western North Carolina and Eastern

Chase Elodia is a drummer and composer whose debut album, “Space Between,” was released in July 2020. He has performed in Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Greece, Jordan, Netherlands, Switzerland, and across the United States. He holds a BA in English and a BM in Music from Oberlin Conservatory, an MM from Berklee College of Music, and an Artist Diploma from Musik Akademie Basel. As a teacher, he has worked with students of all levels and abilities for over 10 years, and has had his virtual teaching featured in Drum! Magazine.

Ricardo Guerra is a Cuban-American drummer/percussionist, composer, and educator based in Miami, FL. Most recently, he started a Master's degree in performance at Global Jazz Institute at Berklee, where he has had the opportunity of studying with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, and Kris Davis, among others. Ricardo's teaching experience includes over 20 private students in his studio at a time, as well as work with non-profit organizations in Miami and virtual teaching in Panama and Costa Rica.

Justin is a Chicago-based Composer and Conductor with degrees from Oberlin Conservatory, Royal Academy of Music (London), and is currently a PhD Fellow at the University of Chicago. His music has been performed by groups such as the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Vertixe Sonora, the CHROMA Ensemble, the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble and has received awards and recognitions from ASCAP, YoungArts, Tribeca New Music, and Encore Wind Ensemble. Justin has taught at John Tyler Community College (Virginia) and The Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra's Young Composer Mentor Program.

Garrett Rose is a composer that takes his backgrounds as a large-ensemble arranger, world-folk-music lover, and rock-band songwriter (for his band, Standby) to create curious and unexplored worlds for podcasts, games, and other media.

Composer Adam Billings is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where he studied with revered composer and teacher Dr. Robert Beaser on scholarship. As an instructor, Adam enriches his students’ perspectives on contemporary music, philosophy and aesthetic style. In addition, he believes that it is crucial for young composers and musicians to understand the working world that they are headed into. Adam hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the world of music education for composers and musicians alike.

Composer Soomin Kim loves to explore intimacy and familiarity through her music. Soomin received three Morton Gould Young Composer Awards from the ASCAP Foundation in 2019, 2020, and 2022 respectively with her works conjunctions, THE EIGHTH SONG, and star / ghost / mouth / sea. She was also the composer-in-residence with the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra during their 2017-18 concert season, for whom she wrote The Blue Marble.

Hailing from Philadelphia, Max Reese is currently an in-demand freelancer and educator in the Chicago area. He is currently an associate member at the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and a frequent substitute with the Milwaukee Symphony. He completed a master’s degree under the tutelage of Stephen Williamson, principal clarinet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Prior to that, he received a bachelor’s in music from the Oberlin Conservatory studying with Richard Hawkins, and has additionally studied with Charles Salinger.

Michael Kissinger began his career at age 16 when he produced his first concert featuring legendary jazz clarinetist Woody Herman. He is Artistic Director of Bravo! Concerts Northwest and the Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival. He is a Guest Conductor of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra and was Artistic Director of the Dubrovnik Jazz Festival in a 5-year project with the City of Dubrovnik, Croatia. Michael has been a clarinetist and conductor with artists ranging from Jose Feliciano, Diane Schuur, Brubeck Brothers, and the Oregon String Quartet.

Alex Dergal currently lives in Kansas City, Kansas where he dedicates his time to teaching music to the youngest in the community. Alex’s pedagogy is summarized in his mission statement: utilizing music to instill within students the confidence and skills they need to navigate the world around them. He also performs on clarinet and saxophone for classical and jazz repertoires. Alex holds degrees in performance from Oberlin Conservatory and the Yale School of Music. In his free time Alex reads books, writes stories and rides his bike.

A native of Santiago, Chile, Axel Vallejos is a graduate of Rice University, where he completed his Master’s degree in cello performance. He received his Bachelor of Music at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, a Professional Performance Certificate, and a Master of Music degree from Lynn University.

A graduate of the Royal Music Conservatory in Brussels and the Academy of Music in Cracow, Magdalena performs across Europe, Asia and the Americas, and appeared in renowned concert halls such as Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, BOZAR in Brussels, Witold Lutoslawski Studio in Warsaw, NCPA in Mumbai. Currently a doctoral candidate at UW Madison, she is a recipient of the Paul Collins Wisconsin Distinguished Fellowship and a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship.

Dr. Zachary Preucil serves as principal cellist of the La Crosse Symphony, teaches privately in Madison, WI, and is active as a performer and guest clinician throughout the midwest. He holds degrees in Cello Performance from the New England Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and previously served on the faculties of the Music Institute of Chicago, Music for Youth, and the Kanack School of Musical Artistry. Dr. Preucil has registered training in the Suzuki Cello Method.

A versatile cellist and teacher, Dr. Henry Myers has delighted audiences with his dazzling blend of technique and shrewd musicianship. As chamber musician and recitalist, he has performed throughout the United States, with recent engagements including concerts at the Eastman School in Rochester, New York, Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri. Henry is also an accomplished soloist, having given a notable performance of William Walton's Cello Concerto with the Eastman Philharmonia in 2018.

Cellist Maya Enstad holds a B.M. in cello performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She has appeared as a recitalist at the Bellingham Festival of Music’s “Welcome Home” concert series and has held fellowship positions at the Marrowstone Music Festival and at Bamfield’s Music by the Sea. With a background in both performance and education, Maya studied string pedagogy and elementary education at Oberlin. She believes in student-centered learning and designs individualized lessons based on her students’ goals and interests.

Nik Hooks has enjoyed a varied career as a chamber, orchestra, and solo performer, having concertized in renowned venues across the globe. In 2019, he won the Principal Bassoon position with the Billings Symphony Orchestra and was the grand prize winner of the Sherman Walt Merit Award Competition. He holds a Performance Studies Certificate from The Colburn School and a Bachelor of Music from the New England Conservatory. His primary teachers include Judith Leclair, Richard Beene, Richard Svoboda, and Rick Ranti.

Tony has been on the NYC World Beat, Rock, R&B, Jazz and contemporary Jazz scene for over 30 years, playing with world renowned musicians including; the Brazilian Power Samba band Pe De Bois, Babatunde Olatunji and Drums of Passion, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Terry Reid, Michal Urbaniak, Walter Bishop Jr., Randy Brecker, Michael Wolff, Badal Roy, Jeremy Wall (Spyro Gyra), Brian Kean, Frank Colon, Vic Juris, Jimmy Ponder and Carmen Lundy. He has toured Japan, Europe, Russia and the US with various artists and his own world- beat/contemporary j

Amy is currently a diversity fellow with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She received her Bachelor’s from Lynn University, and a Master’s from Yale University. She enjoys being a teaching artist with the Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Inc. As well as with the Volta Music Foundation in Havana, Cuba.

Ethan Philion is an award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader based in Chicago. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and DePaul University, Philion was the winner of the 2019 International Society of Bassists Jazz Competition. In 2020, Philion was selected to Chicago's prestigious Luminarts Jazz Fellowship. Philion was a 2015 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Artist in Residence at the Kennedy Center and holds two Downbeat Student Music Awards for Outstanding Soloist and Outstanding Small Ensemble.

Eli Heath is an emerging American bassist, composer, and musical director. He has appeared on recordings and at major festivals and venues across North America, Europe, and Brazil with artists including Kenny Werner, Luciana Souza, Charles Neville, Dominick Farinacci, and Jamey Haddad. Eli holds a BM/BA from Oberlin College and Conservatory in Africana Studies and Jazz Performance and is currently completing a master’s degree in Contemporary Performance at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute in Boston.

Sami Braman has been playing the fiddle since she was 6 years old, coming up amid the festivals and communities of the Pacific Northwest’s vibrant traditional music scene. She is a founding member of award-winning old-time band, The Onlies, a recipient of the Vinson Award for musical excellence, and a composer of tunes which have made their way into festival sessions across the country. Sami now teaches and performs across the U.S., and has appeared onstage alongside Laurie Lewis, Bruce Molsky, Elvis Costello, Chris Eldridge, and Darol Anger.