Patricia Harden is a freshman violin performance student with minors in Spanish and music management at the University of Delaware. Her teacher is Guillaume Combet. Patty was a Pathways Program Fellow in the 2023 National Pathways Festival and Orchestra with the Primavera Fund. Besides Primavera, she previously participated in PMAY (Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth), attending programs like Project 440 and Temple Music Prep, and played with several orchestras including the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, All-City Orchestra Summer Academy, and the Honors Performance Series’ High School Honors String Orchestras at Carnegie Hall.

Patty is a co-executive Director of Sharing Our Sound, a project that provides music education in the Philadelphia School District. Patty participates in various orchestras at UD, and will be doing her first pit performances earlier in the spring. She has recently been appointed as secretary in UD’s Music Student Council. Outside of music, she is an arts-and-culture staff reporter for The Review, UD’s campus newspaper. She does music composition, digital art, and photography in her spare time.

Peruvian-American cellist Alex Aranzabal is from Londonderry, New Hampshire and graduated from the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in 2023. He began playing the cello under the guidance of Harel Gietheim at the Manchester Community Music School and studied with Mark Churchill at the New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School. Alex is currently a student at the New England Conservatory under Paul Katz. In past summers, Alex attended the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Curtis Institute of Music, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and performed across Europe with the National Youth Orchestra. He was also a prizewinner in the YoungArts National Arts Competition in 2022 and participated in the 2022 National Pathways Orchestra in Chicago as well as the 2023 National Pathways Orchestra in Cincinnati.

Dayla Spencer is a composer, arranger and trombonist from Nashville, TN. She currently studies Theory & Composition at Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ with composer Patrick Burns. Spencer’s work has been read and performed by ensembles such as the Paper Clips Trombone Quartet (MN), the University of North Carolina-Greesnboro TubaBand, the New Jersey City University Symphony of Winds and Percussion, and the Montclair State Trombone Choir. Her works have also been included in conferences and competitions such as the 2024 International Trombone Festival’s Composers Workshop and the 2023 University of Florida Call for Scores by Women Composers. She is an alum of Interlochen Arts Camp (Composition ’23) where she was recognized as a Fromm Foundation Fellow. She is also an alum of the Nashville Symphony’s Accelerando Pathways program.

Zachary Allen is a first-year oboe performance major at Oberlin Conservatory studying with Robert Walters. He is an alumni fellow of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative and former Merit Scholar at the Music Institute of Chicago. Zachary was a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra for four years and served as principal oboe for three years. In 2023 he made his conducting debut at Chicago’s Symphony Center after being named the CYSO Music Director’s Conducting Fellow.

He has received numerous awards including first prizes in the DePaul Concerto Competition, the Odin International Music Competition, the Walgreens National Concerto Competition, the Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, and the American Fine Arts Festival, which afforded him the opportunity to make his Carnegie Hall debut at age 17. In 2022 he was named a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award recipient and was featured on Show 416 on NPR’s From the Top. Most recently he made his solo orchestral debut as a finalist in the 2023 International Young Artist Concerto Competition.

Zachary attended Interlochen Arts Camp as a member of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2021. He was also invited to join the Tanglewood’s Young Artist Orchestra and the Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 program. He has participated in masterclasses and guest coachings with Elaine Douvas, Eugene Izotov, Riccardo Muti, Katherine Needleman, Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Titus Underwood, William Welter, and Dominick Wollenweber. He has participated in additional coaching from the Curtis Mentor Network.

Zachary performed in the two previous National Pathways Festival Orchestras and is pleased to return as a panelist this year.

Dr. Phillip A. Ducreay is an accomplished educator, historian, violinist, and program manager. He currently oversees the Accelerando program at The Nashville Symphony as a Program Manager of Education and Community Engagement. His talents as a violinist and recording artist have led to collaborations with notable artists like Pharrell and Tobe Nwigwe, as well as performances with The American Quartet. Dr. Ducreay earned his DMA  in Violin Performance from the University of Maryland, where he studied pedagogy with James Stern, Rebecca Henry, and Irina Muresanu. He has made impactful contributions in musicology, authoring publications on a wide range of topics, including performance practice, music and curation, and West African music. His dedication to inclusivity in the arts is reflected in his leadership with Accelerando and his role as a SphinxLEAD Cohort No. 5 fellow.

Angela Hamilton is an arts administrator from Cincinnati, Ohio. She received her undergraduate degree in Theatre Management and African & Black Diaspora Studies from DePaul University, where her passion for making the performing arts accessible and inclusive grew. As Program Manager of the Washington Musical Pathways Initiative (WMPI), she provides support to the next generation of classical musicians as they realize their goals and ambitions for the future. In addition to WMPI, Angela is the Managing Director of Hearing in Color, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to sharing music, stories, and composers that have been historically excluded from classical musical spaces.

James Hall is a double bassist, administrator and educator in the Chicago area. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, James holds degrees in Double Bass Performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and from Northwestern University, where he was the recipient of a full-tuition scholarship. James was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2008-2010, and has also performed with numerous professional ensembles in the Chicago area and the Midwest, including the Chicago Composers Orchestra, Dubuque Symphony and others. As an educator, James was previously a public school orchestra director in Howard County, Maryland, overseeing increased enrollment in each successive year of his tenure. James joined the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative as its Project Manager in July, 2019, and was promoted to Project Director in September, 2021. Prior to joining CMPI, James served as the Manager of Community Programs and Civic Orchestra Engagement at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he managed the prestigious Civic Orchestra Fellowship program and worked to expand access to classical music in communities throughout Chicago.

Rachel Segal, AKA “Music Mom”, is a violinist, arranger, educator, advocate, and pet Mom. She has commissioned, premiered, and performed many works of contemporary composers and is particularly interested in performing works by women and composers from other traditionally underrepresented communities. She has performed and recorded with some of the world’s leading pop, hip-hop, and rock artists, including Tony Bennett, Peter Gabriel, Steve Martin, and Devotchka. She has arranged music for string quartet, voice and piano, and solo violin, and has recorded the music of women composers, as well as an album of pop covers with the Fairmount String Quartet on Spring Garden Records.

Ms. Segal received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan and her Master of Music degree from Yale School of Music. She spent twelve years as a tenured member of the Colorado Symphony and Concertmaster of the Central City Opera Orchestra and has served as Concertmaster of the Orchesta Sinfonica Portugesa in Lisbon, Portugal, and the South Bend Symphony, Principal Second violin of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and Fourth Chair of the Tampere Filharmonia in Tampere, Finland. She has also performed at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, with Orchestra 2001, and Anchorage Opera. 

Ms. Segal is the first violinist of the Fairmount String Quartet, and Principal Violinist of the Inscape Chamber Orchestra, and performs frequently with PostClassical Ensemble, the Baltimore Symphony, Philly Pops, Opera Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Ballet. She is the Associate Director of the Young Musicians Debut Orchestra. She is a proud member of Locals 77, 40-543, and 161-710, and Equity Arc. She lives in the Brewerytown area of Philadelphia with her dogs Abby and Sam and cats Gilbert and Sullivan.

Hailed as “first-rate” by The Boston Globe, cellist Tomoko Fujita enjoys an active musical life as a performer and educator. As a founding member and the cellist of the Bryant Park Quartet for ten years, she presented numerous concerts and interactive outreach performances nationally and internationally, and released a CD album entitled “BPQ”. She collaborates regularly with pianist Luba Poliak, and has performed with esteemed artists such as Itzhak Perlman, members of the Cleveland, Emerson, and Juilliard String Quartets, dancer Wendy Whelan, and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. Currently, she is a member of the New York Chamber Music Co-Op, a performance collaborative which seeks to explore issues of social justice in the context of classical music programming. She is Assistant Professor of Cello at Montclair State University and serves as coordinator of the Cali Pathways Project, an initiative aimed at creating dynamic and comprehensive pathways to higher education and careers in music for underserved student musicians. She is also on faculty at Princeton University and coaches at the New York Youth Symphony Chamber Music Program. In the summers, Tomoko is in residence at the Kinhaven Music School in Weston, VT. For more information, visit www.tomokofujita.com.

Kiarri has worked in admissions for almost a decade, currently serving as the Associate Director of Admissions for the College of Performing Arts at The New School. When not doing admissions-related work, he can often be found on a stage in a musical or just enjoying karaoke.

Jonas Wright, Dean and Chief Academic Officer, is responsible for the academic program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In addition to leadership and cultivation of the faculty, he oversees and implements changes to the curriculum. He is guided by a commitment to the student population, who represent some of the finest musicians in the country, with a focus on academic achievement, student engagement, and efforts to attract new students of the highest caliber to SFCM. By ensuring that the Conservatory continues to meet the standards for accreditation, he is committed to the success of students, faculty, and administrative staff.

While serving as Registrar, Wright successfully led the initiative to move the Conservatory to online registration and grade reporting, creating a more user-friendly experience. He launched the Student Academic Enrichment Center (SAEC) in the fall of 2014, which centralized all tutoring services into one location, and expanded support services for the Conservatory’s diverse student population. He was promoted to Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in 2015.

Before joining SFCM, Wright served first as Operations Manager, then as Registrar, at the Presidio Graduate School, where he established the school’s first Registrar’s Office. He’s also held positions at the American Film Institute, supporting a student population consisting of the most driven, focused, and talented aspirants to film and television production.

Since September 2016, Wright has served as Board Chair for Little Opera, an after-school arts and music program. Additionally, he’s volunteered at College Track, advising, mentoring and inspiring at-risk San Francisco high school seniors as they apply for college.

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Wright received his Bachelor of Arts in film studies from the University of Buffalo and now lives in San Francisco with his amazing wife. When not at 50 Oak, you have an equal chance of finding him at War Memorial Opera House, SFJAZZ, or the Great American Music Hall, inspired by all the great music the city has to offer.

A Jersey girl with southern roots, Christina attended The College of New Jersey, completing a Bachelor’s in English and a minor in Women and Gender Studies, and was introduced as a Community Advisor to her eventual career in student affairs. She completed her Master’s in Student Affairs Administration at Michigan State University.

She spent most of her career working in various residential education and housing operations positions at a range of institutions, including Syracuse University, University of Vermont, Temple University, Princeton University, MIT, University of Southern California, ultimately serving as the Associate Dean of Campus and Residential Life for the then newly merged Berklee College of Music/The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Prior to NEC, her work shifted to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion as the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Berklee/BOCO and then as the Interim Associate Dean for Intercultural Education at Bates College. 

She expanded her knowledge of international education by living and working abroad for Northeastern University’s NUin Program in Melbourne, Australia. In 2021, she became the Dean of Students and Campus Life at NEC. In this role, she oversees the Counseling and Wellness Center, Residence Life/Housing/Dining, New Student Orientation, Disability Support Services, and students of concern.

She loves exploring Boston and all that the city has to offer, the arts, museums, restaurants, independent bookstores, and historical sites. She also loves traveling, cooking, reading, and consuming all forms of quality pop culture!

Dr. Crystal Sellers Battle previously served as the Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA before coming to Eastman in June 2022. In her role, Crystal works to advance programs and policies that promote mindsets and behaviors that value and support equity, diversity, and inclusion. She co-founded DIEMA (Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Musical Arts) Consulting Group LLC, to help schools of music address DEI related challenges and initiatives. She has presented to several groups around the country about DEI in music including the Northeastern Regional Conference of College Music Society.

Crystal holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in voice performance with a specialization in Singing Health from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Music from Bowling Green State University, a Master of Music degree from Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and a Postgraduate Diploma from Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK.

Danielle has a career in music school admissions which has spanned almost 15 years. In her current role as Assistant Director of Admissions at the Eastman School of Music she has worked on many student-focused initiatives aimed at improving the experience of applying to music school. She regularly represents Eastman at meetings for professional music admissions organizations including the Music Inclusion Coalition (MIC), Music Admissions Roundtable (MAR), and the Independent Consortium for College Admissions in Music (ICCAM). Danielle is currently pursuing a PhD in Education through the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education with a focus on higher education. Her research interests include equity in admissions, meritocracy, and systems of oppression in higher education organizations. Prior to this, she earned a Master of Science in Higher Education-Leadership from the Warner School of Education and her Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Stony Brook University.

Lina Bahn is a violinist with a keen interest in collaborative and innovative repertoire, and has been called “brilliant” and “lyrical” by the Washington Post. Her publication of Mean Fiddle Summer (Naxos Label) was hailed, “From start to finish, the violinist demonstrates her adroit technical facility, kaleidoscope of colors, and consummate musical taste.” She is a dedicated collaborator and educator, currently the Chair and faculty at the Thornton School of Music at USC, and former posts include those at Colorado University, Dickinson College, and Indiana University.

Recent chamber music collaborations include those with Matt Haimovitz, Kathleen Tagg, and David Krakauer at the Oregon Bach Festival, and as a guest performer with the Takacs Quartet at Strathmore Hall, Concertgabouw Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Mariinsky Theater, and Queen Elizabeth Hall. Lina was a member of the award-winning Corigliano Quartet, lauded by the Strad Magazine, and whose Naxos recording was selected by The New Yorker magazine as one of the year’s “Best 10 Recordings”. She is also a founding member of MoVE (Modern Violin Ensemble), a group of four violinists dedicated to social change, and served as the Executive Director and violinist with the VERGE Ensemble in residency at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.  Her degrees are from the Juilliard School as a student of Dorothy DeLay, MM (University of Michigan) with Paul Kantor, DM (Indiana University) with Paul Biss and  Miriam Fried, and early training was under the guidance of Almita and Roland Vamos.

Jason Hainsworth serves as Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  In addition, Dean Hainsworth is co-founder and Executive Director of SFCM’s Roots, Jazz, and American Music Department.  With over 20 years of collegiate experience, Dean Hainsworth continues to be an in demand saxophonist, recording artist, and composer.  Most recently, he has recorded with Lara Downs as well as having one of his pieces, Urban Cityscapes, premiered at Davies Hall as a part of San Francisco’s Symphony’s Chamber Music Series.  

As a fierce advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in music institutions, Dean Hainsworth helps to oversee initiatives at SFCM which partners with outside performance organizations such San Francisco Symphony, SFJazz, Oakland Symphony, and SFBallet.  Such initiatives include the Emerging Black Composers Project, Dennis DeCoteau Fellowship, and collaborations with the Chromatic Brass Collective.

Jason Hainsworth is a native of Houston, TX and holds degrees in both classical and jazz performance from William Paterson University and Florida State University.

A consummate educator, Anthony Mazzocchi has taught students from Kindergarten through college and has served as a consultant for a variety of arts organizations throughout the New York/New Jersey area. Tony served as faculty and frequent guest lecturer at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New York University, and Mannes College of Music.

A GRAMMY® nominated music educator, Tony has performed as a trombonist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, Riverside Symphony, Key West Symphony and in various Broadway shows, recording sessions and movie soundtracks. 

Tony currently serves as Director of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University in New Jersey, as well as Executive Director of Kinhaven Music School in Vermont.

Caleb Graupera is a senior at Weston High School in Weston, Massachusetts, and currently studies cello with Emmanuel Feldman. At an early age, Caleb began his musical career on the marimba, the national instrument of Guatemala, and he was drawn to the cello through his school program at the age of 9. As a soloist, Caleb has performed Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with the Brockton and Quincy Symphony Orchestras as first prize winner of  their respective competitions. In 2023, he was also awarded the MPower Artist Grant from the Sphinx Organization. Caleb is also passionate about ensemble playing, having served as principal cellist of the Boston Youth Symphony, MMEA Senior District, and Weston High School orchestras, in addition to participating in the All-State Orchestra and Jazz Band. As a chamber musician, Caleb is a proud member of Boston BEAM and the Project STEP Honors Cello Ensemble, regularly performing at Symphony Hall and the Shalin Liu Performance Center, with a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show and a masterclass with Midori. Caleb has cherished his summers at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and Sphinx Performance Academy at the Juilliard School. This past summer, Caleb toured the Dominican Republic with the National Youth Orchestra (NYO2), and also joined the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in their five-city tour of South Africa. Outside of cello, Caleb has served as class president throughout high school, and director of the worship ministry at his spanish-speaking church. He also enjoys pole vaulting, history, and reading.

Aarushi Kumar, a 17-year-old senior in high school, has engrossed herself into the world of music and desires to delve even further in her future. She is principal flute of the Hume-Fogg Academic High School Wind Ensemble and will lead her section to a performance at the Tennessee Bandmasters Association in April of 2024. The flutist is also involved in the Vanderbilt Blair School of Music’s most advanced orchestra, the Curb Youth Symphony, in which she plays principal flute under the direction of Associate Conductor of the Nashville Symphony Nathan Aspinall. Aarushi has made the Tennessee Mid-State band consecutively since the 7th grade and the All-State band and every year of her high school experience. The musician has attended the Interlochen Arts Academy summer program in 2023 as well as the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles National (YOLA National) under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel in which she also sat in the principal chair. Aarushi has been an active musician in the Nashville Symphony Accelerando program since 2021 and receives her direction and private lessons under the Nashville Symphony’s Assistant Principal Flutist Leslie Fagan. Because of the Accelerando program, Aarushi has been fortunate enough to play alongside professional musicians in the National Pathways Festival for the last 3 years. As of 2024, Aarushi is a fellow of the From The Top national organization and will attend the Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute in the Young Arts Wind Ensemble. 

Maereg Million (double bass), 14, is from Wayland, Massachusetts. She is a 9th grader at Wayland High School and studies bass with Randall Zigler. At the age of 6, Maereg began playing the bass with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Intensive Community Program. Now in BYSO’s top orchestra (BYS), Maereg has participated in 2 of their own operas including Belioz’s The Damnation of Faust and Bellini’s Norma. In 2021, Maereg was accepted into Boston’s Bridge to Equity in Achievement in Music. Since then, she has studied music theory under Ayeisha Mathis, Stephen Savage, and Ian Wiese at NEC. In that same year, Maereg was selected to take part in the Sphinx Performance Academy at Juilliard which she continued to attend for 3 years in Dr. Patricia Weitzel’s studio. She has participated in masterclasses with the Royal Academy of Music’s Chi-chi Nwanoku and the former principal bassist of the Metropolitan Opera, Tim Cobb. 

Outside of bass, Maereg enjoys participating in theater and musicals at school and local drama programs. She sings with the Muses, her school’s a cappella group and continues to play with the Wayland High School orchestra. In addition, Maereg sees writing as another form of creative expression and takes to poetry and short stories.

Maereg has two younger brothers Ayehu and Melkam who participate in BYSO’s orchestras, as well. Together, they spend time fishing and kayaking at a nearby lake or tending to their pet chickens.

Liliana Ortiz is a sixteen year-old oboe player from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. She is currently a junior at Egg Harbor Township High School who began playing the oboe at the age of 12. The same year she auditioned and was accepted into the Youth Musicians Debut Orchestra in Philadelphia, under the direction of Kenneth T. Bean. Her Junior year she auditioned for and was accepted into the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and the Weinstein quintet.

Freshman summer Liliana attended 3 music camps; New York University’s Summer Institute for Woodwind Studies where she studied with professor Matt Sullivan, Juilliard Summer Winds, and Penn State’s Honors Music Institute under the instruction of Andreas Oeste. Sophomore summer Liliana attended 2 oboe camps; John Mack Oboe camp and the Southern Oboe Intensive.

By the end of the summer of 2022 Liliana was accepted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth. She is currently under the instruction of Jocelyn Moore. Within her Highschool she is a part multiple musical activities, including the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and jazz band. She is the happiest when she is learning and active, Lily is always open to learning something new and challenging herself. Her dream is to go to music school and land a job in a professional orchestra.

Gabriel Silva is a 17-year-old trombonist from Buford, GA. He began playing the trombone at 10 years old at Buford Academy, and has been dedicated to it ever since. Later on, he came across the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program (TDP), a first-of-its-kind initiative among U.S. orchestras, designed to identify, mentor, and develop middle and high school Atlanta musicians of Black and Latino heritage for careers as professional classical musicians. He auditioned for this program as a rising freshman, and was fortunate enough to be accepted as the first trombonist since 2017, initially studying with former ASO second trombone, Jeremy Buckler, and currently with acting principal trombone, Nathan Zgonc. Gabriel is a part of the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, and is the trombone section leader of the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony. In June of 2022, he attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and later, attended the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles National Festival in July, where he met several other aspiring musicians and had the opportunity to play as the Principal Trombone under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The following summer, Gabriel was a finalist in the Southeast Trombone Symposium S.E. Shires Youth Competition and attended the YOLA National Festival once more. In the summer of 2024, he will be touring the United States with Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 (National Youth Orchestra 2)!

Rishab Jain, a dedicated percussionist since age 8, is a junior at River Hill High School. He’s deeply engaged in the Washington Musical Pathways Initiative, under the mentorship of Scott Christian from the National Symphony Orchestra, alongside Robert Miller and Michael Blackman. Rishab thrives in ensembles like the DC Youth Orchestra and a chamber group linked to the National Symphony Orchestra Fellowship. He’s earned principal positions in the All-State Band and Orchestra for two years running and showcased his talent as a soloist with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Rishab’s summer pursuits include the University of Central Florida Summer Percussion Institute and the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Institute. He’s won accolades at competitions like the Dove Marimba Competition and the Great Plains International Marimba Competition, and appeared on NPR’s “From the Top.”

Beyond his musical achievements, Rishab actively promotes inclusivity in the Network for Diversity in Concert Percussion. He’s honed his skills through masterclasses with renowned percussionists like Nancy Zeltsman, She-E-Wu, Blake Tyson, and Kevin Bobo. With a passion for leaving a lasting impact on the percussion world, Rishab aspires to inspire future generations of percussionists.

Trinity Gabreylski is a flutist from San Antonio, Texas. She credits her musical growth, career goals, and academic accomplishments to the support from her Pathways Program, YOSA Rising Star Fellows. She aspires to be a Music Therapist and help others around the world set goals, build skills, and find a positive outlet for health hardships. In San Antonio, she has performed with numerous groups including the YOSA Philharmonic, YOSA Wind Ensemble, YOSA Flute Choir, and YOSA Symphony. It is because of these opportunities that I have been able to thrive and keep on learning. As a Music Therapist, she hopes to keep teaching flute to help educate the next generation of classical musicians.

Keith Holmes has been playing the tuba for four years and the trombone for five years. He started his musical journey in the 6th grade with Play On Philly and joined the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra in 2023. He has been accepted into many festivals and is in the Girard Academic Music Program. Keith is now in the 11th grade and plans to major in Music Education and pursue a Master’s degree in Tuba performance.

Gui is a 12th grader from Andover, Massachusetts. At Project STEP he participates in two chamber groups and mentors a younger student on the cello. He also plays in a chamber group at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, where he studies under Nancy Hair, and plays in the Boston Youth Symphony. In the summer he enjoys going to Greenwood Music Camp, and he enjoys playing soccer, hiking, skiing, and traveling in his free time.

Bassoonist Monica Ellis is a founding member of the Grammy nominated wind quintet, Imani Winds, who in their 23rd season, continue to make ground-breaking art while maintaining a vigorous international touring schedule.

Monica’s strong work ethic was instilled very early on from her mother and father, the late jazz saxophonist, Clarence Oden. As the administrative director & tour manager for Imani Winds, and Co-Artistic Director for the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, she maintains a fulfilling leadership role within group.

A self-proclaimed “band kid”, growing up in her beloved city of Pittsburgh, Monica played clarinet, saxophone and piano. After being introduced to the bassoon in middle school, she realized her potential by studying with Mark Pancerev, of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Ms. Ellis went on to receive her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, studying with George Sakakeeny. While at Oberlin, her desire to connect with others flourished through her participation in the Panama Project – a month long camp for young Panamanian students. She received her Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School and Professional Studies Certificate from Manhattan School of Music in the Orchestral Performance Program, studying with Frank Morelli at both institutions.

Imani Winds formed in 1997, when Monica along with the four other original members, realized that such a group could fill a significant void in the chamber music world. Imani Winds performs relevant and culturally significant music from last 100 years and the next 100 years and are role models to all, but especially to the community of African-American classical wind players.

Recording credits include 7 albums with Imani Winds (Koch International Classics, EOne and EMI Classics). Monica can also be heard on the following: Edward Simon – Sorrows and Triumphs, Chick Corea – The Continents, Wayne Shorter Quartet – Without a Net, Mohammed Fairouz – Native Informant, Jeff Scott – Urban Classical Music Project, Brubeck Brothers Quartet – Classified, Steve Coleman – Ascension to Light and Perspectives Ensemble – Montsalvatge Mardrigal.

For over 20 years, Ms. Ellis has enjoyed an active freelance career. She has performed with diverse organizations such as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Absolute Ensemble, Bard Music Festival, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Perspectives Ensemble, and Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, just to name a few. She has also soloed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

A passionate teacher, Ms. Ellis has been a visiting professor or on faculty at The University of Chicago, The Hartt School (CT), Purchase (NY) & Brooklyn College Conservatories of Music, Mannes School of Music and The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program. Also, a renowned clinician, she has given master classes and solo recital performances across the country.

She serves on the advisory boards for Orchestra of St. Luke’s Education Committee and the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition & Symposium for Women Bassoonists of the Americas, as well as on the Board of Concert Artists Guild (CAG).

Monica religiously watches Jeopardy!, loves home decorating and resides in the historic village of Harlem in New York City with the greatest joy of her life – her 6 year old son, Oden.