Cohort VI
2026 LAB COHORt
Alberto Racanati
Alberto Racanati is a genre-bending musician, producer, and composer originally from Bari, Italy, now established in Kansas City. His musical journey started at age 11 when he learned to play his first notes on the trumpet. From Bari, he continued his studies in Gdansk, Poland, then moved to the United States and finally arrived in Kansas City in 2016. His music blends his background as a trumpet player with jazz, beat culture, and electronica, shaped by his immigrant experience, using technology as an interactive, open sketchbook for his sonic excursions.
Alberto has released four length albums, supported by an active presence onstage all over the country and in Italy. As a composer, Alberto has written a variety of multimedia works, and was commissioned to write scores for mixed instrumentation and film.
Informed by his experience as an immigrant, his work explores the intersection of technology, music, and cultural identity.
Alberto
Racanati
Harmony Project Kansas City
Amaya Fuentes Sarría
Born in Havana, Cuba, Amaya Fuentes Sarría graduated in viola performance from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), where she studied with violist Roberto Herrera. She received second prize in Cuba’s National String Instrument Performance Competition. Her career combines performance, chamber music, and a commitment to educating the next generation of musicians.
Amaya is a founding member of the Havana Quartet, with whom she has performed at major Cuban festivals, including the Festival of Contemporary Music, La Ruta de Mozart, Mozart Habana, Habana Clásica, and the Habaneras Festival celebrating Havana’s 500th anniversary.
With the Havana Chamber Orchestra, she has appeared at national and international festivals alongside artists including Leo Brouwer, Iván Lins, Joshua Bell, Dave Matthews, Henning Kraggerud, Fito Páez, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Her performances have included Lincoln Center in New York and the Napa Valley Festival. She was also a member of the Havana Lyceum Orchestra, performing under conductors Ronald Zollman, Jorge Rotter, Thomas Hengelbrock, and José Antonio Méndez. Her international appearances include the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Konzerthaus Berlin, Berliner Philharmonie, and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, where she has shared the stage with musicians including Chloé Kiffer and Sarah Willis.
Her musical training includes advanced studies with Rolando Prusak, María Vodina, Mauricio Fuks, Yuval Gotlibovich, Igor Karsko, Walter Reiter, Pablo de Pedro, Rictor Noren, and Paul Laraia. She completed the Continuing Education Program in Classical and Contemporary Music at ESMUC in Barcelona and studied historically informed performance through the CuE project.
Since moving to the United States in 2023, Amaya has performed with the Havana Quartet at the Harvard Music Festival, Apple Hill Chamber Music Festival, and International Music Day at Minnesota Orchestra Hall, with support from CAYO. She has also collaborated with the Minnesota Saints Chorale & Orchestra. In 2025, the Havana Quartet was selected as a Project Amplify Artist-in-Residence at MacPhail Center for Music.
The ensemble has also been selected for the Association of Performing Arts Professionals’ Young Performers Career Advancement (YPCA) program, with a Carnegie Hall performance scheduled for January 2027.
Education is central to Amaya’s work. Through the Havana Quartet, she introduces students across the Twin Cities and beyond to chamber music and Cuban musical traditions. She also teaches violin and viola in the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) Harmony Program, supporting young musicians as they develop technical skills, musical confidence, and ensemble experience.
Amaya is currently a faculty member at Laurel School of Music (formerly St. Joseph’s School of Music) and a violin instructor at Kramer Music. At MacPhail Center for Music, she teaches violin and directs the Children’s String Orchestra. Across her teaching and performing roles, she brings together her Cuban musical heritage, international orchestral and chamber music experience, and a dedication to making music education accessible and meaningful for young people.
Amaya
Fuentes SarrÍa
MacPhail Center for Music
Ana Frómeta
Ana Caridad Frómeta Borrayo is a Cuban violinist and educator based in Minnesota. She began her music studies at the Guillermo Tomás Conservatory in 2002 and was among the winners of the José White Provincial Violin Competition in 2007. She later studied at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory, where she performed with its symphony orchestra and was a finalist in the 2012 UNEAC Harold Gramatges Interpretation Contest. She graduated in 2014 under Professor Iresi García Ciao.
While still a student, Ana began performing with the Havana Chamber Orchestra. She became a full member after graduation and remained with the ensemble until 2020. Since 2014, she has also performed with the Liceo de La Habana Orchestra under conductors including Ronald Zollman, Jorge Rotter, Thomas Hengelbrock, and José Antonio Méndez.
Ana studied violin with Professor Alfredo Muñoz Fernández at the Higher Institute of Art (ISA), graduating in 2020 with a Gold Diploma in violin performance. She has participated in masterclasses with Evelio Tieles, Francesco Manara, Vilmos Oláh, Walter Reiter, and Dmitry Sitkovetsky, among others. She was selected three times for the CuE Project’s summer courses in Germany, performing at venues including the Konzerthaus in Wiesbaden and Berlin. As a member of the Café Quartet, she received a chamber music award at the 2019 UNEAC Competition.
A founding member of the Havana Quartet, Ana has participated in the Harvard Music Festival and Apple Hill Chamber Music. The quartet was subsequently invited to perform at Minnesota Orchestra Hall for the International Day of Music as part of the CAYO Project. She continues to perform with the quartet throughout the Twin Cities and is involved in other musical projects, including Charanga Tropical and MSC&O.
Ana teaches violin and viola at MacPhail Center for Music, works with Ascension Catholic School through a school partnership, and coaches violin and viola students in the MNYO Youth Orchestra. This academic year, she also began teaching at Minneapolis College.
Ana
Frómeta
MacPhail Center for Music
Anaida Carquez
I am a Venezuelan Choral Conductor and Vocal Coach with a master’s degree in arts management from Universidad de Salamanca, Spain.
Nominated in 2002 and 2003 on the Grammy Award® and Latin Grammy Award® under the Best Classical Album for “Golijov: La Pasion Segun San Marcos” as Schola Cantorum de Venezuela’s Assistant conductor.
I moved to USA in 2015 and joined Amazonia Vocal Ensemble in 2016 as the choir's musical director and conductor. As Amazonia’s conductor I have been invited as guest lecturer and to perform at Florida International University –FIU, University of Miami –UM, Carnegie Hall, Columbia University –NY, Nova Southeastern University and many other community centers, public schools, libraries and churches along South Florida. I have also served as adjudicator and clinician in festivals, competitions, and choral encounters in South Florida.
Invited multiple times to perform along with the Minnesota Chorale and Border CrosSing (Minnepolis, MN), I was invited as guest conductor for the program Bridges: Creer/Believe (2022), a series of musical initiatives that harness the richness and diversity of the global choral repertoire to engage cultural communities and raise awareness of pressing social needs.
Former conductor of the Miami Gay Chorus (2023-2026) and music teacher of Achieve Miami, a non-profit organization focused on the use of music as a tool of social action and integration, based on the need to promote music education among children on communities with limited resources.
Anaida
Carquez
Achieve Miami
Andrew Kreitner
Andrew Kreitner gravitated towards tenor saxophone to separate himself from his “womb-mates”; his triplet brothers. Now a Baltimore-based jazz educator and composer, he empowers his students and audiences to find their own musical voices. Andrew is an in-demand teacher, maintaining his studio at The Music Workshop, teaching woodwinds at Pimlico Elementary/ Middle school, and serving Baltimore’s youth with the BSO Orchkids program.
He is a recent graduate of the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he received the full-ride Graduate Jazz Fellowship scholarship. Andrew’s compositions for the Fellowship Octet saw performances at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Baltimore x Baltimore Festival, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center. Whether teaching, performing, or writing music, Andrew loves presenting jazz that inspires individuality.
Andrew
Kreitner
OrchKids
Audrell Fuqua
Audrell Fuqua is a multi-hyphenate artist, resilient business owner, and the Founder and Chief Stewardship Officer (CSO) of Beloved Plus. Dedicated to turning burnout into long-term resilience and Soul Prosperity, Beloved Plus supports the people who support everyone else.
Drawing from her lived experiences navigating adversity and major life transitions, Audrell creates transformative spaces for helping professionals, organizational leaders, and creative visionaries alike.
She is an accomplished artist and lifelong thespian, Audrell’s creative journey spans music, film, and literature. She released her debut album, Be GodStrong Beloved, contributed to the Pieces of the Dream movie soundtrack, performed in Skee Skinner’s film Vacant Lot, and shared her journey of resilience in her book, Uncommon Sense. This deep artistic foundation and personal story of recovery inspired her to launch Beloved Plus to show others the path from survival to stability.
Through Beloved Plus, Audrell leads two core pillars: A+ Workforce Stability, providing organizations with proactive life navigation, workshops, and clinical support; and BA+ Creative Souls, empowering independent artists to finish, monetize, and protect their work while safeguarding their well-being.
Guided by the principle that being "A+" means adding value wherever you go—starting with yourself—Audrell equips individuals and teams to refill their own wells so they can show up for others while building true stability.
Audrell
Fuqua
El Sistema Indy
Austin McCann
Austin McCann is a cellist from Binghamton, NY. He enjoys a career teaching and performing throughout the Berkshires and beyond. A proponent of chamber music, Austin enjoys performing with friends and colleagues, and currently he is a proud Lead String Teaching Artist at Kids4Harmony, based in Pittsfield, MA, where this love is shared, and is the crux of his teaching: that music is a collaborative effort.
Austin
McCann
Kids 4 Harmony
B Kemble
Brian Kemble began to develop a love for music as a student in Southern California and traveled to nearly every U.S. state in search of great teachers, colleagues and experiences in the arts.
The impetus for their move to Northern California came through a performing position with the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West where they led the Travis Brass Quintet, performed in the Concert Band and served as an audio/video director. This role ended in 2022 as Brian shifted their musical attention to the SF Bay Area and California’s Central Valley, where they are an active freelance musician.
Brian is the Associate Professor of Tuba at University of the Pacific as well as the Low Brass Teaching Artist at Enriching Lives Through Music. As an educator they work to show students the link between music, the arts, and our shared humanness.
B
Kemble
Enriching Lives through Music
Bensen
Kwan
Houston Symphony
Cameron Currie
My name is Cameron Currie, professionally known as C.A.M. (Creative Artistic Mind), and I’m a Chicago-based hip-hop artist, lyricist, teaching artist, and creative mentor. Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, I’m the youngest of seven children and grew up surrounded by music, family, and different perspectives that helped shape the artist and person I am today.
My music is rooted in truth, love, growth, and storytelling. I use hip-hop to explore personal experiences, relationships, family, faith, social issues, and the everyday situations that connect us as people. Since releasing my debut album, "C.A.M. The Creative Artistic Mind", in 2017, I’ve continued developing my voice through singles, EPs, performances, and my latest project, "7th Son". My goal has always been to make music that feels authentic while leaving people with something meaningful to take with them.
Beyond my own artistry, I’m passionate about using creativity as a tool for connection and growth. As a hip-hop teaching artist with Guitars Over Guns, I work with young artists to help them develop their creative skills, find their voices, and grow both as artists and as people. Mentorship has become an important part of my journey because I understand the impact that encouragement, guidance, and having someone believe in your creativity can have.
Throughout my career, I’ve had opportunities to perform at places and events including Mamby On The Beach, the Chicago History Museum, Thalia Hall, and Strides For Peace, as well as open for artists such as DJ Quik. I’ve also collaborated with organizations and brands including AT&T and Vans, while receiving exposure through platforms such as Vocalo 91.1 and Genius: The Cosign.
At this stage in my journey, I’m looking to grow beyond simply making music. I want to better understand my creative practice, strengthen my ability to turn ideas into meaningful projects, and build connections with other artists and creatives who are pushing themselves forward.
I see the TATI Lab Cohort as an opportunity to learn, experiment, collaborate, and challenge myself creatively. I’m excited to bring my experiences as an artist, mentor, and Chicago creative into the room while learning from the perspectives and experiences of others. Ultimately, I want to continue evolving as C.A.M. and create work that reflects where I’ve been, where I’m going, and the people and communities that have helped shape me.
Cameron
Currie
Guitars Over Guns
Daniel Vega
“Daniel Vega is a saxophonist, composer, and keyboardist gleaning the intersections between contemporary music, nonviolent conflict resolution, and humor. He conveys messages about global citizenship through the juxtaposition of diverse musical ideas and styles and is eager to understand the role of music in civil resistance movements. Drawing from the late Pauline Oliveros, he believes that improvisatory audience participation music for large crowds of people can be applied to interrupt oppressive regimes and facilitate unity among people.
Daniel has a Master of Music Composition and Saxophone Performance at the University of Missouri under the guidance of Dr. Stefan Freund, Dr. Yoshiaki Onishi, and Leo Saguiguit. He holds a Bachelors of Music Composition from Portland State University, where he studied under eminent composers and performers such as Renée Favand-See and Sean Fredenburg.”
Daniel
Vega
BRAVO Youth Orchestras
Denise Hernández
Denise Hernández is a Cuban cellist and educator based in Minnesota. She began studying cello at the age of seven at the Paulita Concepción Elementary School of Music in Havana. She later studied at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory and the University of the Arts (ISA), graduating in 2015 with a Golden Diploma and highest honors.
Her performance career includes work with the Música Eterna Chamber Orchestra, Havana Lyceum Orchestra, Havana Chamber Orchestra, Balthasar Neumann Ensemble, and Caribe Nostrum String Quartet. She has performed at venues and festivals including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Berlin Philharmonie, Mozart Festival Salzburg, and Rheingau Music Festival, and has collaborated with artists including Joshua Bell, Sarah Willis, Chucho Valdés, Leo Brouwer, Dave Matthews, and Fito Páez.
Denise’s recording work includes featured solo cello performances on Jorge Amado’s Ofrenda, including Amad a la dama, which received a Cubadisco Award in 2022, and Guido López-Gavilán’s Estrenando Mis 80 (2024), featuring her as solo cellist in Rumbero Bueno. She has also collaborated on recordings with artists including Silvio Rodríguez, Raúl Paz, Harold López-Nussa, Aldo López-Gavilán, Polito Ibáñez, and Yasek Manzano.
As an educator, Denise taught at the Vocational School of Arts in Pinar del Río and the University of the Arts in Havana. Since moving to Minnesota, she has taught cello at MacPhail Center for Music, Laurel School of Music, and Breck School, and serves as a Cello Teaching Artist with Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) through its Harmony Program.
Denise is a co-founder and member of the Havana Quartet, with whom she was selected for the SphinxConnect 2026 Spotlight Fellowship. She also works with the CAYO Project and other community-based music programs in Minnesota. Her teaching and performance work reflect her commitment to developing young musicians, expanding access to music education, and bringing Cuban and contemporary repertoire into diverse musical settings.
Denise
Hernández
MacPhail Center for Music
Dimitrius Pellerin
Dimitrius Pellerin, born and raised in Moncton, New Brunswick, has always had a voracious appetite for learning. An alumni of the Sistema NB program, he started playing bassoon at the age of 10, before excelling quickly through the program and joining the provincial youth orchestra in 2018.
Since then he studied music at Mount Allison University with bassoonist Patrick Bolduc, and has taken up a teaching position at Sistema NB where he shares his passion for music and learning with his students.
Dimitrius
Pellerin
Sistema New Brunswick
Geanelly Vallecillo
Geanelly began playing viola in 2014, when she started with the Paterson Music Project (PMP), an El Sistema-inspired program for young musicians in her hometown of Paterson, NJ. In 2020 Geanelly became a PMP Youth Leader, where she did instrument inventory in the summers, assist teaching artists, setting up rehearsals, assistant organizing events like Community Day. In Summer 2025, Geanelly officially became a Teaching Artist Intern with PMP, teaching general music. She is also an alumni and current Peer Mentor/Student Assistant at MSU Cali pathways project.
In addition to her work with PMP, Geanelly has been invited to prestigious musical festivals around the world, including the YOLA festival, Ravinia Seminario, Michigan Archipelago Project, Academy for Impact through Music (A.I.M) and Teaching Artists International Youth Leadership Fellowship (TAI).
A multifaceted learner, Geanelly studied Early Childhood Development/Education at the Passaic County Technical Institute, where she graduated in 2024. As a part of that program, she taught children aged 0-4-year-olds at Head Start and Gilmore Memorial Preschool. During the summers, she has interned with Calvary Camp, ESNJA Sleep-away camp, and Paterson Music Project Summer Camp.
Geanelly is currently pursuing her Bachelors of Music Education degree and Masters of Arts in Teaching at Montclair State University under the instruction of Rosemary Nelis, and aims to become a public school music educator upon completion of her degree in 2028.
Geanelly
Vallecillo
Paterson Music Project
Gerdrose Jean-Louis
Gerdrose Jean-Louis is a cellist based in Western Massachusetts. They received their Bachelors in Cello Performance from Ithaca College, where they studied under Gregory Hesselink. During their time at Ithaca they performed in contemporary, chamber and symphonic ensembles. They also spent their time at Ithaca College studying solo music from both classical and Caribbean traditions.
Through their time as a cellist they have performed in El-Sistema based ensembles across the country. They also have performed locally in the Berkshires with the Stockbirdge Sinfonia and the Pluto String Ensemble. Currently they reside in the Berkshires and spend their time studying chamber music with the Pluto String Quartet and teaching Cello at Kids 4 Harmony.
Gerdrose
Jean-Louis
Kids 4 Harmony
Giovanna Spiotti
Gia Spiotti is a composer, vocalist and music educator based in Boston. Gia believes a teacher’s job is to inspire a love for learning. She uses a combination of techniques tailored to each student to create a fun and educational experience, and develop a life long appreciation for singing, piano and music theory! She believes expression informs technique, so her lessons are geared towards helping students develop dependable techniques that allow them to express their unique artistry. She also believes that a deep understanding of musical concepts empowers students, so she helps her students develop mastery over musical and pedagogical concepts through a combination of exercises, games, and conversation while fostering an environment for experimentation and discovery. She believes that music education should be a positive, uplifting experience and makes sure that every student leaves her class feeling excited about music and good about themselves.
Giovanna
Spiotti
NEMPAC
Gloria Wide
Gloria Wide is a violist, educator, and arts professional with a passion for community-centered programming and inclusive representation in the arts. She has experience as both a bookseller and program coordinator, where she managed events, facilitated workshops, and supported dynamic arts and literary spaces. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison (Viola Performance, Certificate in African American Studies) and Duquesne University, Gloria’s most memorable performance was playing with Stevie Wonder in Pittsburgh in 2024. She brings creativity, organization, and a people-first approach to every project, fostering spaces where literature, music, and community intersect.
Gloria
Wide
The People's Music School
Humberto Ramírez
Humberto Ramírez is a Colombian violinist, educator, and artistic leader currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance at the University of Toronto under Prof. Mark Fewer. He holds a Master’s from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a Bachelor’s from Universidad Juan N. Corpas.
He previously served as Director of the Department of Music at Universidad del Norte, where he developed academic programs and led initiatives such as the Barranquilla International Chamber Music Festival and the EuroCaribe Concert Series. As a performer, he has collaborated with the Colombian National Symphony Orchestra, Carlos Vives, and Monsieur Periné, while maintaining an active career in teaching, workshops, and socially engaged music projects.
Humberto
Ramírez
Sistema Toronto
Indranil Banerjee
Accomplished violinist and dedicated music educator with over two decades of experience in classical violin performance, music education, and student development. An ABRSM Grade 7 violinist, with extensive training in Suzuki, Hoffmann, and Galamian pedagogical approaches, specializing in teaching beginner to intermediate violinists and developing strong technical, theoretical, and performance skills.
Experienced in providing individualized violin instruction, designing structured lesson plans, and preparing students for graded examinations, competitions, recitals, and stage performances. Successfully guided students to achieve distinction in ABRSM examinations and competitions while adapting teaching strategies to suit different learning styles and abilities.
As a performing violinist, has collaborated with chamber orchestras, choirs, churches, and diverse musical ensembles, including the Calcutta Chamber Orchestra, Calcutta Youth Choir, Bible Society of India, and other professional and community-based ensembles. Brings a versatile performance background encompassing classical and contemporary repertoire, ensemble playing, orchestral performance, and live event collaboration.
In 2020, received a scholarship to study under Professor Odin Rathnam, former concertmaster of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, with specialized training in Bach Concertos, Sonatas, Partitas, and Mazas Études. This advanced training further strengthened technical proficiency, musical interpretation, and classical performance practice.
Committed to fostering musical growth through disciplined training, creativity, confidence-building, and personalized instruction. Combines performance experience with a student-focused teaching philosophy to help learners develop strong foundations, musical expression, stage confidence, and a lasting appreciation for violin and music.
Indranil
Banerjee
Sistema New Brunswick
Jacqueline
Bensen
Boston Music Project
Jose Olea-Vico
Jose Olea-Vico is a versatile violinist, educator, and arts administrator dedicated to expanding access to classical music. Based in North Carolina, Jose serves as a Durham Fellow with The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle (The COT). In this role, he performs on the main stage, plays in opera productions, and brings classical music to unique community venues through the UpClose and BEERthoven concert series.
Passionate about community engagement and mentorship, Jose is also the Program Manager and a Teaching Artist for the Raleigh Music Collective. He oversees strategic operations and delivers high-quality string instruction to youth across the Raleigh area, frequently leading clinics and workshops to dismantle barriers to music education. His work in shaping the next generation of musicians and public artistic identity has been featured on classical media outlets like The Classical Station (WCPE).
Jose completed his advanced musical training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts under the guidance of renowned pedagogue Kevin Lawrence.
Jose
Olea-Vico
Raleigh Music Collective
Kaitlynn
Yardley
Peterson School of Music
Kamara Wilbur
Kamara Wilbur (she/hers) is a musician and teaching artist originally from Bozeman, MT. She is pursuing a degree in music, dance, and psychology at the University of Montana in Missoula. While her primary instrument is the violin, she also includes viola, piano, and voice as part of her repertoire.
Kamara currently works as a Teaching Artist through Missoula Crescendo Club, serving 6th grade students at C.S. Porter Middle School and leading group classes at Grow Music Missoula.
In middle school she founded a music collaborative called “Kamara & Friends”. She began with a goal to gather like-minded musicians in sharing a variety of music with underserved populations in surrounding communities. What started as monthly visits to nursing homes in Bozeman expanded to mini tours and concerts with locations as far as Missoula to the West and Livingston to the East, adding food banks and other community-accessible spaces.
In recent years, Kamara has performed with String Orchestra of the Rockies for NextGen concerts, Missoula Symphony Orchestra, Montana Youth Symphony, University of Montana Symphony Orchestra, Montana State University Symphony Orchestra, and as a Soloist for Youthful Splendor with Baroque Music Montana.
Kamara
Wilbur
Missoula Crecendo Club
Karlyn Gehring
Karlyn is a violin teacher and multi-instrumentalist who grew up amid a vibrant music scene in Chicago. She teaches private music lessons, performs classical violin for weddings and events, and performs with local indie, rock, and experimental music groups. She is also a licensed social worker and supports communities with improving communication skills and engaging in restorative community healing. Running, spending time in nature, and sharing food and laughter inspire her music and community-focused endeavors.
Karlyn
Gehring
The People's Music School
Leah Beatty
Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Leah is a teaching artist with OrKidstra’s Kiddlywinks program, where she teaches early childhood music to children ages five to seven. Born and raised in the city, she has loved both music and teaching since she was young. The youngest of six children, she grew up surrounded by many genres of music and experienced firsthand its power to move people. As a teenager, she learned to play the flute and volunteered as a teaching assistant in a classroom of students with disabilities. As an adult, her passion for helping others through education took her to Honduras, where she participated in a volunteer education program, taught English, and learned Spanish.
Back in Canada, Leah serendipitously reconnected with her former flute teacher, a co-founder of OrKidstra. a social development program that teaches how children's lives can be changed by learning valuable life skills through the power of music. Fully aligning with this philosophy, she began as a volunteer teaching assistant before being hired as a teaching artist. For Leah, music and education form the perfect chord, and she is committed to making music education accessible to every child. Outside of work, she enjoys learning guitar, listening to music, reading, travelling, chasing her cats, and spending time with her favourite people.
Leah
Beatty
OrKidstra
Elena Levi
Elena Levi is a Juneau, Alaska-based professional violinist, teaching artist, composer, and arranger. Her work encompasses composition, chamber performance, and music education, with a particular focus on building independent, curious, and engaged musicians.
Elena has been a Teaching Artist with Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM) since 2023, teaching across all three JAMM sites, including inschool violin through JAMM’s Kúxdei Yaa Nas.áx Lingít language program. She is passionate about making music education both rigorous and accessible, helping students develop the skills and confidence to become independent musicians.
Elena also maintains a private violin studio at Thrush Hill Music, where she teaches students of a range of ages and experience levels. Her studio emphasizes strong technical and musical foundations while encouraging students to develop their own interests and identities as musicians. She presents regular student recitals and is expanding programming for Juneau’s many adult musicians.
As a performer, Elena is a member of Icefield Quartet, a Juneau-based chamber ensemble. She regularly writes and arranges music for this ensemble, and they perform a myriad of new compositions.
Elena
Levi
Juneau Alaska Music Matters
Lilian López Leyva is a Cuban violinist and teaching artist based in New Brunswick, Canada. She believes in the power of music to inspire, build confidence, and create meaningful opportunities for expression and growth.
A graduate of Cuba’s National School of Arts, Lilian began teaching violin at the Alejandro García Caturla Elementary School of Music in Havana and performed with Ensemble Cantabile, an early music orchestra in Havana.
After moving to Canada in 2025, Lilian continued her work as a musician and educator. She currently teaches violin with the SISTEMA NB community orchestra program, where she works with young musicians through ensemble-based music education. Her practice brings together performance, teaching, and community, with a focus on creating inclusive spaces where students can explore, collaborate, and develop their musical voice.
Lilian
López Leyva
Sistema New Brunswick
Lorena Restrepo
Liryen Lorena Restrepo is a violin teacher and early childhood educator with extensive experience working with students from diverse and multicultural backgrounds in Colombia and the United States. With a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and specialized training in the Suzuki Method, she combines her background in education with her passion for music to create supportive, student centered learning environments.
Lorena currently teaches violin with Project GRIT by Peterson School of Music in Salt Lake City, where she works with students from immigrant and multicultural communities. Through music, she supports students in overcoming language and cultural barriers while fostering confidence, self-expression, community connection, and social emotional well being.
Her teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of meeting each student where they are. She incorporates students’ musical interests and a variety of genres into lessons to encourage creativity, engagement, and long term musical growth. Her approach is grounded in patience, flexibility, and the belief that music can help students develop not only as musicians but also as confident and connected individuals.
Lorena has taught violin in Colombia through organizations including Universidad Nacional de Colombia (PFM), Fundación Nacional Batuta, Casa de la Cultura de La Calera, and the Instituto Municipal de Cultura y Turismo de Cajicá. In the United States, she has also worked as a community advisor with the Sphinx Performance Academy, supporting young musicians from diverse backgrounds and collaborating with faculty to create a safe, inclusive, and culturally responsive environment.
Her musical and educational training includes Suzuki Method training through Book 4, as well as studies in Kodály, Orff, and Dalcroze approaches. She is bilingual in Spanish and English and is passionate about making music education more accessible, inclusive, and meaningful for students and their communities.
Lorena
Restrepo
Peterson School of Music
Luz Luque
musical journey at the age of six at the Cúa Center of El Sistema, Venezuela’s renowned network of youth and children’s orchestras, where she chose the violin as her primary instrument. From an early age, she participated in numerous concerts, seminars, and musical events that contributed significantly to her artistic development.
At the age of twelve, she entered the Simón Bolívar Conservatory of Music, where she continued her academic and musical training, studying and performing repertoire appropriate to each stage of her development. Throughout this period, she had the opportunity to study under distinguished teachers, including Igor Lara, Elda Pineda, and Evelio Barazarte, among others.
At seventeen, she expanded her musical education by beginning studies in orchestral conducting with Maestro Miguel Ángel Monroy, discovering a new dimension of her artistic vocation. In 2010, she was given the opportunity to serve as the conductor of an orchestra within El Sistema, a role she held across three different centers until 2018.
Her career has been defined by a deep commitment to music, encompassing violin performance, orchestral conducting, and music education.
Alongside her artistic career, Luz María also pursued professional studies in other fields. She is a Geochemist and has specialized training in Finance, combining her passion for music with a strong academic and professional background.
Luz
Luque
Miami Music Project
Margaret
Madsen
Boston Music Project
Maria Rodriguez
Maria Rodriguez is a Venezuelan cellist, teaching artist, and arts administrator based in North Carolina. She serves as Marketing & Development Director and Teaching Artist at The Raleigh Music Collective, where she works to expand access to high-quality music education. An active performer with ensembles across North Carolina, she earned her BM in Cello Performance from Western Illinois University, where she spent four years in the President’s International Quartet and over two years as principal cellist.
Maria
Rodriguez
Raleigh Music Collective
Maya Linney
Maya Linney graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a minor in Art from Texas State University. As a Texas State student, Maya served as a member of the Texas State Symphony Orchestra, the SMART Orchestra, and the Texas State University Rock Ensemble. Before her college career, Maya served as the principal violist in the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra where she played on stage with violinist Lindsey Stirling, was an original member of a binational youth orchestra called El Puente (The Bridge), and performed in several community events in the southwest. She provided group and individual instruction to students of all ages and skill levels in the Texas State University String Project and continues to teach private violin, viola, and cello lessons. In addition to her classical background, Maya plays guitar, bass guitar, drums, and piano. Maya has been a member of several successful rock and metal bands where she released a professionally produced EP, two professionally directed music videos, performed across Texas and New Mexico, and opened for several prominent rock and metal bands. In addition to her popular music performance experience, she served as the drum instructor for You Rock, an inclusive girls’ rock music camp in El Paso. Maya believes that every young person deserves the opportunity to experience the joy of learning music in an environment that makes them feel valued.
Maya
Linney
Tocando Music Project
Meghan Van Cleave
Meghan is a violinist and educator based in Portland OR. Originally from Indiana, she received a Bachelors in Violin Performance from Ball State University. She received a Masters in Violin Performance at University of British Columbia where she studied with Andy Dawes and David Gillham. She has performed with a variety of orchestras across western Canada and Oregon and is currently a teaching artist at BRAVO Youth Orchestras in Portland.
Meghan
Van Cleave
BRAVO Youth Orchestras
Michael
Semanic
NEMPAC
Milagros Cáceres-Chávez
Milagros Cáceres-Chávez is a Peruvian violist, violinist, and music educator based in Canada. Originally from Arequipa, Peru, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance, a degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and a Master’s degree in Higher Education. She began her viola studies with Enrique Victoria and Emily Rodríguez.
After moving to Canada, Milagros continued her musical training at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where she completed a Diploma in Music Performance (Viola), studying with David Visentin, and graduated with Distinction. During her studies, she received the Jaymac Scholarship, the VanHall Fund for the Arts Award, and the Camosun International Arts and Science Award. While in Victoria, she also served as Principal Viola of the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra.
In Peru, Milagros was a member of the viola section of the Arequipa Symphony Orchestra and worked as a Teaching Artist with Sinfonía por el Perú, an El Sistema-inspired social music program dedicated to providing music education to children and youth. She also served as Coordinator of the VerArte String Festival in Arequipa, contributing to educational and artistic initiatives that brought together students, teachers, and professional musicians.
Milagros currently performs with the viola section of the Oakville Symphony Orchestra and is a Violin Teaching Artist with Sistema Toronto, combining her experience as a performer and educator in her work with young musicians.
Milagros
Cáceres-Chávez
Sistema Toronto
Nailah Harris
Nailah Harris is a Cellist and educator currently pursuing her Artist Diploma on scholarship at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair University, studying under Professor Tomoko Fujita.
Nailah currently holds a Bachelors of Arts in Music performance and English from the University of Maryland where she studied with Rachel Young and Eric Kutz. While there she received full scholarship in the form of the Maryland Promise Program, a leadership program for promising undergraduate students. Nailah also holds an Associate of Arts in English from Prince George’s Community College where she studied privately under Loewi Lin.
Nailah is passionate about the arts and the community around her. Nailah has worked with many programs in the Maryland and New Jersey area, such as the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Program, Paterson Music project, The Music Space of Towson MD and the DC Youth Orchestra. In these areas, Nailah strives to support and teach the next generation of musicians, helping to bring them, in any way shape or form, into the world of music.
Nailah
Harris
Paterson Music Project
Natalia Medrano
Natalia Medrano, a passionate music educator, and Child and Youth Care practitioner, whose calling combines a love of music with a deep commitment to supporting children and youth. Originally from Mexico City, Natalia earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano before expanding her horizons by completing the Child and Youth Care Advanced Diploma at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Canada, blending rich musical expertise with a grounded understanding of child development.
Throughout her career, Natalia has dedicated her work to supporting children with special needs and those from vulnerable communities. For her, music is a universal language, a safe shelter, and a powerful tool for connection. She is passionate about creating welcoming spaces where every child feels safe, valued, and excited to explore their potential.
As OrKidstra’s Social Development Coordinator & Teaching Artist, Natalia guides young learners through the KiddlyWinks program, leading engaging group music classes for children aged 5–8 that foster teamwork, emotional expression, and confidence. She is also teaching the KidLeaders class to the intermediate and senior's students, fusing music theory with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) to empower students in their next steps on their musical journey.
With over ten years of experience teaching piano through the Suzuki Method, Natalia has guided children through individual and group lessons as well as performance settings. Her approach centers on positive encouragement, patience, and respect for each child’s unique pace.
Her background in Child and Youth Care gives her a natural ability to adapt lessons to diverse learning styles and build strong, trust-filled relationships with students and their families. Natalia firmly believes in the power of music to bring people together, build resilience, and help children discover their inner strengths.
Natalia
Medrano
OrKidstra
Nicolás Rosales
My name is Nicolás Rosales and I am 27 years old. I was born in Chile, in a southern city called Temuco. I have played the viola and violin since I was young; I have performed with professional orchestras in Chile and currently play with the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to teaching, I am working to advance my professional career as a violist. My favorite hobbies are traveling with my husband, playing volleyball, and spending time with my two beautiful cats.
Nicolás
Rosales
El Sistema Colorado
Noah Hudson-Camack
Noah Hudson-Camack is a composer, performer, and educator native to Cary, North Carolina, currently living in Austin, Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Musical Arts from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Music from the University of Texas. Believing firmly in diversity as strength within art, he seeks to blend elements from disparate eras of Western art music, jazz, and popular music in his work. The sewing together of different genre aesthetics is as much an objective in his music as developing strong motivic content, rich harmony, and complex rhythm. He explores these connections in his solo, chamber, jazz, and wind symphony works.
Sharing his own excitement and joy for what music-making and appreciation can bring he considers not just a goal, but a responsibility. Deeply valuing education, Noah is a three-time teaching fellow for the North Carolina Governor’s School’s instrumental music program where he organized and led the jazz ensembles for two years while offering private instruction in music composition, theory, and brass performance. Today he serves as a brass teaching artist for Austin Soundwaves working with bands around the city, and as a private music theory instructor.
Outside of music, Noah is an avid cook, word artist, and storyteller who loves a good wandering through nature and cities alike.
Noah
Hudson-Camack
Austin Soundwaves
Philip Capuzzi
Philip Capuzzi is a multipotentialite artist and teacher who seeks healing through shared expressionism. Within the music realm he plays cello, bass, piano, DJs, and produces. He also is deeply involved in community radio and organizing in general. The energy of the space in which art is created is integral to the authenticity of the art itself. This core belief drives Philip to build altruistic spaces. In an educational setting, this is absolutely crucial. One must feel safe to explore and err, or they will seldom grow. Experimentation is the mother of innovation; most engaging ideas come from a flow state of collaborative searching. Philip cultivates this concept in the classrooms in which he teaches, and wishes to discover more tools to do so effectively. The teaching community is very special. It is composed of people who truly care for their craft. This is a major blessing, and rarer than some might realize. Philip is deeply grateful for the opportunity to interface with other teaching artists and exchange methodologies and philosophies in an intentional format. He believes this will help him learn new ways to show up wholly for his students and teach from a culturally and collaboratively informed state of being.
Philip
Capuzzi
Achieve Miami
Pirahashini Thayanithy
Pirahashini Thayanithy (she/her) has recently begun her third year as a Teaching Artist with OrKidstra. She has mainly worked with the programs centred on early exploration, singing ensembles, and music fundamentals. She has very much enjoyed getting to bring together her background in vocal music, cognitive neuroscience, and education in such a rewarding and invigorating environment.
Now based on Ottawa, Pirahashini has been very involved in the local music community. Aside from her work with OrKidstra, she has been the Director of Operations for the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, a section lead at First Baptist Church, and the Choir Manager for the Queer Youth Choir. She also performs in multiple ensembles, whether year-round choirs of various types, or short-term projects such as in musical theatre or with orchestras. Choral music has been a part of her life as long as she can remember, and she feels it is a privilege to continue nurturing that in other young musicians through these various avenues.
Bringing a unique combination of interests and skills, as well as academic and professional experiences, Pirahashini has tried to make a positive impact on OrKidstra by consistently striving for growth. She tries to get involved with OrKidstra as much as possible to learn from so many amazing peers and mentors, and makes sure the students know she learns from them every class as well. Although her background has been conducive for contributing to such an organization, one of her goals has been to formalize her training and become more confident as a Teaching Artist, so Pirahashini is extremely excited about this opportunity with TATI! She highly values collaboration, creativity, and interdisciplinary work, all of which can be found within OrKidstra and TATI.
Pirahashini
Thayanithy
OrKidstra
Rachel Taft
Rachel Taft is a violinist and educator with two decades of teaching experience. She holds an undergraduate degree from the New England Conservatory, has completed Suzuki violin teacher training, and teaches at Peterson School of Music.
A Founding Teaching Artist and former Director of Project GRIT, Rachel has helped develop and sustain community-based music education centered on access to high-quality musical instruction. Her teaching draws on a strong technical foundation while fostering curiosity, independence, resilience, and thoughtful musical expression.
An avid outdoorsperson, Rachel has a particular interest in the relationship between music, place, and the natural world. Time outdoors continues to shape her artistic perspective and the way she thinks about listening, attention, creativity, exploration, and connection through music.
Rachel
Taft
Peterson School of Music
Raphael Maranon
Raphael Maranon is a Filipino- American musician and educator. He has worked with and been mentored by groups such at the Pacifica Quartet, Fifth House Ensemble, and the Celtic Women.
Past concert engagements have included appearances with the Bayview Festival, Bullock Concert series, Fontana Chamber Arts, and the Fil-Am Music Foundation. In addition to his performing career he is also an avid music educator who teaches in schools and summer camps across the Midwest. In his teaching he focuses on a student centered approach. Raphael holds degrees from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and Western Michigan University. His primary teachers include Bruce Uchimura, Karen Basrak, and Nazar Dzhuryn. Outside of music he enjoys going out into nature, yoga, and being an active Board Member of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Raphael
Maranon
The People's Music School
Ron Parks
Ron Parks is a versatile artist whose music blends sharp lyricism with modern melodic sensibilities. Drawing from a wide range of experiences, Ron explores everything from social justice and personal struggles to perseverance, self-discovery, and the moments that challenge us to decide whether to keep pushing forward or let go.
Through his distinctive voice, clever wordplay, and whimsical approach to storytelling, Ron gives listeners an honest look into the highs and lows of his personality and life experiences. His music lives at the intersection of reflection and expression, turning personal experiences into songs that invite listeners to think, feel, and see the world from a different perspective.
Ron
Parker
Guitars Over Guns
Rowan Hitchlock
Rowan Hitchlock is a private music teacher, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Cobourg, Ontario. With over three years of experience delivering private and group instruction across diverse age groups and skill levels, Rowan has collaborated with reputable organizations such as MattOMusic and Sounds of the Next Generation (S.O.N.G.).
Rowan has also performed at many regional festivals, including Cultivate Festival and local waterfront festivals, Cobourg Latin Jazz and has lent his multi-instrumental expertise as both a session/background musician and a solo performer. Proficient on drums, percussion, bass, piano, vocals, guitar, and saxophone, Rowan brings a cohesive, and creative approach to teaching, performing, and musicianship.
Rowan
Hitchlock
Sounds of the Next Generation
Shawn Bostick
Shawn Bostick is a versatile musician, educator, and arts administrator dedicated to enriching the cultural landscape of Eastern Canada. He holds degrees in Music from Mount Allison University and St. Francis Xavier University. When serving as Regional Director of the Canadian Music Centre, Shawn founded Atlantic Waves Imprint, a label focused on showcasing the Atlantic provinces’ dynamic contemporary music scene. The label’s second release “Between the Shore and the Ships” won two East Coast Music Awards, including the inaugural Classical Composition of the Year. A dedicated educator, he joined the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra's Moncton Sistema Centre as a Teaching Artist in 2017 and is currently the Production Manager of the Tutta Musica Orchestra, where he supports their dynamic concert and touring activities. Shawn served on the Board of the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) for 9 years, contributing to their ongoing vision of creating a thriving east coast music industry, and on the national scene, Shawn produced the prestigious classical music showcase for the 2010 Juno Awards. As an arts manager, Shawn has collaborated with notable ensembles such as ¡Sacabuche!, East Coat Artists; Shaun Leblanc, Dave Thomson, Mike Biggar, Kenny James, Professional Theatre Company; Live Bait Theatre, Astronaut Chris Hadfield, and Comedian John Cleese, having helped shape their continued development and successes. An integral part of the leadership team since 2015, Shawn produced 11 seasons of the Sackville Festival of Early Music, a renowned annual event that celebrates historically informed performance, education, and cultural exchange. He stepped down from the festival after producing 11 seasons of the festival in 2026.
Driven by a passion for music and the arts, Shawn remains committed to fostering creativity and collaboration, promising further significant contributions to the cultural vibrancy of Eastern Canada.
Shawn
Bostick
Sistema New Brunswick
Sherin Rizk
Sherin has been performing on professional stages since the age of 10. Sherin is a graduate of McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor of Music, with a specialization in vocal performance. Sherin has been the Musical Director and Conductor for the Canadian Military Wives Choirs Trenton since 2018. Sherin has also taught private and group lessons for children and adults on multiple instruments, including cello, violin, flute, ukulele, and piano, since 2014. Although she continues to perform, compose and arrange music independently, she has a deep love for choirs, and cites the choir that she had the privilege of performing with as a child as the main reason she pursued a career in music, in the hopes that she would be able to provide music education and opportunities in her local community.
Sherin
Rizk
Quintissimo
Stephen Whimple
Dr. Stephen Whimple is an award-winning Trombonist and Educator located in the Hudson Valley. He currently plays with groups across New York State and serves as a teaching artist for the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Dr. Whimple served as an Instructor and Graduate Teaching Assistant at The University of Alabama. Before his doctoral studies, Stephen attended the Juilliard School as an Irene Diamond Graduate Fellow, Music Advancement Program Teaching Fellow, and Morse Teaching Artist Fellow. He completed his bachelor’s degree at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.
Stephen
Whimple
ESYO CHIME
Tae Corbin
When asked "what do you do?" Tae, a human of many talents, often says "I chase the butterflies; they whisper stories". From a young age, Tae had it set in their mind that the Arts and specifically music would be their calling and path in life. However, growing up in Detroit proved this to be a difficult road. Tae had very little access to music education or instruments, but still ever dedicated, found "free" versions of music software and instruments; learned how to record and play well enough to compose a demo that could be used as an audition reel for his city's performing arts high school. Upon acceptance into said school, Tae dedicated themselves to learning all they could about theory, choral arrangements, harmony, and music overall. Earning a spot in every choir, performance opportunity, placing at most state competitions, and eventually earning a summer work experience under the tutelage of Dr. Willard Hines. This experience of teaching Detroit's youth with little access to musical programs similar to themselves, and then sharing those teachings and songs with the community instilled in Tae a fervent need to make their art and work matter and be of service. Tae went on to pursue a degree in Music Business and Songwriting at the short-lived Detroit Institute of Music Education. Took a brief break to teach special education and manage a music studio where Tae contributed to the creation of a Grammy-winning album. Tae is currently a teaching artist with The People's Music School in Chicago; a program of over 50 years, delivering free music education. Tae loves providing this gift to others and helping future musicians discover themselves in art. Along with a passion for singing, Tae is also a songwriter, producer, composer, arranger, and occasionally mixing engineer. Tae has offered some of their many talents to the likes of Vahn Black, Victoria Monet, Teddy Swims, Monet Xchange, and Supercoolwicked to name a few. The butterflies are a metaphor for embracing mistakes and the randomness of life in the process of creation. Tae states their many hats are gifts from the butterflies weaving them into a dynamic individual capable of commanding any room and understanding any person. Tae hopes to continue chasing the butterflies and to inspire others to do the same.
Tae
Corbin
The People's Music School
Taylor Sapanara
Taylor Sapanara is a violist from Phoenix, Arizona. Taylor has held positions with The West Valley Symphony, Symphony of the Southwest, Erimos Quartet, and ProMusica Orchestra. She holds a Bachelors in Performance from Arizona State as well as a Masters in Performance University of Colorado, Boulder. She is currently pursuing an Artist’s Diploma at CU Boulder under the guidance of Erika Eckert. Since taking residence in Colorado, she has performed with organizations such as The Longmont Symphony, Boulder Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic, and Symphony of the Rockies.
As a soloist, Taylor enjoys performing the classics as well as exploring new works that test the limits of the viola. As an educator, she focuses on access and equity, collaborating with organizations such as Harmony Project and El Sistema Colorado to provide music instruction to underprivileged communities. She is currently viola and chamber music faculty at El Sistema Colorado as well as Assistant Director of Orchestras at Vista Peak Preparatory.
Taylor
Sapanara
El Sistema Colorado
Mateus Gomes dos Santos
I have worked as a bassist and music teacher throughout my life. I started my musical journey studying in a social program called Guri in Sao Paulo, Brazil. After two years, I began studying at one of the best conservatories in Brazil, the São Paulo Municipal School of Music, where I studied double bass with Max Ebert for 8 years. Furthermore, I took private jazz classes with Frank Herzberg and the Jazz Bass course at Berklee Online.
In my teaching career, I have worked for around 20 years with children and teenagers. I had the opportunity to return to the same program where I began my musical journey (Guri Santa Marcelina) years later, but this time as a teaching artist. I worked there for 14 years. Becoming a teacher at the same program where I was previously a student was an incredible experience. I also had the experience of teaching adults in Brazil, in different art schools where I developed other teaching methods.
Alongside my teaching career, I have maintained my work as a performing musician. I have performed with several orchestras in São Paulo, Brazil, including the São Paulo State Youth Orchestra and the Villa-Lobos String Camerata as a principal bassist (2008–2009). I also played in the São Paulo Experimental Repertoire Orchestra (2009–2011). From 2011 to 2015 I played at the Brazilian Army Symphony Band, where I served as a 3rd Sergeant and principal double bassist in a six-member team. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to participate in the 39th and 40th International Music Festivals of Campos do Jordão, where I took classes with renowned bassists such as Miloslav Gajdoš, Cristian Braica, Philipp Stubenrauch, and Pedro Gadelha.
In Canada, I have been teaching double bass at OrKidstra since 2024, in the city of Ottawa, and currently performing at the community Ottawa Chamber Orchestra. I also take part in jazz and pop performances in Ottawa.
Mateus
Gomes dos Santos
OrKidstra
Treasure Eckles
Treasure Eckles is a music educator with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Metroplitan Youth Orchestra where she is a full-time Youth Development Artist. She graduated from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University - Bloomington in 2025 with a Bachelor's in Music Education - Instrumental Strings focus. Treasure first began her love of music in the public schools of Nashville, TN and started playing viola in the fifth grade. Having come from a program similar to that of the ISO through the Nashville Symphony's "Acclerando" program, Treasure became inspired to continue cultivating the love for music and life with her future students. She strives to make the classroom collaborative, creative, and caring of students and their families as human beings through the tool of music. Treasure is also an active performer and member of the "Trap Orchestra," growing as a musician for herself and her students. Treasure currently resides in Indianapolis, IN where she teaches, composes, and reads plenty of books.
Treasure
Eckles
Metropolitan Youth Orchestra
Valerie Hsu
Valerie Hsu is in her second year working with OrchKids in Baltimore City. She brings a background in community organizing, interfaith organizing, strategic communications, and organizational finance and operations. After serving in a range of nonprofit leadership positions, Valerie now sells books at a neighborhood indie bookstore, supports communications and development for a grassroots environmental justice organization that builds permanently affordable housing, and serves as choir assistant director for OrchKids. In all her roles, she seeks to grow community and connect people across the city to build the Baltimore we deserve. A pianist by training, Valerie enjoys reading chamber music with friends and performing new music by local composers.
Valerie
Hsu
OrchKids
Yeganeh Sotudehnia
Yeganeh Sotudehnia is a Iranian-Canadian musician and educator currently living in Edmonton, Canada, on Treaty 6 Territory. She is passionate about human rights, and loves to learn about and connect with different cultures through music. Yeganeh is proud to serve as a Teaching Artist at the Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta (YONA), where she gets to teach students violin every day afterschool!
Yeganeh
Sotudehnia
Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta
Neko Cortez
Neko Cortez is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, ethnomusicologist, and educator originally from Dayton, Ohio (the home of the funk), now based in Chicago. He was introduced to music at a young age through his father, who is a bass player. Neko quickly fell in love with music that makes people dance, and he keeps that rhythm close to
his heart. As an educator, Neko teaches with the philosophy that music is a language and it is best learned through having musical conversation together. He seeks to guide students towards creating music that is a reflection of their own life, and to empower students by encouraging them to forge musical connections with their roots.
Neko
Cortez
Guitars Over Guns
Gregory Parra
Gregory Parra is a world-class clarinetist, conductor, and Teaching Artist whose distinguished career spans international concert stages and decades of educational leadership. Beginning his teaching career in 1990, Gregory has spent over 35 years empowering students and cultivating vibrant musical communities across South America and Canada. He is recognized globally as an official Silverstein Works Pro Team Artist.Born in Venezuela, Gregory built a renowned career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. He performed with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, served as Principal Clarinet of the National Typical Orchestra, and was a core member of prominent ensembles like the Caracas Clarinet Quartet (First and Piccolo Clarinet), Camerata Criolla, and Onkora. His masterful artistry earned him a Latin Grammy Award for his participation in Ilan Chester's acclaimed 2009 album.Gregory’s virtuosity has taken him across Europe and the Americas. He won the unanimous backing of the Mozarteum Foundation to attend the prestigious Aspen Music Festival on a Patricia & Gustavo Cisneros scholarship. As a highly sought-after soloist, he has performed major concertos with the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia and the Symphony Orchestra of Manizales, and premiered the notoriously difficult Jean Françaix Clarinet Concerto with the National Symphony of Chile—earning high praise from master clarinetist Luis Rossi. In 2016, his exceptional reputation led to an invitation to audition for the Principal Clarinet position at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.Upon moving to Canada in 2011, Gregory immediately dedicated his talents to nurturing Canadian youth as a wind coach for the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra (NBYO), a vital role he has held for 15 years. He also served as the Assistant Principal Clarinet of the Regina Symphony Orchestra during the 2018–2019 season.Today, Gregory operates his professional studio out of Moncton, New Brunswick, and continues his lifelong passion for music education as the Wind Conductor for Sistema NB and a performing member of the Tutta Musica Orchestra. He remains a driving force in the region's cultural landscape as a performer, conductor, inspiring educator, and expert woodwind repair technician. For more information, concert dates, or booking inquiries, visit www.gregoryparra.com, or connect on Instagram at @GPS_woodwind_repair.
Gregory
Parra
Sistema New Brunswick
Irene Ramirez Pardo
Irene is a violin teacher with over 10 years of experience guiding children and young people in their musical training. She is currently part of the teaching artist team at GTCYS in Minnesota, where she leads group classes for the Harmony program.
Her background as both a student and a teacher within Venezuela’s *El Sistema* and Colombia’s *Batuta* has enriched her teaching methodology, allowing her to blend classical technique with creativity and improvisation—all with the goal of ensuring students have fun in every class.
Irene
Ramirez Pardo
Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies Harmony Program
Pedro Colón
Pedro Colón es un violinista profesional puertorriqueño cuya dedicación a la música abarca los escenarios, las aulas y el mundo entero. Graduado con la distinción de Magna Cum Laude, Pedro aporta excelencia académica y una profunda pasión artística a todo lo que hace.
Es maestro en el Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, donde forma parte del prestigioso Programa 100x35, una iniciativa comunitaria que brinda educación musical a estudiantes que de otro modo no podrían costearla. Su compromiso con el acceso a la música se extiende también a su labor como maestro en el Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico, donde dedica su tiempo libre a ofrecer clases a estudiantes de bajos recursos.
Más allá de la enseñanza, Pedro ha sido un orgulloso embajador de la música tradicional puertorriqueña en los escenarios del mundo. Como integrante de un conjunto de música tradicional, ha viajado internacionalmente — actuando en países como Colombia, Polonia, España, ect — llevando la rica herencia cultural de Puerto Rico a públicos de todo el mundo.
Pedro Colón no es solo un violinista — es un músico con una misión.