2019 Texas Music Festival Orchestra Fellows

Arturo Balmaceda is a violinist from Poway, California and a graduate of Chapman University where he studied with William Fitzpatrick. There he served in The Chapman Orchestra as principal second violin for three years and received the Temianka Scholarship in String Studies and the Chancellor’s Scholarship. Arturo has also participated in the Opera Maya International Music Festival where he served as assistant concertmaster. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at California State University Long Beach and is studying with Moni Simeonov.

In addition to his love of music, Arturo also has a passion for cooking, fitness, and birds.

Isabella Bengochea is a second year violin performance undergraduate at University of Houston’s Moores School of Music in the studio of Andrzej Grabiec. She was a three-year Music Doing Good scholarship recipient, a member of TMEA Texas All-State Orchestra, Northern America Young Artist Symphony, AFA Symphony Orchestra, Stratford Playhouse Orchestra, and Houston Youth Symphony (HYS). At HYS she was in the Symphony Orchestra, Concertmaster for the Sinfonia Orchestra, and a violinist in the Strings Trio. Isabella has participated in several master classes including violinist Oleg Sulyga and violist James Dunham. She won First Prize at the 2016 Casa Argentina Young Musician Competition and First Prize of 2016 Stratford HS Orchestra Concerto Competition.

Isabella is passionate about orchestral and chamber music. She currently performs with the Moores School of Music symphony, opera, and ballet orchestra, a String Quintet, and the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra as a Substitute Violinist. 

Wenting Bian, originally from China, started violin when she was 5 years old. She had won first prize for China National Youth Competition in 2010, 2012 and 2014. She was concertmistress in Nanjing No.1 High School Symphony Orchestra which had performed in Australia, Germany and Austria. She just completed her Bachler’s degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education in California Baptist University. She will continue to pursue her Master’s degree in Violin Performance at Northwestern University in the fall. 

Christine Binzel is a native of Lexington, Massachusetts and graduate of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts and the Cleveland Institute of Music where she received Academic Honors while studying with Joan Kwuon. Christine completed a Master’s Degree in Violin performance with Sergiu Schwartz at the Schwob School of Music in Columbus, GA. Christine is currently pursuing a Performer's Diploma at Southern Methodist University with Emanuel Borok In past summers, Christine has attended Meadowmount School of Music, Brevard Music Center, as well as the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Round Top Festival Institute. 

Sabrina Bradford is a violinist from Washington, DC, and a current Master of Music student at the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Stephen Rose. Prior to attending CIM, she received her Bachelor of Music from Vanderbilt University, studying with Dr. Carolyn Huebl.
 
Sabrina is particularly interested in orchestral performance and plays regularly as a substitute with the Nashville Symphony. Prior to attending TMF, she has studied at the National Orchestral Institute, Sarasota Music Festival, Kent/Blossom Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival and School, where she received an Orchestral Fellowship two years in a row.
 
Sabrina plays on a 1998 violin by Tschu Ho Lee on generous loan from the Virtu Foundation. 

Originally from Inwood, WV, Elijah Bui received his undergraduate degree in violin performance from West Virginia University, studying with Dr. Mikylah McTeer. He is currently pursuing his Masters degree in performance, studying with Dr. Kirsten Yon at the University of Houston Moores School of Music, where he serves as a graduate assistant. An avid chamber musician and contemporary music enthusiast, he has performed with the West Virginia Symphony, AURA contemporary ensemble, West Virginia New Music Ensemble, and the Prometheus String Quartet- winners of several chamber music competitions.  

Alan Chan is currently completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at the University of Louisville. A Louisville native, Alan started violin at age ten and began lessons through UofL’s String Academy. His principal teachers have been J. Patrick Rafferty, David Updegraff, and currently Brittany MacWilliams. Alongside performing, Alan is a passionate educator, frequently assisting public school directors as well as conducting ensembles and teaching music theory. He has attended Sewanee Summer Music Festival the previous two summers and this summer, in addition to TMF, Alan will perform in Costa Rica’s National Theater with UofL’s Sinfonietta and attend Wintergreen Music. 

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Luis Gutiérrez Fonseca began learning the violin at 11. He recently completed his Bachelor’s degree in violin performance at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music where he studied with Kirsten Yon. He performed year-round in the Moores Symphony, Chamber, Opera, and Ballet Orchestras and the Galveston Symphony Orchestra. He has performed in masterclasses for Bill Preucil, Jeff Thayer, Sharman Plesner, Modigliani String Quartet and others. Additionally, he has attended music festivals and workshops such as ARIA, UNT Summer String Institute, Naolinco Chamber Music Festival, Cambridge International String Academy, and the Liberec International Violin Academy. 

I was born and raised in Houston and just graduated from Clear Lake High School. I started playing the violin at age 10 studying with Ton Ta, and then the past 2 years with Dr. Kirsten Yon at the University of Houston. I have studied with Felix Olschofka at the Summer String Institute at the University of North Texas, Ms. Danielle Belen at the Cambridge International String Academy, and Dr. Lin He at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. I have been a part of the TMEA Allstate orchestras the past 2 years. 

Claudia Holm, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studies with David Neely. Claudia began violin at the age of three and has been involved in studio and community arts events since the age of four. She is heavily involved in chamber music as a member of the Amore String Quartet, regularly performing in the Lincoln community and for university events. She currently plays with Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, and the UNL Philharmonia and Symphony Orchestras, where she currently serves as concertmaster. 

Grace Kimbrough grew up in Nashville, TN where she began playing the violin at age 4. She is an avid orchestral and chamber musician, having performed both in the US and abroad in a myriad of chamber music settings, and currently performing as a substitute violinist in numerous symphony orchestras across the US.

Grace holds a Master of Music degree in violin performance from Texas Christian University, and a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from Lipscomb University.

Grace has performed in masterclasses given by Glenn Dicterow, Lucie Robert, Joel Smirnoff, Sara Sant’Ambrogio, Frank Almond, Cyrus Forough, Lavard Skou Larsen, Blair Milton, Gerardo Ribeiro, Jeffrey Multer, Matthias Tacke, and Anna Kijanowska. 

Holly Knoch is from Flower Mound, Texas and will be starting her junior year at the University of Houston, pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance.  She currently studies under Dr. Kirsten Yon and, since starting her degree, has participated in the Cambridge International Violin Academy in England and the Liberec International Violin Academy in the Czech Republic.  In addition to classical music, Holly enjoys freelancing at churches.  Holly plans to pursue a Master’s degree in performance and continue her ambitions as a freelance and studio musician.   

Jason Martin, 21, is an undergraduate music performance major at the University of Missouri St. Louis where he is a student of John McGrosso, and is the concertmaster of the University Orchestra. Jason is also a member of the Universities New Music Ensemble, and has been a member of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra for four seasons. This will be Jason’s second summer at the Texas Music Festival. He hopes to someday play in a professional

orchestra.

Vietnamese native violinist Thien-Truc Nguyen holds aViolin Performance Degree from the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music in Vietnam and a Bachelor of Music Degree in violin performance from the University of South Florida where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Thien-Truc has performed as a soloist and has collaborated with various instrumentalists in diverse settings. She has traveled internationally to Italy, Korea, and Vietnam to perform solo recitals and chamber music concerts. Thien-Truc has performed with several orchestras in both Viet Nam and the United States, including the Ho Chi Minh city Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera, the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, and the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra. Thien-Truc is currently a candidate for a Master in Violin Performance at the University of Houston where she studies under the supervision of the professor, Dr. Kirsten Yon. 

Kamilla Nurmatova, 19 years old. She graduated from the specialized music lyceum named after Viktor Uspensky in 2018, in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). At the moment, first-year student Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore, the studio of Professor Zuo Jun. A few years earlier, she participated in the “New Names” youth festival in Russia. Also participating in various competitions and festivals in countries such as Italy, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. In Uzbekistan, she worked in the youthful chamber orchestra "Young Talents" for a year, and also participated as a soloist in many concerts. She had the opportunity to work with such famous professors as Shlomo Mintz and Mikhail Gotsdiner. 

Ayrton Pisco, from Brasilia, Brazil, is a first prize winner of the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus’ Young Artists Competition, the Grossmont Music Scholarship Council Competition, the Giavanna Kersulis Memorial Endowment Scholarship Auditions and the San Diego State University Concerto Competition, and has been awarded in numerous other competitions, both in the United States and in Brazil. Masterclass appearances includeGil Shaham, Ani Kavafian and Miriam Fried, among others. Mr. Pisco currently studies at the University of Southern California with Margaret Batjer.

Raised in New York, NY, Edan Sabah has studied with the highly-renowned violinist Yukako Tarumi since the age of seven. He has been a member of the Tarumi Violinists for nearly twenty years, performing regularly in concert nationally and internationally. He received both his B.M. and M.M. in violin performance from the Hartt School, where he has studied violin with Anton Miller. Edan has also taken part in numerous festivals where he studied with such pedagogues as Oleh Krysa, Sherban Lupu, and Robert DePasquale. Edan recently performed as concertmaster for a perofmance of 'Don Quixote.'

Katya Schane, from Oberlin, Ohio, began studying violin at age 8. Summer experiences at Brevard Music Center and the Meadowmount School of Music solidified Katya's desire to become a professional musician. In high school, Katya spent two years in San Domenico School’s Virtuoso Program in California, focusing on chamber music while developing her solo playing under her teacher, Ivan Zenaty at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Katya greatly enjoys the collaborative nature of music. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music at SMU, studying with Emanuel Borok. In addition to music, Katya is pursuing a degree in Biology.

Juliet Schreiber is a Florida native that has been playing the violin for 16 years. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance under the tutelage of Benjamin Sung, as well as a degree in International Affairs. She has acted as Assistant Concertmaster and Assistant Second Violin of the Florida State University Philharmonic Orchestra. She also freelances, appearing with groups such as the Panama City Pops and others. She is a passionate chamber musician, and won the FMEA Chamber Competition in 2016. In the future, Juliet hopes to combine her two majors by bringing  sustainable music programs to impoverished areas internationally. 

Julia Tondera, who is from Warsaw, Poland, started her journey with music at the age of 3 when encouraged by her parents she started playing piano. When she picked up the violin at age of 7, she began to win numerous solo and chamber music competitions and used many opportunities to perform as a professional musician, also as a soloist with the orchestras. Julia is currently on her way towards obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in violin performance in the studio of Doctor Kirsten Yon at Moores school of Music. 

An Tran is a violinist with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Violin Performance and Mathematics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her teachers include Anne Nagosky, David Neely, and Mary Roseberry-Brown.  A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, An started playing violin at the age of 9 through Lincoln Public Schools’ strings program. While at UNL, she performed as concertmaster of the UNL Symphony Orchestra and has served as principal second violin of UNL Philharmonia. She currently performs as a substitute violinist in Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra and is involved in chamber music with the Amore String Quartet. Next fall, An will be pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Colorado Boulder.  

Weijia (William) Wang is a violinist based in the DMV area. From a young age, William has participated and led numerous festival and youth orchestras in the Philadelphia area and the state of Pennsylvania. As an avid chamber musician, William has attended chamber music festivals such as the International Music Festival and Workshop in Germany and Castle Quartet Program in Fredonia, NY.

William is currently studying with Qing Li, principal second violin of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University.  

Therese West is currently studying privately with David Kim, the Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Therese is a substitute violinist for the New World Symphony, Delaware Symphony orchestra, Canton Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, Ashland Symphony, Butler County Symphony, and Westmoreland Symphony. She is currently doing a trial season with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra as second violin principal. Before studying with David Kim, Therese graduated from Baldwin Wallace Conservatory with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance with a Chamber Music Emphasis. Therese has previously attended the National Repertory Orchestra Festival, Marrowstone Music Festival, National Music Festival, American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS), and Pierre Monteux Music Festival.  In the fall, Therese plans to attend Carnegie Mellon University to pursue an Advanced Music Studies Performance Certificate.    
 

Amy recently is doing her Violin Performance Master Degree with Dr. Jennifer Dalmas in Stephen F. Austin State University. She has been the Concertmaster of the SFA Orchestra of the Pines, under the baton of Dr. Pierre-Alain Chevalier. Amy is an active violinist who is well experienced in both classical and functional events performances. She had participated in different gigs, concerts, competitions, music festivals and masterclasses in Hong Kong, Thailand, U.S.A., Russia, Czech Republic and Slovakia.  

I began study the violin at 5. And I studied with one of the best soloist in China, Lixin Chen. I was also talent at studying academy courses. I was in the best academic school in
China, RDFZ. But the passion for music encourages me to go to music school. Now, I am a student in MSM precollege division. I really like music and I wish music could accompany with me whole life.

Chinese Violinist Yue Yang currently studies with Professor Carole Cole at Lynn University Conservatory of Music, where she was awarded this year’s Boca West scholarship. Her other recent awards include the alternate designation of 2018 Lynn Concerto Competition and silver winner of The Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow Competition. Yue started learning the violin at 4; during her undergraduate studies at Bryn Mawr College, she decided to major in music. As soloist she has performed with the Lynn Philharmonia, the Bryn Mawr-Haverford College Orchestra and the National Music Festival Orchestra. Yue plays a William Hill & Sons violin made in 1895.

Maggie Alvarez is a current undergraduate student at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She began her musical studies in viola through a school string program at the age of 10. In high school, Maggie participated in Region Orchestra for 6 year, 4 of those years in the top orchestra and 2 of those years as the principle player. Maggie has also accomplished being in the Texas All State Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras two consecutive years. She has studied under teachers like Marisa Bushman, Daniel Reinker, Chauncey Patterson. She currently is a section member of the Concert Orchestra at the Jacobs School of Music where she studies with Stephen Wyrczynski. In her spare time, Maggie likes to cook and play with her cat. 

Aaron Barrera is a violist who currently resides in Edinburg, Texas. He is majoring in performance at UTRGV under the guidance of Dr. Pagan. Aaron is a section violist of the Valley Symphony Orchestra and principal of the UTRGV Symphony Orchestra. Aaron has won many awards and positions throughout his study such as: principal violist for two years in the TMEA All-Region orchestra, TMEA All-State Philharmonic Orchestra section violist, and TSSEC Outstanding Soloist. In the Summer of 2018, Aaron participated in the Round Top Festival Institute where he had the opportunity to study with Brett Deubner and Susan Dubois. 

William Ford-Smith is a professional violist who grew up in Queens, NY.  Mr. Ford-Smith received his B.M. from The Eastman School of Music in 2014.  He studied under George Taylor associate professor of viola and participated in the Honors Chamber Program with the Ying Quartet.  While at Eastman Mr. Ford-Smith won the Honors Chamber competition in 2011.  He attended Kent Blossom Summer Music Festival in the summer of 2011 and 2012 where he was able to play side by side with the Cleveland Symphony. Mr. Ford-Smith has had the opportunity to perform chamber, solo and orchestral repertoire in Europe while attending Assisi Summer Music Festival in 2014 and AIMS Graz in the summers of 2016 and 2017.  He recently won a section position with The Symphony of Westchester and has been a recurring substitute for the Binghamton Philharmonic. He is currently attending the Conservatory of Music at Lynn University where he is studying with Ralph Fielding.  

Isaac Fuentes began his musical studies at age 9 on the viola. He has since been involved with organizations such as the Sphinx Performance Academy, the Cactus Pear Music Festival, and the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio. Additionally, he is the recipient of the Colburn Pledge Music Scholarship, was a member of the TMEA all state Philharmonic, and has received various other awards/scholarships from around the San Antonio area. Throughout high school Isaac studied privately with Emily Freudigman, and he is currently entering his second year in the viola studio of Roger Myers at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Originally from Tomball, TX, Danny Jordan is a senior studying Viola Performance under the tutelage of Barbara Sudweeks at Southern Methodist University. They began their viola studies at age eleven in their local school orchestra program, during which time they studied with Penelope Meitz and Lawrence Wheeler. As a student at SMU, Danny has had the privilege of performing on some of Dallas’s largest stages, including the Meyerson Symphony Center and, most recently, a performance as Principal Viola at the Winspear Opera House. In their free time, they enjoy cooking, studying Spanish, and playing video games with their boyfriend. 

Erlene Koh, Viola, is from Singapore and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Music degree in viola performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She is studying with Stanley Konopka, Associate Principal Viola of The Cleveland Orchestra. She has performed in viola masterclasses with Robert Vernon, Wesley Collins, Choong-Jin Chang, Karin Brown, Katherine Murdock and Daniel Foster. Erlene, with her quartet (Heilerin Quartet), has participated in CIM’s Intensive String Quartet Seminar (2017) and in the Cuban Youth Orchestra exchange program (2018). In her previous summers, she has attended Asian Youth Orchestra, Kent Blossom Music Festival and National Orchestral Institute.  

The 2019 Texas Music Festival will be a playing reunion for Francis with Mr. Franz Krager. Mr. Krager instructed him and guided him for three years at Virtuosi of Houston, a premier youth orchestra. Francis became the group’s Principal Viola his third year. Under Mr. Krager’s guidance, Francis was chosen in 2015 and 2016 to play in the Honor Orchestra of America in Indianapolis, Indiana and was awarded by Southern Methodist University a four year full scholarship to study Viola Performance.

Francis, now starting his senior year at Southern Methodist University, studies with Barbara Sudweeks, retired Principal Violist at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. While at SMU Francis has performed with The World Music Ensemble, the Meadows Symphony Orchestra, and the Mighty Meadows Wind Ensemble. In the past Francis has been a member of the The Idyllwild Summer festival of the arts studying with Paul and Gina Coletti of the Colburn School. Been invited to the Miami Music festival to study with Roberto Diaz from the Curtis Institute.

Performed at The Wintergreen Summer Music Festival studying with both Ann Marie Brink from SMU, DePaul University and the Dallas Symphony, and, Steve Larson from the Hartt School of Music. Additionally, Francis studies conducting with Dr. Jack Delaney at Southern Methodist. 

Emma Reynolds is a violist currently studying with Suzanne LeFevre at the University of Houston. Emma began playing at the age of 9 and over the years she has played with the youth orchestras of San Antonio, the Texas All-state orchestra, and as a young artist fellow in the Cactus Pear chamber festival. She freelances and teaches around the Houston area. In her free time she likes to spend time with her cats and her boyfriend Kyle Rivera, another TMF violist. 

Kyle Rivera began playing the viola in 6th grade but found a passion for music when he started composing late in high school. Over the years, Kyle has written works for the AURA Contemporary Ensemble, Houston Grand Opera, the Kenari Quartet, Kingwood Park High School, and the Houston Symphony. Additionally, he has served as assistant director for the Texas Strings Camp and Festival.  Outside of music, Kyle spends much of his time in the gym and completing a kinesiology degree to become a physical therapist. He currently works with the Houston Symphony and with First Models Agency in the Woodlands.  

Elmer Carter III has been playing cello for 8 years, and is studying cello performance at Oklahoma City University with Professor Tomasz Zieba. He has performed in the Oklahoma All-State Orchestra three times, the North Central Honor’s Orchestra, and the Oklahoma Youth Orchestra. He has worked with distinguished artists such as Jeffrey Grogan, Gerald Schwartz, Julian Schwartz, Alexander Mickelthwate, Joshua Roman, Dr. Tess Remy-Schumacher, Andres Diaz, Christopher Adkins, and Dr. Jonathan Ruck. Elmer won second place for the college division of the Ladies Music Club of Oklahoma City Music Scholarship Competition, and will also be featured in the Honor’s Recital of the Oklahoma City University Concerto Competition in September. Elmer hopes to one day become a symphony musician while teaching in his own private studio.  

Native to Houston, Tx., Omar began playing cello at the age of 15. Omar started his musical studies at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music to study with Vagram Saradjian, a student of Mstilav Rostropovich. Omar has performed in masterclasses for Istvan Vardai, Suren Bagratuni, and the Escher String Quartet. While in school, Omar has been an active freelancer in and around the Houston area. He has performed as a substitute in the Galveston Symphony, Texas Medical Center Orchestra and the Symphony of Southeast Texas.

Omar will be completing his undergraduate studies in fall 2019 and hopes to pursue a Master of Music afterwards.  

Sarah Huesman is from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and began studying cello at the age of 6. She attended high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she studied privately with Brooks Whitehouse.

Sarah recently graduated with a Bachelors of Music from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. She studied with Ross Harbaugh and was an active member of the Stamps String Quartet. Sarah has performed in masterclasses for Zuill Bailey, Paul Watkins, and Sir James Galway.

Sarah is currently a Masters student at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and a student of Alan Rafferty.  

Currently pursuing his masters at the University of Michigan Hari Khalsa has had an extensive and varied career as a cellist. From Broomfield, Colorado, he has performed in masterclasses for Gal Faganel, Deborah Pae, Brian Manker, Amir Eldan, Laurence Lesser, and Alisa Weilerstein. Including performance, he has a passion for teaching which has led him to pursue a minor in Suzuki Pedagogy. He has been to Bowdoin Music Festival, Hidden Valley Masterclass Seminars, and Kent/Blossom Music Festival. His primary teachers include Mark Kosower and Anthony Elliott. 

Elizabeth Lee began her cello studies with Metta Watts when she was ten in Philadelphia. She has been involved with Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, Temple Music Prep, and Settlement Music School. From winning competitions to performing with orchestras, she has appeared in well-known venues including the Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Center, the Adrienne Arsht Center, and the Seoul Arts Performing Center. She performs as a member of the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and rotates with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Elizabeth is currently pursuing her master’s degree with Alan Rafferty at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. 

Cellist Hannah Soren is an active performer in chamber, orchestral, and solo settings. She is currently building her private studio and has been an active teacher in Boston’s Immigration Families Services Institute.  Hannah recently completed her Master's in Cello Performance at The Boston Conservatory and will continue her education through the Professional Studies program under the tutelage of Andrew Mark.

Hannah Veazey, from Minot, North Dakota, just completed her sophomore year at Minot State University, working towards a degree in Cello Performance with Dr. Erik Anderson. She has studied cello since the age of 8, including work with Caroline Busser while living in Germany from 2014-2016. Hannah has attended summer festivals including the Eastman Cello Institute, Dakota Chamber Music, University of Utah Chamber Music Workshop, and High Peaks Music Festival. She won the High School Soloist Competition in Minot in 2014, placed third in the national Jugend Musiziert Wettbewerb in 2016, and placed second in the Bismarck Concerto Competition in 2018.  

Matthew Daily, a native Houstonian, has played double bass for 8 years. He started just before 6thgrade, studying with Eric Larson of the Houston Symphony. He currently is a freshman studying at Northwestern University with Andrew Raciti. In that time, Matthew has been a part of Houston Youth Symphony, Texas All-State Orchestra, and American Festival for the Arts. In 2017, Matthew attended Interlochen Camp for the Arts on a full scholarship. Matthew has also performed in masterclass with bassist such as Tracy Rowell and Rachel Calin. 

Ian Donovan, a Houston native, began studying the double bass at age 9. He attended the High School for Performing and Visual Arts for both classical and jazz music. He also has participated in the Houston Youth Symphony, TMEA All-State Orchestras, as well as being awarded as a semi-finalist in the International Society if Bassists 15-18 solo division competition. Ian has participated in Le Domaine Forget, Montecito Music Festival, and AFA. Ian is currently a member of the Waco Symphony and attends Baylor University with Sandor Ostlund. 

Caleb Edwards is a rising junior at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where he studies double bass under the instruction of Rachel Calin. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Caleb studied double bass at the Alabama School of Fine Arts under Richard Cassarino and Benjamin Crofut. Some of the past summer festivals he has participated in were the Chautauqua Institution, NSO-SMI and Brevard Music Center. Caleb also enjoys performing other genres of music such as jazz and gospel.   

Jonathan Keith began studying the double bass in the seventh grade in his hometown of Houston, Texas. He is currently studying at Baylor University with Dr. Sandor Ostlund, and serves as a rotating leadership bassist for the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, and as the upright/electric bassist for the Baylor Jazz Ensemble. In his high school years, Jonathan was a member of the American Festival of the Arts and the TMEA All-State Orchestras. In the summer of 2016, he was selected as a fellow for the inaugural season of Carnegie Hall’s second orchestral training program, NYO2, where he worked under the baton of Giancarlo Guerrero, and studied with Joseph Conyers and Hal Robinson. Recently, Jonathan attended Music House International, a program of the Philadelphia International Music Festival, where he worked under the baton of Kensho Watanabe and studied with Nathaniel West. This will be his first summer with the Texas Music Festival. 

Luke Rogers started playing the bass at age 12 in his home town of McKinney, Texas. He has now been playing the bass for 8 years, and is currently a sophomore at Northwestern University, where he studies Double Bass Performance under the instruction of Andrew Raciti. In addition to TMF, Luke has previously attended the Brevard Music Center. Luke plays the bass with the goal of winning a job in a professional orchestra. 

Robin Steuteville grew up in Ithaca, NY, where she started playing the double bass in the third grade. She is currently studying under Andrew Raciti at Northwestern University, and has performed in masterclasses for musicians such as Edgar Meyer, Tracy Rowell, and Wynton Marsalis. Robin loves playing a wide range of music, from classical to jazz to bluegrass. She was the winner of the 2017 Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition and has played with the New York State School Music Association’s All State Orchestra. 

Claire Gunsbury is from Nisswa, MN. Currently pursuing degrees in Flute Performance and Musicology from CU Boulder under the guidance of Christina Jennings, Claire performed in recital at Carnegie Hall in November 2018 and is the 2018 Grand Prize Winner of CO Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition. Claire is passionate about sharing music with a diverse audience, and has been a featured soloist and advocate for youth music education with the Lakes Area Music Festival in MN. Claire enjoys teaching privately, passing on knowledge from her current and previous mentors Immanuel Davis, Alicia McQuerrey, and Julie Johnson. 

Originally from Annapolis, Maryland, Sarah Haines is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Flute Performance at the New England Conservatory studying with Cynthia Meyers.  Sarah received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Carolina, studying with Brooks de Wetter-Smith.  She has also studied with Jill Felber and performed in masterclasses for notable pedagogues including Elizabeth Rowe, Paula Robison, Denis Bouriakov, and Bonita Boyd.  Sarah’s musical endeavors have taken her to perform in places such as Russia, Austria, and the White House.   

Originally from Fort Worth, TX, Jarrett May (20) is a student of Bonita Boyd and Anne Harrow at the Eastman School of Music. Previously, he graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy with young artist honors as a student of Nancy Stagnitta. He has been a prize winner in the Donna Marie Haire young artist competition, a finalist in the President’s Own Marine Band concerto competition, and performed on the From the Top Radio show as a Jack Kent Cooke young artist. In 2017, he toured latin america with Carnegie Hall’s NYOUSA under the baton of Marin Alsop. Last summer Jarrett was an opera orchestra fellow at the Miami Music Festival. 

Originally from Beaverton, OR, Chase McClung is a first year Master's student at the New England Conservatory of Music in the studio of Cynthia Meyers. He has participated in masterclasses led by Robert Langevin, Elizabeth Rowe and Marina Piccinini, and has attended festivals including PRISMA and Orford Musique. Previously, Chase studied with Janet Arms and Sydney Carlson.

Jasper Igusa is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Previously, he attended Northwestern University, where he was a recipient of the Ray Still Award. While at Northwestern, Jasper was featured as a soloist with the wind ensemble at the CBDNA Conference and can be heard on their latest recording release. 

Jasper is an enthusiastic performer of modern music, having premiered an oboe concerto by composer Joon Park and played sixteen concert cycles with Northwestern’s contemporary music ensemble. 

Jasper’s principal teachers are Russ DeLuna, Scott Hostetler, and Jane Marvine; additional studies with Jamie Roberts and Eugene Izotov. 

A native of North Carolina, Evan LaVack received his High School Diploma from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts High School Program, studying with Dr. Merideth Hite. He is currently pursuing a BM degree in Oboe Performance there with Jaren Atherholt. In past summers, Evan has attended Boston University's Tanglewood Institute Summer Music Festival with John Ferrillo and Robert Sheena. This summer Evan will be studying with Robert Atherholt at the Texas Music Festival in June. Evan is a member of UNCSA's Chrysallis Woodwind Quintet, and recently placed third in UNCSA's 2019 Concerto Competition performing the Strauss Oboe Concerto. When not making reeds, Evan enjoys books about metaphysics, behavioral psychology, and alternative ways of healing the mind, body, and spirit. 

Lisa Lutgen is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Oboe Performance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, studying with Jaren Atherholt. Lisa completed her Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University studying with Roger Roe and Linda Strommen. She has performed with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and as principal oboist of the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestros Joseph Young and Larry Rachleff. Devoted to community outreach, Lisa has volunteered with Educate Haiti, Inc. and in 2018 organized and performed in a benefit concert for Haitians in need. Lisa maintains a private studio in Winston-Salem, NC. 

Daniel McTiernan is a recent graduate of the University of Houston where he earned both a Masters in Music and a Certificate in Music Performance while studying with Adam Dinitz, Jonathan Fischer, and Robert Atherholt. He completed his bachelor's degree at the University of Florida under the tutelage of Leslie Odom. Daniel has previously attended Lake Tahoe Music Festival and Eastern Music Festival and has attended Hidden Valley Music Seminar with Elaine Douvas and Robert Walters. He has also performed with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra and The Gainesville Orchestra. 

After graduating from Eastman, Danny Cruz taught elementary school in Houston and maintained a large oboe studio.  Danny’s teachers include Richard Killmer, Johanna Cox Pennington, and Anne Leek.  As an active Oboist and teacher in the Houston, Austin, and Baton Rouge metropolitan areas, Danny  has made it his mission to expose varied  audiences to live performances. His students have many opportunities to perform and learn auxiliary skills such as reed making ad composition. He also manages and creates content for the OboeFiles YouTube Channel. 

Clarinetist Jason Russo is originally from Johnston, Rhode Island, and currently resides in Houston, where he performs regularly and teaches privately at multiple high schools. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from The Boston Conservatory where he studied with Michael Norsworthy, and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at The University of Houston under the tutelage of Mark Nuccio.

Most recently, Jason was selected as a finalist in the Pershing’s Own National Collegiate Concerto Competition, and has received recognition in the Harold Wright Merit Award Competition, and Boston Conservatory Concerto Competition. Jason is pursuing a career in an orchestra or service band, and is also passionate about new music, chamber music, and teaching the next generation of musicians. 

Clarinetist Evan Schnurr hails from Yardley, Pennsylvania and is a student of Richard Hawkins at Oberlin Conservatory of Music.  Evan has performed with the Cleveland Pops, Youngstown Symphony, and Firelands Symphony, and was featured on Oberlin's 2018 Oakton Honors Recital in Oakton, Virginia.  He has also attended festivals at the National Orchestral Institute and the Kennedy Center, and has worked with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and National Symphony Orchestra in masterclasses, coachings, and private lessons.  Evan is equally passionate about teaching, and currently works with middle school through college-aged students. 

Ryan Stockhausen will be a second-year MM student at the University of Texas, where he studies with Jonathan Gunn.  Originally from Lake Orion, Michigan, he received his BM from Roosevelt University with John Bruce Yeh. 
 
Ryan was an associate member and the first-call substitute with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for three seasons and has attended many festivals, including Round Top, the Miami Music Festival, Interlochen, and BUTI. 
 
Ryan has received the Presser Foundation’s Undergraduate Scholar Award and first prize in the Tuesday Musicale of Detroit’s student competition.  Ryan enjoys performing new music gigs and private teaching around Austin.  

Originally from Sharpsburg, Georgia, clarinetist Carly Weikle currently resides in Houston, Texas, where she maintains an active teaching studio. She holds a Bachelors in Music from Vanderbilt University and is currently pursuing her Masters in Music at the University of Houston under the guidance of Mark Nuccio. Her previous teachers include Bil Jackson, John Kruse, and James Zimmermann.

Previously, Carly has participated in the Hidden Valley Music Seminars, the Vanderbilt Music Academie, and the Brevard Music Festival. Her 2019 summer engagements include fellowships with the Texas Music Festival, the Blackburn Music Academy at Festival Napa Valley, and the Domaine Forget International Music Festival.  

Peter Ecklund comes from Haslett Michigan, and currently studies with Dr. Jeffrey Lyman at the University of Michigan. Prior to coming to TMF, Peter spent summers attending Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Eastern Music Festival, and studying privately in Berlin. Through these experiences, Peter has been able to work with members of the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmoniker, among others. Peter has performed with ensembles across Southeast Michigan including the Jackson Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Music Michigan. As a teacher, Peter serves as the bassoon mentor for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensembles.  

Nicholas Evans was born and raised in Houston Texas. He is currently studying with Nancy Goeres of the Pittsburgh Symphony at Carnegie Mellon University for his Masters of Music. He obtained his performance degree from the University of Houston while studying with Elise Wagner of the Houston Symphony.

Prior to attending the Texas Music Festival he participated in the Eastern Music Festival for two summers studying under Karla Ekholm, Anthony Anurca, and George Sakakeeny.

When he isn’t busy making reeds or practicing with his many chamber groups he can be found playing the occasional video game or listening to new music.

Mark Lauer is a freelance bassoonist in the southwest United States. Most recently he has performed with the Pensacola Symphony, Tallahassee Symphony, Ocala Symphony, Valdosta Symphony, and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. 

Mark completed his Masters of Music at the Florida State University College of Music and  earned a Performer’s Certificate and Bachelors of Music from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory of Music. 

During previous summers Mark has participated in the National Music Festival, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, and the Brevard Music Center institute and Festival.

Mark is grateful to his teachers, Jeff Keesecker, Marita Abner, and Steven Houser.  

Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Liu is a vassonist passionate in orchestral playing. After Graduation, Liu was awarded full scholarship from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund toward his master degree in the Northwestern University, Chicago. During his study, Liu has taken masterclasses and private lessons with international renowned artists such as Daniel Matsukawa, Judith Leclair, Matthias Racz and Julien Hardy.

Liu participated in the Hidden Valley Music Seminar in 2013 and the Asian Youth Orchestra in 2014 and 2015 for two consecutive years where he toured with the orchestra to 10 cities in Asia and performed 29 concerts.

Recently, Liu was selected as part of two vibrant orchestral festivals - the 2017 Youth Music Culture Guangdong with Mr. Yo-Yo Ma serving as Artistric Director and the Brevard Music Centra compiled by 7 weeks of intensive reharsals and 20 public performances. Liu performed alongside musicians selected worldwide for collection of orchestral masterpieces in the two festivals.

Liu is active in different orchestras in Hong Kong and is a freelance musician in the Hong Kong Philharmonic since 2015.

Daniel Westerfield is a bassoonist from Houston, Texas. He is a sophomore bassoon performance major at the University of Houston and studies under Houston Symphony bassoonist Elise Wagner. While at the University of Houston, he has been a member of the Wind Ensemble, as well as various chamber ensembles. When Daniel is not involved in music, he can be found spending time with friends and spending too much of his income at various restaurants. Other influential teachers are Micah Doherty and Ashley Maydwell-Jennings. 

Jerrick Cendejas is a horn player from Dalhart, TX. He recently graduated with a BM in Horn Performance from Baylor University where he studied with Mr. Jeffrey Powers.  While at Baylor, he performed in masterclasses with Gregory Hustis and Dr. Kristy Morrell, played as a soloist with the Baylor Women’s Choir, and spent four years as a member of the Baylor Wind Ensemble and Baylor Symphony Orchestra.  He is currently teaching and freelancing in the Waco area. 

Sarah Ference is a horn player from Concord California. She received her bachelors degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and her graduate degree from DePaul University in Chicago. She is currently perusing an artist’s diploma at the Moore’s School of Music from the studio of Robert Johnson. Mrs. Ference has performed with the Houston Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony, and twice as a soloist with the Los Medanos College. She teaches privately in the Pearland area, and is enjoying her first blue bonnet bloom here in Texas.  

Rusty Holmes is a freelance horn player and teacher in the greater Austin TX area. He currently holds the position of 2nd horn with both the Temple Symphony (Tx) and Round Rock Symphony, 4th horn with the Mid-Texas Symphony, and frequently subs with the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra and the Victoria Symphony (TX) Orchestra.  He has attended the Kendall Betts Horn Camp, the Hot Springs and Eastern Music Festivals, and the Audition Mode Seminar at the Peabody Institute, where he was the winner of the low horn audition. 

Claude Lumley currently enjoys a growing career as an orchestral & military musician and teacher of horn. Claude has performed with the Houston Symphony, Houston Ballet, San Antonio Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony, Waco Symphony, and the United States Army Bands. Claude can be heard performing on numerous recordings and radio broadcasts made with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, Baylor Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Eastman Horns Live at Hochstein and the University of Houston Orchestra. In the Fall of 2018, Claude won a position with the United States Air Force Band and is excited to be stationed in the Summer of 2019.

Claude is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Peter Kurau. He earned his bachelor's from Baylor University with Jeffrey Powers and is currently enrolled in the Doctoral program at the University of Houston where he studies with Robert Johnson. In his spare time Claude likes to explore the surrounding areas of Houston with his wife Julie, son Atlas, and two dogs Noodle Grey. 

Jacob Medina is a horn player from Pearland, Texas. He is finishing his junior year at the University of Houston Moores School of Music this fall. He is pursuing a degree in Horn Performance while studying with Gavin Reed. Jacob has performed with the Texas Music Festival Orchestra, New York String Orchestra Seminar, and the UH Orchestra. He was also recently added to the extra/sub list for the Houston Grand Opera. Jacob also teaches a small studio of students in the Houston area. 

Aisling is from St. Paul, Minnesota, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Minnesota with Ellen Dinwiddie Smith of the Minnesota Orchestra. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) with Randy Gardner. While at CCM, she was runner-up in the inaugural Andrew Howell Memorial Horn Scholarship Competition. Previous festivals attended include the Chautauqua Institute, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Kendall Betts Horn Camp, and Bay View Spectrum Brass Seminar. In addition to playing horn, Aisling enjoys rowing and learning Chinese. 

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, David began his musical studies at the age of 10. He has appeared as a
soloist with the Des Moines and Waterloo-Cedar Falls symphony orchestras and was named a National YoungArts Foundation Winner in 2018. He was a member of the Young Artists Orchestra of the Tanglewood Institute the past two summers and has appeared in masterclasses by Richard Sebring and Jason Snider among others. David has earned a fellowship with the Orchestra of the Americas for 2019 and currently studies Horn Performance at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music under the tutelage of William VerMeulen. 

Originally from Ann Arbor, Evan Wright is entering his senior year at the University of Michigan pursuing a degree in Horn performance, studying under professors Adam Unsworth and Bryan Kennedy. Evan has played in numerous university groups and is a substitute horn for many orchestras in the area, including the Toledo Symphony, Dearborn Symphony, and Michigan Philharmonic. 

As a rising senior at the University of Houston, Sarah Yarbrough is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Horn Performance with Robert Johnson. Sarah has enjoyed playing with a number of ensembles in her studies, including the Moores School Symphony Orchestra, Marrowstone Music Festival Orchestra, Eastern Music Festival Faculty Orchestra, and both student orchestras at Eastern, where she “acquitted [herself] honorably and with distinction,” according to the North Carolina Arts Journal. In her spare time, Sarah finds herself dabbling in jazz piano, curling up with a good book, and finding inspiration in the visual arts. 

Abby Barto grew up in Midland, Texas where she studied trumpet with Michael Santorelli, former co-principal trumpet of the Midland-Odessa Symphony. Currently, Abby is a junior at Baylor University where she is working to obtain a degree in Music Education. She is a student of Wiff Rudd and Mark Schubert. While at Baylor, Abby has primarily performed with the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. For the last three years, she has been in three trumpet ensembles that have competed and won first place at the National Trumpet Competition. After Baylor, Abby plans to continue her education and pursue a master’s degree in Trumpet Performance. 

Maycie Meyer Is a trumpet player from The Woodlands, Texas. She has just finished her fourth year of her undergraduate degree in music education at the University of Houston where she currently studies with Mark Hughes. Maycie has been the principal trumpet for the University of Houston Wind Ensemble for the past three semesters, and most recently performed with the University of Houston Wind Ensemble at the College Band Directors National Association Southwestern Division Conference in 2018. Maycie also teaches trumpet lessons locally and is a marching band technician at several high schools in the Houston area. 

Bethany Vaughan is a rising junior at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music studying trumpet performance with John Rommel. Bethany is a native of Houston, Texas, where she graduated from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. At IU, Bethany has been a member of many diverse performing groups, including the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Brass Band, and Mariachi Perle del Medio Oeste to name a few. Outside of school, Bethany enjoys playing bass guitar in her church worship band, running, playing soccer on the Jacobs intramural team, and practicing martial arts.

A native of Friendswood, Texas, Megan is an incoming senior at the University of Houston pursuing a Trumpet Performance degree with Mark Hughes. Megan plays principal trumpet with the Moores School Symphony Orchestra. She is thrilled to be returning to the Texas Music Festival for her second season. She has previously attended the Brevard Music Center Festival in 2015, and in 2016 was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States where she worked with conductors Christoph Eschenbach and Valery Gergiev on a European tour. When not practicing, Megan enjoys musical theater, “The Office,” and playing Pokémon. 

Zachary is a student of Professor Allen Barnhill at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, pursuing a Bachelor of Music in trombone performance. In addition to studying trombone, Zachary is highly involved in music education in his home town, Salem, Oregon as staff of Northwest Music and Leadership Academies camps and other summer band programs in the area. Besides music, Zachary enjoys experimenting with computer programming and exploring Spanish and English literature. 

Caleb Knight has grown up in the Houston area, where he attended Jersey Village High School and studied music with Denis Kidwell in wind ensemble, and with Jeff Campbell for trombone. While at Jersey Village, Caleb placed into the 2013 Texas Music Educators Association All-State Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating that same year, Caleb attended the University of Houston to study music education. There he studied trombone with Brian Kauk, former principal trombonist of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet. While at the University of Houston, Caleb performed multiple concerts with the wind ensemble and symphony orchestra, as well as with the trombone choir and various chamber ensembles. In addition to his duties at school, Caleb taught weekly private lessons to students at multiple schools in the Houston area, holding a position at Jersey Village High School and Cook Middle School for three years of his schooling. In culmination of his degree, Caleb student taught at Langham Creek High School where he rehearsed and conducted a student wind ensemble, and at Teague Elementary, where he planned lessons and led Pre-K through Fourth graders in music class. Caleb worked diligently at his craft and earned a place in the trombone studio at Rice University studying with Allen Barnhill, where he is currently pursuing a Masters in Music.

Trombonist Aaron Zalkind is an orchestral musician, chamber musician and educator currently living in Boulder, Colorado. Aaron has been a member of several music festivals throughout the United States, including the National Repertory Orchestra, the Pierre Monteux School, the Brevard Music Center and the National Orchestral Institute. Aaron has also performed with a number of professional ensembles, including the New World Symphony, the Colorado symphony and the Breckenridge music festival. Aaron's primary mentors include Peter Ellefson, Joseph Alessi, William Stanley and Larry Zalkind. Aaron holds a masters degree from the Juilliard School and a bachelor's degree from Indiana University.   

My name is Jonathan Passmore. I am from Arlington, Texas. I graduated from Timberview High School in 2016. I will graduate from Baylor University in 2020 with a degree in music composition. I play bass trombone and have been involved in Baylor's band, orchestra, jazz, and marching band programs.

Christopher Hall is currently a junior studying tuba performance at the University of Michigan under Professor Fritz Kaenzig. He has taught and conducted at the Interlochen Summer Camp Low Brass Institute, and before attending Michigan he studied at the Interlochen Arts Academy where he studied tuba performance with Tom Riccobono and conducting with Dr. Matthew Schlomer.  

Praised for her “clear, sparkling tone” (South Florida Classical Review), award winning harpist Anna Ellsworth is in demand as a performer of both solo and orchestral music.

As a winner of the Anne Adams Award, Ellsworth was featured in the opening concert of the 42nd American Harp Society National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Additionally, she was a two time winner of the Boston Harp Festival’s Stars of Tomorrow competition, subsequently performing in the festival’s Stars of Tomorrow concerts, and has won prizes in the Korean In- ternational Harp Competition and the Young Artist’s Harp Competition.

Ellsworth has made solo appearances alongside the Hemenway Strings, Miami Music Festival Orchestra, and Boston Conservatory Conductor’s Orchestra. As an orchestral musician, she holds associate harp positions with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Portland Symphony Orchestra, and Boston Lyric Opera, and has participated in summer orchestra festivals such as the Orchestra of the Americas, Miami Music Festival, and Brevard Music Center.

Ellsworth graduated summa cum laude from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and is currently pursuing her graduate studies at Yale University’s School of Music. Current and past teachers include June Han, Ina Zdorovetchi, and Jude Mollenhauer. 

Harpist Kelsey Sham currently studies at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with the world-renowned soloist and pedagogue Yolanda Kondonassis, and previously studied with Paula Page, former Principal Harpist of the Houston Symphony. Ms. Sham has performed with the Corpus Christi Ballet, Houston Civic Symphony, and the University of Houston Moores Symphony, and has also attended Eastern Music Festival, the Chautauqua Institution in New York, and Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy (PRISMA). In 2018, she served as the Arts-In-Outreach-Education Intern at Young Audiences in her hometown of Houston, Texas, and is a passionate advocate for arts-integrated learning through interdisciplinary performance.  

Micah Harrow is a percussionist/timpanist from Honeoye Falls, New York. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree from the Eastman School of Music where he studies with Michael Burritt, Charles Ross, and Jim Ross. He performs regularly with the award winning Eastman Percussion Ensemble, the Eastman Wind Ensemble, and Eastman Philharmonia. Aside from school ensembles, Micah has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival Orchestras, and the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic. In 2017, he played on the NOI Philharmonic’s Grammy nominated album, “Ruggles, Stucky & Harbison: Orchestral Works.” In 2018,  he made his solo debut, performing a concerto with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Micah is also an avid drumset player and enjoys playing a multitude of styles from pop to jazz.

Originally from Albuquerque, NM, Lucas Sanchez enjoys a career as a timpanist and teacher.  In 2017, he was appointed principal timpanist of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra by Robin Fountain. Mr. Sanchez has also performed with the Houston Symphony and the Amarillo Symphony.

In 2018 and 2019, Lucas performed Johann Fischer’s Symphony with 8 Obbligato Timpaniwith the Texas Music Festival Orchestra and the Frost Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Sanchez received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Rice University under the tutelage of Richard Brown. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami, studying with Matthew Strauss and Svetoslav Stoyanov.