< Back Previous Joel Chen Next Pianist Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall February 17, 2025 WATCH VIDEO Joel, a 16-year-old pianist currently in the 11th grade, has been studying piano with Dr. Anna Ouspenskaya since 2016. Over the years, he has developed a mature musical voice and a strong stage presence, performing at major venues including Carnegie Hall on multiple occasions. In 2019, Joel won 1st place in the Little Mozarts International Competition performing Balakirev (Balanchivadze) Piano Concerto No. 3, Mvt. 3, which led to his debut performance at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, where he performed Clementi’s Sonatina Op. 36 No. 6, Mvt. 1. The same repertoire also earned him 2nd place in the Great Composers International Competition series — The Music of Eastern Europe and Masters of Sonata. In 2020, Joel received 1st place in the American Fine Arts Festival with Kabalevsky’s Piano Concerto No. 4 “Prague,” Mvt. 1, and was selected for the Orpheus Classical Recording Project. He continued gaining international recognition, earning 3rd prize at the Knabe International Piano Concerto Competition (2022) with Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Mvt. 1, and 2nd place in the GCC The Art of Piano Competition. In 2023, Joel won 3rd place in Best Mozart Performance with Concerto No. 22, Mvt. 1, 2nd place in the Glory International Music Competition, and received an Honorable Mention in the American Music Talent Competition. That May, he returned to Carnegie Hall to perform Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G. Also in 2023, Joel won 1st place in the American Fine Arts Festival International Concerto Competition with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22, and performed Beethoven’s Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1, Mvt. 1 at Carnegie Hall later that year. He additionally earned 3rd place in the Best of Beethoven Competition 2023. Most recently, in 2024, Joel received an Honorable Mention at the NVMTA Concerto Festival for his performance of Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2, Mvt. 1, and won 1st place in the Sempre Musick International Concerto Competition 2024, where he performed the same concerto with orchestra in May 2024. Joel continues to develop his artistry and technical mastery, pursuing performance opportunities and preparing for a future career as a concert pianist.

< Back Previous Ayla Moreno Next Pianist Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall November 26, 2024 WATCH VIDEO Ayla began studying piano and violin at the age of three, making her orchestral solo debut at six with the Tucson Civic Orchestra performing Berkovich’s Piano Concerto. The following year, she performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra and with the Tucson Repertory Orchestra during their tour in Japan. In 2022, at age ten, she performed Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra, followed in 2023 by Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Orquestra do Algarve in Portugal under Maestro Maurizio Colasanti. Ayla has participated in numerous prestigious music festivals, including the Cleveland Institute of Music Young Artist Seminar, the Chopin Festival in Poland, the Philadelphia International Music Festival, Heifetz PEG, Colburn Piano Seminar, Sima Classics in Poland, and the Piano Concerto Festival, studying with distinguished teachers and performing in orchestral and recital settings. She also enjoys performing at the annual Tucson Folk Festival. Ayla has won awards in national and international competitions, including the Chopin International Piano Competition (Hartford, CT), the Young Artists’ Competition by the Civic Orchestra of Tucson, the Dorothy Vanek Youth Concerto Competition (Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra), the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, the WPTO Spain International Piano Competition, the Sound Espressivo Competition, the Frantz Liszt Center International Piano Competition, and the Charleston International Music Competition, among others. She is an active member of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra and studies piano with Dr. Kyungsun Choi and violin with Dr. Laura Tagawa. Outside of music, Ayla enjoys playing chess and taking dance classes.

< Back Devin Patrick Hughes Conductor Learn More Videos About Highly regarded for his exhilarating score interpretations, advocacy for music accessibility, innate passion and entrepreneurial vigor, Devin Patrick Hughes is an American orchestral and operatic conductor of Irish and Guatemalan descent. He is concurrently serving as Music Director and Conductor of the Boulder Symphony and Arapahoe Philharmonic . Previously he has held artistic leadership positions with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, Denver Young Artists Orchestra, and Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. Devin was recently invited to the Antal Dorati Conducting Competition and featured in Maestro, the Solti International Conducting Competition as a semi-finalist in Budapest. He was the only American selected with eleven other conductors worldwide to compete in the Toscanini International Conducting Competition , and was a conducting fellow at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen . He has conducted orchestras across North America and Europe including the Winnipeg Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Des Moines Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Salina Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, and Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera. In response to COVID-19, Devin has created multiple programs connecting orchestras to their communities including the Virtual Virtuoso Series & Music Connects Series , partnering with organizations such as Balfour Senior Assisted Living and Community Food Share to produce performances and dinners both virtually and live. In addition to producing outdoor and drive in concerts, including Boulder Arts Outdoors , Brass in the Park-ing Lot , and the world-renowned Takács Quartet, Devin can be heard on One Symphony , his new podcast amplifying the voices of composers and other artistic entrepreneurs. Devoted to music existing for a greater communal purpose, Devin attracts and creatively engages audiences of all stripes by bringing the stories behind the music to life and inspiring critically acclaimed performances. Showcasing his passion for outreach, Devin founded and developed a high school apprenticeship program, a community chamber music initiative and play-in, a summer camp for all ages, and has held benefit concerts for organizations such as the Red Cross , Oxfam International , Cultures in Harmony , and the Colorado Haiti Project . He has also served as an AmeriCorps tutor, mentor and coach for Nothing But Achievers , and the Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony, where he arranged spirituals for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. March, and created the Boulder Symphony Music Academy , which offers an environment in which students of diverse backgrounds and ages have the opportunity to explore their unique musical talents and to bring the best of themselves, their creativity, and their intellectual skills to their music and life, Devin has partnered to make music more universally accessible through organizations such as Carnegie Hall’s LinkUp , I Have A Dream , Circle of Care, Freemasons, Boulder Muse , El Sistema , Flatirons Strings Academy , and Pinnacle Charter School in Denver. Through the Glow Project and other sensory-friendly performances geared to those with autism and dementia, Devin has created programs tailored to those who cannot experience the full sound and stimulation of a symphony live. He has chaired multiple foundational competitions nurturing the development of young performers, composers, and conductors, and serves as guest clinician for multiple school districts across Colorado. Aside from Devin's frequent appearances as a clinician and speaker, he has taught courses at the Denver Academy for Lifelong Learning and the Music Schools of the University of Denver, Ithaca College in New York, and New Mexico School for the Arts and serves as an annual guest artist and adjudicator with the International Keyboard Odyssiad and Festival and Sound Espressivo Global Music Competition . Equally active in choral and operatic repertoire, Devin has made community collaborations a recurrent part of orchestral life. He has combined local orchestras, businesses and non-profits to begin a community-based opera program which combines seasoned operatic professionals with aspiring artists and enthusiastic community members to create unique operatic experiences. This grassroots opera initiative based in Colorado attracts dozens of vocalists nationwide per season for critically acclaimed opera and operetta productions along the Front Range, and spawned a new Opera Chorus that performs with orchestras across the region. Among others, Devin has led productions of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Puccini’s La Bohème, Bizet’s Carmen, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, Brahms’ German Requiem, and has also premiered choral-orchestral works by living composers such as Ozie Cargile, Austin Wintory & Gregory T.S. Walker. A zealous performer and promoter of the music of our time, Devin has fostered multiple composer-in-residency programs premiering dozens of new works. He has also constructed innovative avenues to bring new music to the forefront of the classical music scene. Under his baton, the Arapahoe Philharmonic and the Boulder Symphony have soared to new artistic heights and become a centralized hub for community-wide outreach and education initiatives, major collaborations, operatic performances, and premieres and recordings of exciting new music. Dedicated to highlighting local composers and exploring the interplay of music, theatre, art, and dance, Devin also commissioned and performed multiple musical responses to exhibitions in the Museum of Contemporary Art during Denver Arts Week . Recently Devin has brought premieres of award winning composer Sarah Kirkland Snider’s music to Colorado and initiated a collaboration between abstract painter Will Day and composer Jonathan Bingham which resulted in music and art extemporaneously being created in real-time in collaboration with the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. As a civic-minded citizen and ambassador for the arts, Devin was appointed by City Council to serve as Arts & Culture Commissioner for the City of Boulder . Devin’s education includes studies at Ithaca College School of Music, University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, Grinnell College, Vienna Conservatory of Music, and Ball State University. See Devin Patrick Hughes on 9News! Listen to Devin Patrick Hughes on One Symphony Previous Next

< Back Previous Jonathan Li Next Flutist Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall February 17, 2025 WATCH VIDEO Jonathan Li is an emerging flutist who performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. He has served as Principal Flute in the NYSBDA Honor Band, Area All-State Orchestra, and All-County Band, as well as with his school’s wind ensemble. He has given a featured recital at Hatch Recital Hall at the Eastman School of Music, and has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (RPYO). Jonathan is also a recipient of an Eastman School scholarship, recognizing both his artistry and dedication to his craft.

< Back Previous Alexander Farng Next Cellist Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall February 20, 2025 WATCH VIDEO Alexander Farng is a seventh-grade student at Frontiers Academy Trilingual School. He began studying the cello in fourth grade under the guidance of Mr. Sangwon Cho. Since then, he has distinguished himself in numerous prestigious competitions, including CalASTA, SYMF, the Satori Music Festival, Musical Arts, the Charleston Music Competition, and the Global International Music Competition, among others. Alexander is also a member of the Amati Strings Orchestra, performing in museums, senior centers, amusement parks, and other venues where he helps bring classical music to the community. Beyond music, he is active in student government and enjoys playing AAU basketball with Pro’s Vision.

< Back Giuzeppe Lanzetta Conductor Learn More Videos About GIUSEPPE LANZETTA Permanent Music Director of the FLORENTINE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, Florence, Italy GIUSEPPE LANZETTA Born in Montecorvino Rovella (SA) in 1960, at the same time as his humanistic studies he graduated in Choral Music and Choral Conducting, Sacred Vocal Polyphony under the guidance of Maestro Pierluigi Zangelmi; in Band Instrumentation with Maestro Lorenzo Semeraro at the “L. Cherubini” of Florence, where he studied Composition with Maestro Franco Cioci. He studied orchestral conducting with Maestro Bruno Campanella and Sir George Solti, of whom he was both assistant, finally perfecting himself with Maestro Franco Ferrara in Rome, Assisi, Verona and at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena and in choral direction with the Bulgarian masters George Robef and Samuil Vidas. He has conducted chamber and symphony orchestras in Italy and Europe, among these we remember the Orchestra Regionale Toscana, the orchestra “I Solisti orentini” of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Ensemble of the Orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, the Orchestra dei Solisti della Scala of Milan, the Chamber Orchestra of the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Gioventù musica d'Italia, the Orchestra of the Pomeriggi Musicali of Milan, the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra, the Symphonia Perusina, the Kisiniev Orchestra, of the Russian National Opera, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Volgograd Symphony Orchestra, Donetzk Ukrainian Philharmonic, Craiova State Orchestra (Romania), St. Petersburg Hermitage Orchestra, Johannes Strauss of Vienna, Moldavian Symphony, Chamber Symphony Orchestra of Israel , Arpeggione of Hohemens, and Chursachsische Philarmonie (Germany), the Virtuosi of Prague, the Cracoviensis Chapel, Debrecen Symphony (Hungary), the Radio and Television Symphony Orchestras of Ljub ljana, of Sacramento Symphony (California), Gothenburg and Stockholm Symphony, of Brasilia, the Symphony of Cordoba, that of Extremadura and of Murcia, the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of Madeira, the Eidelberg Philharmonic, the Edmonton Symphony (Canada), the Atlanta Symphony, the Istanbul Symphony, the Ico Tito Schipa of Lecce, the Symphony Orchestra of the province of Bari, the orchestra of Magna Graecia, the Symphony Orchestra of Bacau and that of Novi Sad on tour in Austria in 2004, the Joensu Philarmonich (Finland) the Aaken Sinfonie Orcheste, Wroclaw Philarmonic (Poland), The Toronto Symphony, The Poznam Philharmonic (Poland) and many others. He made his debut with great success in November 2003 in Berlin with the Berliner Symphoniker in the prestigious Philarmonie Grossen Saal, and that of the Berliner Philharmoniker Chamber Orchester, Baden Baden Philarmoniker made his debut in May 2006 at the Carnegei Hall in New York where he returned in 2008-2009. He participated in the Salzburg Festival in August 1992. Since 1987 he has been guest conductor in the most important orchestras of Mexico City: Ofunan Symphony Orchestra, the Mexico City Philharmonic, the Mineria Symphony Orchestra, the Fine Arts Orchestra, the Toluca Symphony.He directed famous choirs such as that of the Teatro Comunale of Florence and the International Choir of Leuven (Belgium) and the Madrigal Choir of Bucharest. Since 1986 he has conducted the most important American orchestras (in the states of Vermont, California, Wyoming, New York, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania) with symphonic repertoire. Since 1981 he has been the permanent musical director of the Florentine Chamber Orchestra with which he has held over 1350 concerts of various repertoire under the aegis of highly prestigious concert institutions and for RAI, with the same Orchestra he has made 20 tours in the USA, Mexico , Malta and in Spain with concerts held in the most important theatres, Coimbra Festival 1998 (Portugal), Ljubljana Festival, in Brazil conducting in the most important theatres, at the International Festival of Krakow, in Heidelberg also performing at the Teatro della Pergola, at the Teatro Verdi and at the Teatro Comunale of Florence as part of various events. He has been a guest several times in Vienna with the Wiener Kammersolisten and the Ungarische Kammerphilharmonie in the splendid hall of the Musikverein and in the Konzert Haus. In America and Europe he has conducted very famous soloists; among these we remember Leon Spierer, Johan Hye, Sergio Fiorentino, Andrej Kalarus, Margarita Hohenrieder, Nicolae Tudor, Augusto Vismara, Martin Dimitri Sgouros, Marie Luise Neunecker, Gary Karr, Eduard Brunner, Rolando Panerai, David Garrett, Andreas Blau, Ilya Grubert, Daniele Damiano, Michele Campanella, Bruno Canino, Giuseppe Andaloro, Giovanni Sollima, Aldo Ciccolini, Giuseppe Andaloro, Eva Mei, Filippo Adami, Roberto Prosseda, Igor Hoistrach, Jorge Demus, Ivan Zenati, Turibio Santos, Cristiano Rossi, Alessandro Carbonare, Alessio Allegrini , Francesco di Rosa, Francesco Bossone, Sergei Nakariakov, Oleg Marchev, Anner Bylsma, Igor Oistrach, Sergey Krilov, Ton Kopman. He also worked with Roberto Benigni in a memorable concert in Piazzale Michelangelo as well as conducting the New Year's concerts of the Municipality of Florence in the same square, in Piazza Signoria, Piazza Pitti and Piazza Santa Croce. He is also artistic director of the Musical Wednesdays of the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and of the Music and Art project of the CR Firenze bank, Intesa San Paolo. He has chamber and symphonic compositions to his credit, performed and broadcast several times by RAI, and numerous recordings. Due to his intense activity at the helm of authoritative chamber and symphony ensembles, international critics have defined him as one of the most brilliant conductors of the young generation. In 2005 he was awarded the Beato Angelico Medal, in 2006 he received the Firenze prize for Music and Art, in 2010 the prestigious “Una vita per la Musica” prize, in 2013 the Galileo prize for Musical Entrepreneurship and in 2015 the Bel San Giovanni award for his international career. He holds the Chair of Orchestral Practice at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory of Music in Rome. In 2012 he was awarded the honor of Official Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by President Giorgio Napolitano. He was recently named Principal Guest Conductor of Mid-American Productions, which plays concerts at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York. Previous Next

< Back Previous The Kaboff Cello School, Bow Lightlys Next Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall April 4, 2024 WATCH VIDEO The Kaboff Cello School – Bow Lightlys String Ensemble The Bow Lightlys have been featured guest artists at the World Cello Congress III (2000), where they participated in an internationally broadcast cello ensemble workshop with the legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma. This collaboration led to a cello choir concert at the Sixth American Cello Congress (2001), coinciding with Mr. Kaboff’s appearance as a guest lecturer. The ensemble has also performed at the Tennessee Cello Workshop (2014) and has been featured in live radio broadcasts in Washington, D.C. Their performances include concerts at the Embassy of France, the Almas Shriners Temple, and numerous local religious and cultural centers. Committed to community engagement, the Bow Lightlys frequently perform at charity events for the American Diabetes Association and bring music to senior living communities, sharing their artistry with audiences who might otherwise be unable to attend live concerts. John Kaboff, director & cellist A resident of Washington, D.C. since 1995, cellist John Kaboff has appeared throughout the region as both recitalist and concerto soloist at major venues including The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the United States Department of State, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Embassies of Germany, France, and New Zealand, the Church of the Epiphany, and Dumbarton House. He has been a repeat concerto soloist with the JCC Symphony Orchestra and the Landon Symphonette, and has performed with the Manhattan Symphonie at Carnegie Hall. His appearance at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD was lauded by The Montgomery County Sentinel as “beguilingly lyrical” and in “top form.” Internationally, he has performed as a recital soloist in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Australia. In the 2023–2024 season, Mr. Kaboff appears as soloist and chamber artist with Los AnCellos, a Los Angeles–based cello ensemble; as guest artist at the Tennessee Cello Workshop; at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall; at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; and with the South Florida Symphony. He also performs in chamber settings across Washington, D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York. Mr. Kaboff is a sought-after pedagogue whose pre-college studio has produced numerous prizewinners in local and regional competitions. Notably, his students earned top prizes across levels in the 2016 Washington Performing Arts Society competition. Two students were prizewinners in the 2015 American Protégé Competition, resulting in Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall) debuts. In 2015 and 2016, his students appeared in the Classical Spotlight Showcase for Maryland Public Television. Former students have matriculated at the Curtis Institute of Music, Indiana University, University of Michigan, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Mannes College of Music, often with substantial merit scholarships. They have held positions with the Baltimore Symphony, Austin Symphony, Aspen Music Festival, Castleton Music Festival, and various European orchestras. For nearly three decades, his studio ensemble, The Bow Lightlys, has performed widely, including a featured appearance at the Third World Cello Congress in an internationally broadcast cello ensemble workshop with Yo-Yo Ma, later followed by a cello choir concert at the Sixth American Cello Congress during Mr. Kaboff’s appearance as guest lecturer. The ensemble performs annually at the Tennessee Cello Workshop, has been featured on live radio broadcasts in Washington, D.C., and has presented programs at the Embassy of France, the Almas Shriners Temple, and numerous cultural and religious venues. They frequently perform at senior living communities and charitable events, including for the American Diabetes Association. Mr. Kaboff has served on juries for the Third World Cello Congress Master Class Competition, the Johansen International String Competition, and the Washington International Competition for Strings, where he served as Chairman in 2022. Under his leadership, the competition secured significant prize funding from private donors and organizations including the Maryland Lyric Opera, and arranged the loan of fine instruments for prizewinners through Christophe Landon Rare Violins and the Brobst Violin Shop. As a frequent guest lecturer, Kaboff has presented master classes and performances at the Flinders Street Conservatorium (Adelaide, Australia), the Purcell School of Music (London), Indiana University’s Summer String Program, Michigan State University, Longy School of Music, the Music Academy of North Carolina, and the Universities of Tennessee and Rhode Island. He served as Artist-in-Residence at Appalachian State University in 2011 and was a featured artist at the 2010 Tennessee Cello Workshop. He has completed Suzuki certification through Level 10 and was invited by the Suzuki Association of Australia to present workshops, master classes, and solo recitals in Melbourne and Adelaide. Kaboff studied with Janos Starker at Indiana University and with William Pleeth at the Holland Music Sessions and at the Britten–Pears Young Artist Programme in England. He also attended the Kronberg Academy in Germany, studying with Arto Noras. His teaching has been praised by internationally renowned cellists, including Yo-Yo Ma, and has been profiled in publications such as The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Jewish Weekly, The Vienna Connection, and The Montgomery Journal. Yo-Yo Ma cited him as a superb teacher of young children in the biography Musicians with a Mission. Helen Z. Altenbach, cellist Winner of the 2014 Global Music Awards for her album Grieg & Prokofiev (TROY 1485), cellist Helen Z. Altenbach (also known as Xiaodan Zheng) is a member of the LA Opera Orchestra. A graduate of Juilliard’s Pre-College Division and the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, she has participated in leading summer festivals and training programs including the Perlman Music Program, Tanglewood Music Festival, Verbier Music Festival, New York String Orchestra Seminar, and the Pacific Music Festival. Ms. Altenbach received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, after which she held positions with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony, Tucson Symphony (principal cello), Long Beach Symphony, and the New West Symphony. She is also a co-founder of Los AnCellos, a Los Angeles–based cello ensemble. Matt Armbruster, cellist Cellist Matt Armbruster has performed with the National Repertory Orchestra, the Castleton Festival Orchestra, the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, and the Penderecki Academy Orchestra as principal cellist, collaborating closely with renowned composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki. He was previously a member of the 2013 San Francisco Academy Orchestra, where he was featured as a soloist in the second performance of Mark Volkert’s Pandora alongside principal members of the San Francisco Symphony. Mr. Armbruster is currently a member of the cello section of the Austin Symphony and is the co-founder and co-director of Tetractys New Music, an Austin-based concert series dedicated to commissioning and performing works by living composers. He has also been presented as a featured artist by the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., and has appeared as a soloist with the University of Tennessee Chamber Orchestra, Old Dominion Symphony, and the Landon Symphonette. His principal teachers have included Bion Tsang, Amos Yang, Anthony Elliott (with whom he completed his Bachelor of Music degree), Janos Starker, and John Kaboff. Jonathan Lee, cellist Jonathan Lee, 16, is a sophomore at Chantilly High School, where he performs in the Chamber Orchestra. He is also a member of the American Youth Symphonic Orchestra (AYSO). In 2023, Jonathan earned 2nd place in the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) Achievement Awards Competition for Strings and was accepted into the 2023 Northern Virginia Senior Regional Orchestra. He has participated in master classes at the Tennessee Cello Workshop (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) with renowned cellists Susan Moses and Ilya Finkelshteyn. Jonathan has been a student of John Kaboff since 2022 and is a member of the Bow Lightlys cello ensemble. Evangeline Gallacher, cellist Evangeline “Evie” Gallacher, 17, has been playing the cello for three years. Prior to focusing on the cello, she studied piano, violin, and percussion. Her favorite—and most recent—solo performance is Bach’s Concerto in G Major. Evie performs in the Chamber Orchestra at Falls Church High School (Fairfax County, Virginia), but her true passion is the Bow Lightlys cello ensemble. She participates annually in the Tennessee Cello Workshop, finding the experience highly enriching. Outside of music, Evie enjoys competitive swimming, serves as an officer in the National Honor Society, and is pursuing an LPN in her nursing program. Jorge Laboy-Bulancea, cellist Jorge Laboy-Bulancea, 15, has enjoyed music from an early age. He began classical guitar lessons with Roger Taylor at age 3 and discovered the cello in 4th grade. The following year, he joined the Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestra and began studying with John Kaboff. Jorge has earned numerous awards, including 1st place in the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) Achievement Awards Competition for the lower string elementary division in 2021 and the lower string intermediate division in 2022. In 2023, he received honorable mentions in the Junior division of the Tennessee Cello Workshop competition and placed 2nd in the NVMTA Achievement Awards Competition’s lower string senior division as an 8th grader. This school year, Jorge has performed with the District 12 Senior District Orchestra and received an honorable mention in the senior division of the Asian American Music Societies (AAMS) Piano, String, Voice, & Woodwind Competition. Mary Gallacher, cellist Mary Gallacher, 14, began playing the cello in 4th grade, inspired by her brother’s long-time cello playing. She is now a 9th grader and performs in the Chamber Orchestra at Falls Church High School (Fairfax County, Virginia). Mary began studying with John Kaboff, quickly discovering a deep passion for the instrument. She has been a member of the Bow Lightlys cello ensemble for four years, performing in recitals and community events. Her favorite piece is Boccherini’s Concerto No. 3 in G Major. Outside of music, Mary enjoys spending time with family and friends, swimming on Falls Church’s varsity swim team, and reading. She plans to continue playing the cello throughout high school and beyond as a lifelong hobby. Carson Mitchell, cellist Carson Mitchell, 12, began playing the cello in his school’s beginner orchestra in 4th grade. He started private lessons with John Kaboff in December 2020 and has performed with the Bow Lightlys cello ensemble since 2022. In 2024, Carson participated in master classes and seminars at the Tennessee Cello Workshop. Outside of music, Carson enjoys playing basketball and flag football, and cheering for his favorite team, the Baltimore Ravens. Leo Gonzalez, cellist Leo Gonzalez, 13, is a student at Williamsburg Middle School in Arlington, Virginia. He began studying cello with John Kaboff in Fall 2020 and has served as principal cellist in both the Arlington Juniors and Honors Orchestras since 2021. Outside of music, Leo enjoys the beach and exploring underwater landscapes while scuba diving. Katherine Reskusic, cellist Katherine Reskusic is a 9th grader at George C. Marshall High School in northern Virginia, where she is pursuing the International Baccalaureate diploma. She has been playing the cello with the Bow Lightlys for two and a half years, and also enjoys other artistic pursuits, including photography, drawing, and architecture. Katherine likes trying new activities, and this year began running track as well as hobby-running with friends outside of school. She also enjoys studying Spanish and German. Shinjini Ray, cellist Shinjini Ray, 17, is a senior at Langley High School and has been playing the cello since the fourth grade. Shortly thereafter, she began studying with John Kaboff. She performs in her school orchestra and with The Capital Symphony Youth Orchestra (TCSYO). Shinjini received second place in the Senior Lower Strings division of the 2022 Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association competition. She hopes to continue playing cello throughout her life and to incorporate music into hospitals and a future medical career. Owen Koch, cellist Owen Koch, 15, lives in Fairfax, Virginia and is a freshman at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. He began playing the cello in third grade and currently performs in his school’s symphonic orchestra. Owen is a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, participates in Academic Decathlon, enjoys Automotive Engineering Club, and swims for the York Swim Club. Through his diverse interests both in and out of the classroom, he looks forward to continuing to grow his musical and academic talents throughout high school. Joseph Xu, cellist Joseph Xu, 14, began playing the cello in fourth grade, joining his school orchestra and later Chamber Strings. He began private lessons with John Kaboff in 2019 and has since developed a deep enjoyment of playing and listening to classical music. In 2020, Joseph joined the Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra and has twice competed in the National Federation of Music Clubs Festival, receiving Superior ratings both times. He currently attends Georgetown Day School in Washington, DC, and plans to continue playing the cello as a lifelong hobby.

< Back Previous Jacqueline Liu Next Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall November 24, 2024 WATCH VIDEO Jacqueline Liu, a seventh-grader from North Carolina, began studying piano at age eight under Florence Ko, a distinguished teacher recognized in the Steinway & Sons Hall of Fame. Jacqueline has earned numerous awards, including First Prizes in the NCFMC State Royalty Competition, NC Young Artist Auditions, American Music Talent Competition, and the State Maxine Taylor Fountain Award. She is a Grand Prize Winner of the 2023 Concert Artists International Competition and has performed multiple times at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall. Internationally, Jacqueline has performed as a soloist at the Guangxi Culture and Art Center in China and with the Nanning Symphony Orchestra, receiving repeat invitations for her outstanding artistry. In 2024, she won first prize in the Peter Perret Youth Talent Search, performing with the Winston-Salem Symphony, and her online audition with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonics (FBM) Orchestra in the Czech Republic was highlighted by Conductor Gevorg Sargsyan for her delicate touch and mastery. In addition to piano, Jacqueline excels in vocal performance, winning international competitions including the 2023 American Protégé International Vocal Competition (Classical Repertoire Category), and has been selected for the NCMEA Honors Chorus two years in a row.

< Back Previous Olga Khroulevitch Next WATCH VIDEO As a child Olga began her violin studies with her mother, herself a noted teacher and performer who had studied with Auer’s student Miron Poliakin at St. Petersburg Conservatory and there received the teachings of the great Leopold Auer. Olga subsequently continued her studies with world-class teachers at St. Petersburg Conservatory with Rebenkov, and at Moscow Conservatory with Yankelevich and Bronin, an assistant to Leonid Kolgan. Olga’s pedagogical technique is firmly grounded in the great Russian School through the lineage of instruction from Leopold Auer and modified by her own experience in teaching young students. Olga came to the United States, having been awarded a special green card for extraordinary ability. She was a master teacher for several years at Levine School of Music and later opened her own violin studio in Virginia. Today Olga enjoys national recognition as one of the premier violin teachers of gifted students in the United States. If you or your child are interested in becoming part of the legacy of the great violin masters of the Russian School, Olga Khroulevitch is a proven teacher who is known for her extraordinary ability to combine technical skill and passion to make beautiful music that can transform your life. The journey is just beginning.

< Back Nayer Nagui Conductor Learn More Videos About Maestro Nayer Nagui Born in Alexandria, 1970. Joined the Alexandria Conservatoire, where he studied Piano under the Italian Prof. Herta Pappo. Furthered his Musical studies in Cairo, where he obtained the advanced certificate of the Royal Schools of Music, London, in Piano performing and Theory of Music, 1996.Studied conducting with Prof. Maestro Dominique Rouits at L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris where he obtained his diploma of conducting in 2001. His vast repertoire ranges from Symphonic, Opera, Oratorios and Ballet conducting to Musicals, and Light Music. Among it, Rossini’s 3 comic Operas, Verdi’s “Aida”, “Rigoletto”, “Ballo in Maschera”, La “Traviata” Puccini’s “Tosca”, “La Boheme”, Donizzeti’s “L’elixir d’amore” and Mozart’s “Die Zauber flote and Cosi fan tutte”, Maroun Rahi’s “Antar wa Abla”.His Ballet repertoire includes, Prokofiev’s “Romeo & Juliet”, Ravel’s “Bolero”, Khatchaturian’s “Spartacus”, Theodorakis’s “Zorba”, Tshaikovsky’s “Nut cracker”, “Swan Lake” , Adam’s “Le Corsaire”, “Giselle”, Minkus’s “Don Quixotte”, “La Bayadère” and Stravinski’s “Fire bird”.As for Oratorios and Choral works, it includes Mozart, Brahms, Fauré and Verdi Requiems as well as Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Schubert Stabat Matter, Vivaldi’s and Poulenc’s Glorias, Saygun’s Yunus Emre,Prokofiev’s “Alexander Nevski” Cantata, Mozart C minor Mass, Beethoven C Major Mass as well as Orff’s Carmina Burana. He wrote many compositions and arrangements for Choir, Orchestra and Soloists, performed in Egypt and in several International Festivals around the world, amongst them the music for the celebration convened by the Ministry of Culture marking the Golden Jubilee of the nationalization of Suez Canal, the music for the celebration convened by the Algerian Ministry of Culture marking Algiers as the Capital of Arabic Culture in 2006.His Arrangements of Sayyed Darwish songs for Choir won the Silver award for Stylish interpretation of Arabic Music in “Prague Voices” Choir Competition 2012,and a Silver diploma in the “World Choir Games” competition in Sochi 2016. The Founder and the Musical Director of the “Cairo Celebration Choir”, a Choir of 120 members performing famous Chorus works and Oratorios. He is also a Musical Director of Disney’s dubbing animation in Arabic language. Former Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Cairo Opera Orchestra , as well as sharing the baton with famous French Conductor Michel Piquemal in the yearly International Festival of “Coro de Tres Culturas” in Morocco and Spain. Recently appointed as Principal Conductor for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Orchestra. In addition to his yearly program with Orchestras and Choirs in Egypt, he also conducted Lecce Symphony Orchestra and Calabria Chamber Orchestra from Italy, European Camerata from the U.K, Ensemble Georges Solti from Hungary, the Bonner Vokalisten from Germany, Moroccan Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Algerian Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Joven di Andalucia from Spain, the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, Minsk Festival Orchestra from Belarus, Shenzen Symphony Orchestra from China and Kappabachi Opera ensemble from Japan. Previous Next

< Back Previous Mike Raposo Next Gala at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall April 1, 2024 WATCH VIDEO Mike Raposo is a versatile multiple-woodwind instrumentalist and educator based in New York City, performing on all flutes, clarinets, saxophones, and bassoon. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music and a Master’s degree in Multiple Woodwind Performance from New York University. Raposo maintains a diverse performing career across symphonic, commercial, and theatrical settings. He regularly subs for Broadway shows and performs with the Waterbury and Hartford Symphonies. He has been featured as a concerto soloist with the Hartford Symphony, Hartt Wind Ensemble, and Tri-County Symphonic Band. As a founding member and baritone saxophonist of the award-winning Resurgam Quartet, Raposo’s debut album, Breaking Point, is available on all streaming platforms. He has also shared the stage with world-renowned singers, including performing the low reed chair for Aretha Franklin’s 75th Birthday Celebration at the Mohegan Sun Arena. A passionate educator, Raposo serves on faculty at Grace Church School and the University of Hartford, inspiring the next generation of musicians with his extensive expertise.

< Back Claire Eichhorn Clarinet/Chamber Learn More Videos About Clarinetist Claire Eichhorn, Artistic Director of the Ensemble da Camera of Washington , was born in Stuttgart. She has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center Orchestra, Baltimore Opera, Virginia Chamber Orchestra, Washington Concert Opera, National Gallery Orchestra and for ten years was a member of the Washington Chamber Symphony. She has been heard in many venues throughout the area including at the Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery, French and German Embassies, The Highlands Chamber Music Festival in Highlands, N.C. among many others. She has been a frequent guest artist at the annual Brahms Festival at Florida Atlantic University and among the artists with whom she has collaborated are members of the NSO, the Shanghai String Quartet, the Sistrum New Music Ensemble, cellist Tsuyoshi Tsusumi, pianist Judith Burganger(Claire's Mom!), and the Stratford Chamber Players. Ms Eichhorn recorded for the Vernissage Records Label. Her most recent CD, released Spring 2003, is dedicated to the composer Johannes Brahms. She and members of the National Symphony Orchestra - violinist Ricardo Cyncynates, violinist Jane Stewart, violist Nancy Weller and cellist Steven Honigsberg - perform the Brahms Clarinet Quintet. Ms. Eichhorn is a sought after teacher, both at The Eichhorn Clarinet Studio in Fairfax County ( www.claireeichhorn.com ) and as a faculty member of the Levine School of Music , where she spearheaded the Clarinet Workshop for high school students, an intensive one-week camp which ran for 10 years. She also led the development of the clarinet curriculum for Levine. Her students regularly place in the top chairs at District and State auditions. She is a sought after adjudicator, judging the Inaugural Sound Espressivo Competition , the NVMTA Concerto Competition and Woodwind Achievement Awards and the SidneyForrest Competition. Claire was instrumental in developing the Chamber Ensemble Program at the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras . Now in its 9th year, the program is highly successful and continues to receive support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Students receive coaching from the acclaimed Ensemble da Camera of Washington, have public master classes and are given performance opportunities throughout the year. On March 10, 2016, a quartet from the AYPO Chamber Ensemble Program performed in the East Landing of the White House for guests entering the Canada State Dinner, which was hosted by The President and the First Lady. Ms. Eichhorn is a graduate of the University of Michigan having also attended Indiana University. Among her teachers were Alfred Zetzer, Fred Ormand, Sidney Forrest and Bernard Portnoy. She also worked with Menachem Pressler, Rostislav Dubinsky, and James Buswell in Chamber Music. In 1983 she was the recipient of the Alfonso D’Emilia Award given by the School of Music at Indiana University. Previous Next