MSM Summer

Derek Cooper, Classical Composition
Derek Cooper’s music has been performed worldwide by groups including Contemporaneous, Sonic Apricity, the Indiana University of Pennsylvania wind ensemble, Jenny Lin, Yarn/Wire, Ekmeles, the Iridium Saxophone Quartet, and Blueshift Ensemble. His piece, Kill James, was recently awarded an honorable mention for the New York Composers Circle’s 2019 John Eaton Memorial Composition Competition. In 2016, Derek joined the ICEBERG collective, a select and diverse group of emerging New York composers. 

Derek currently teaches music theory at Ramapo College of New Jersey’s School of Contemporary Arts as well as teaching composition and musicianship courses at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School where he also directs the Compose Yourself Festival in collaboration with The Copland House. He also teaches composition, theory, and ear training at Manhattan School of Music and during the summer, he oversees the composition program for MSM Summer. 

www.DerekCooperComposer.com

Kris Monson, Composer

Kris Monson is a bassist and composer based in New York City. Kris has had the honor of performing in ensembles led by many of the top musicians in the international jazz and contemporary music scenes, including Marc Cary, Vince Mendoza, Lalah Hathaway, Jim McNeely, Tyshawn Sorey and Ari Hoenig, and at venues including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Smalls Jazz Club, and Blues Alley.
​As a composer, Kris has premiered works at the Banff International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music, the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, the 2021 International Conference on the Blues (hosted by Delta State University), as well as various jazz clubs and live music venues around the country. As a researcher he has presented at the 2022 Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference in Dallas, TX and the College Music Society (CMS) International Conference in Bogotá Colmbia.
A passionate music educator, Kris has taught at the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division, Rutgers University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and has given guest lessons and lectures at schools and universities around the country. Kris maintains an active studio of private students in bass, piano, composition, music theory, and improvisation.
Kris completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia with a double major in systems engineering and music, and in 2019 earned a Master’s in Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

 

Sean Richey, Electric Guitar
Sean Richey is a performance artist, composer, arranger, & music educator currently living in Brooklyn, NY. Sean completed his BM in Jazz Arts from Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of guitarist Chris Rosenberg & drummer Justin DiCioccio. Sean has received awards from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Downbeat Magazine, the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Gerald Wilson Big Band Composition Award, and the 2012 Manhattan School of Music Outreach Award. 

In 2013, Sean became a founding member of the True School of Music, in Mumbai, India, where he served as a Program Director and guitar instructor until 2015. While in Mumbai, he had the opportunity to perform alongside notable figures such as Ranjit Barot, Louis Banks, & Loy Mendoza.  

Sean has performed alongside notable figures including John Hodgeman, Jean Grey, Joshua Henry, Leo Pelligrino, Norman Edwards Jr., Patrick Bartley, Alison Shearer, Angelo Di Loreto, Linda Oh, Sam Harris, Christian Sands, Pawan Benjamin, Javier Santiago, Conun Pappas, Adam Neely, & Bailen at venues including Carnegie Hall, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Symphony Space, & Central Park Summerstage. 

Sean has taught music for the Spence School, the Diller-Quaile School of Music, Brooklyn Music Factory, Larchmont Music Academy, and Camp Encore/CODA. 

Carl Bartlett, Jr., Jazz Saxophone
Carl Bartlett, Jr. is an Award-winning Saxophonist and Composer, and Music Educator from Queens, New York. He gravitated toward music while in his childhood, and throughout the years followed his calling to perform professionally. In 2015-2016 Carl became the 1st Place Winner in the USA, 2nd in the world, in the prestigious International Songwriting Competition (ISC) Jazz Category, out of 18,500 entries from 120 countries worldwide, for his original composition “Quantum Leaps (And Bounds)”.
“A tone that only the greats have the ability to attain” raves All About Jazz, describing the profound and distinct sonic nature of Bartlett’s rich, full-bodied alto sax sound. His band, The Carl Bartlett, Jr. Ensemble, has released two critically acclaimed albums, “Hopeful” and “PROMISE!”, and toured The USA with their latest project. Carl’s group is ever present on today’s music scene, having headlined at renowned venues such as Smalls Jazz Club, Sistas’ Place, JAZZ at KITANO, Hartford Public Library Baby Grand Jazz Series, and The New Rochelle Jazz Festival, to name a few.
Carl holds a Bachelor of Music (BM) in Jazz Alto Saxophone from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music.

Rocco Dapice, Jazz Piano
Rocco Dapice is a pianist, teacher, and writer who recently completed the jazz arts graduate program at the Manhattan School of Music. Rocco has studied privately with Grammy-winning pianist and composer Taylor Eigsti; with vibraphonist and percussionist Mark Sherman; at The Juilliard School with pianists Reuben Allen and Dave Meder; and at the Manhattan School with jazz master, Phil Markowitz.
While a classical performance major at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam NY, Disney Entertainment selected Rocco to spend the summer performing daily in front of the iconic castle with the All-American College Show Band. The eight-piece ensemble also worked weekly with guest musicians Bob Mintzer, Jim Snidero, Matt Harris, Jiggs Whigham, and Allen Vizzutti, among others; and attended exclusive Epcot master classes led by Billy Taylor, Diane Schuur, Mercer Ellington, Maynard Ferguson, and Rosemary Clooney.
Rocco is on the faculty for MSM Summer and a teaching artist for the Manhattan School’s distance-learning center (The Orto Center). He has taught private piano students of all ages, built and directed a church orchestra of over 40 members, and has traveled to over 300 cities across the country communicating in word and song in 47 of the 50 states, including Canada and the Caribbean. In recent years Rocco has performed “Peanuts Christmas” shows at Westchester Country libraries, taught multiple times on the topic of jazz history at the Greenburgh Library, and played background roles in a few blockbuster movies. www.roccodapice.com

Norman Paul Edwards Jr., Jazz Percussion, Jazz Band Conductor
Originally from Queens, New York, Norman received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in jazz performance from Manhattan School of Music.  Norman is a two-time Grammy nominated artist with Manhattan School of Music’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra (Kenya Revisited: Live and Tito Puente Masterworks: Live). Norman is an educator with Jazz @ Lincoln Center and Arts Connection in New York. SpinKick, his original band, showcases his composition skills and blends dance, funk, hip hop and jazz into feel-good melodies and slamming grooves. His other band, Fighting In The Streets (co-led with saxophonist Alex Lopez) is a video game remix band breaking new ground with nostalgia and feel-good grooves. Norman has shared the stage with George Benson, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, John Faddis, Candido Romero, Stefon Harris, Rudy Linka, Stevie Wonder, Pharoah Monche and Bobby Sanabria. Norman Edwards Jr. plays Vic Firth Sticks, Zildjian Cymbals, and Gon Bops Percussion. www.normanedwardsjr.com

Isaac Kaplan, Jazz Trombone
Originally from Long Beach, California, Isaac’s love of music ultimately brought him to New York City for studies at Manhattan School of Music. As a freelance musician, Isaac has performed at Central Park Summerstage, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Segerstrom Hall, and Carnegie Hall and he has performed with artists including George Porter Jr, Los Amigos Invisibles, Patrizio Buanne, and Michael McDonald. Isaac also leads a jazz trio that performs frequently around the New York area. He holds Bachelor (’11) and Master (’13) degrees from Manhattan School of Music. Isaac has a private teaching studio in New York and has been on the Manhattan School of Music Precollege jazz faculty since 2012.

Nadje Noordhuis, Jazz Trumpet
Nadje Noordhuis’ journey has taken her from a youth spent studying classical music in her native Australia to a headlong dive into the world of jazz that has earned her acclaim in the music’s mecca, New York. She was one of ten semi-finalists in the 2007 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition and was selected as a Carnegie Hall Young Artist to undertake a residency with trumpet great Dave Douglas in 2010. Noordhuis is a member of several big bands, including Darcy James Argue’s Grammy- nominated Secret Society as well as the Diva Jazz Orchestra. She also leads her own small ensembles and is a member of Rudy Royston’s 303. As a composer, Noordhuis has been commissioned by the Baroque ensemble ThoroughBass, the new music ensemble ExhAust, and by the 2009 Festival of New Trumpet Music (FONT). Noordhuis’ self-titled debut album was released in 2012 on the Little Mystery Records label. She has maintained a private teaching studio for thirty years, and holds a Masters of Music degree in Jazz Trumpet from Manhattan School of Music. Manhattan School of Music Precollege faculty since 2014.

Sean Richey, R & B Ensemble, Jazz Guitar
Sean Richey is a performance artist, composer, arranger, & music educator currently living in Brooklyn, NY. Sean completed his BM in Jazz Arts from Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of guitarist Chris Rosenberg & drummer Justin DiCioccio. Sean has received awards from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Downbeat Magazine, the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Gerald Wilson Big Band Composition Award, and the 2012 Manhattan School of Music Outreach Award.
In 2013, Sean became a founding member of the True School of Music, in Mumbai, India, where he served as a Program Director and guitar instructor until 2015. While in Mumbai, he had the opportunity to perform alongside notable figures such as Ranjit Barot, Louis Banks, & Loy Mendoza.
Sean has performed alongside notable figures including John Hodgeman, Jean Grey, Joshua Henry, Leo Pelligrino, Norman Edwards Jr., Patrick Bartley, Alison Shearer, Angelo Di Loreto, Linda Oh, Sam Harris, Christian Sands, Pawan Benjamin, Javier Santiago, Conun Pappas, Adam Neely, & Bailen at venues including Carnegie Hall, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Symphony Space, & Central Park Summerstage.
Sean has taught music for the Spence School, the Diller-Quaile School of Music, Brooklyn Music Factory, Larchmont Music Academy, and Camp Encore/CODA. 

Émilie Samson, Jazz Voice Faculty
Born in Montreal, Québec, Emilie Samson is a French Canadian jazz vocalist, composer, and educator based in New York City. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance at McGill University before she relocated to New York after receiving a scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music where she studied voice with Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry and Jo Lawry. In New York City, she is an active performer and she has connected with audiences in many venues including at Harlem Stage, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, and a monthly residency at The 55 Bar.
In 2020, Emilie released her debut EP “An Introvert’s Dream”. The EP is a collection of original songs and arrangements she wrote after moving to the Big Apple. In her arrangements, she takes the essence of a song and tells the story from a modern perspective, putting forward the timelessness of the Great American Songbook. Her eclectic repertoire also includes pop songs such as her first single, Wouldn’t it Be Nice by the Beach Boys, French and Brazilian songs. As a composer, her writing is more introspective, showing a different side of her personality.
The EP received outstanding reviews from various jazz critics. She was described as “an inveterate practitioner of the medium” by jazz journalist Susan Frances. Raul Da Gama claimed that “ Miss Samson can sing – in two languages, it may be added – better than many of her generation.” Another article from JazzSquare stated that “the start can be considered successful. This Montreal girl has a lot to come, and An Introvert’s Dream shows that Emilie Samson has something to show for the discerning New York jazz scene.” Finally Grady Harp, an author for the Art and Poetry Reviewer for POETS and ARTISTS magazine and Amazon Hall of Fame and Top 100 Reviewer, described Ms. Samson as “a keeper in the new world of jazz.”
Emilie has been teaching music for over 10 years, and she has completed levels I & II of Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method. She runs her own studio in New York City and is a faculty member at Larchmont Music Academy.

Tarun Bellur, Percussion
Tarun Bellur is a percussionist and timpanist based in New York City. A native of Dallas, TX, Tarun has performed with a variety of ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Harlem Chamber Players, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He spent summers with the Spoleto Music Festival and the Round Top Music Festival and has worked with esteemed conductors including Giancarlo Guerrero, Yaniv Dinur, Michelle Merrill, Carl St. Clair, Leonard Slatkin, Herbert Blomstedt, Kensho Watanabe. He is also a member of Chicago-based Synthesis Percussion Quartet, the 2nd Prize Winner in the 2019 Italy PAS Web Contest. He had the privilege of studying with Christopher Lamb, Duncan Patton, She-e Wu, Kyle Zerna, and Rob Parks. Tarun received his Bachelor’s Degree of Music from Northwestern University where he graduated with department honors, receiving a double major in Percussion Performance, Music Cognition and a minor in Cognitive Sciences. He received his Master’s Degree in Music in 2022 from the Manhattan School of Music’s Orchestral Performance Program. He will be pursuing a Professional Studies Certificate in Orchestral Performance at MSM this fall.

 

Norman Paul Edwards Jr., Jazz Percussion
Originally from Queens, New York, Norman received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in jazz performance from Manhattan School of Music.  Norman is a two-time Grammy nominated artist with Manhattan School of Music’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra (Kenya Revisited: Live and Tito Puente Masterworks: Live). Norman is an educator with Jazz @ Lincoln Center and Arts Connection in New York.  SpinKick, his original band, showcases his composition skills and blends dance, funk, hip hop and jazz into feel-good melodies and slamming grooves. His other band, Fighting In The Streets (co-led with saxophonist Alex Lopez) is a video game remix band breaking new ground with nostalgia and feel-good grooves. Norman has shared the stage with George Benson, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, John Faddis, Candido Romero, Stefon Harris, Rudy Linka, Stevie Wonder, Pharoah Monche and Bobby Sanabria. Norman Edwards Jr. plays Vic Firth Sticks, Zildjian Cymbals, and Gon Bops Percussion. www.normanedwardsjr.com

Rohin Khemani, Jazz Percussion
Rohin Khemani has shared the stage with many luminaries of jazz and world music. He has performed for audiences at some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and festivals including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar, Tanzania, The Monterey Jazz Festival, closing ceremonies at the London 2012 Olympic Games, a U.S. State Department sponsored tour of the U.A.E., and Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD Festivals in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Rohin was a founding member of the Grammy-nominated jazz/Indian music band Red Baraat and is co-leader of the bands Surface to Air Trio and The Lore Dogs. His principal instruments include the drum set, tabla, and an eclectic collection of percussion and found objects from around the world. Rohin holds a bachelor’s from Berklee College of Music and a master’s from Manhattan School of Music.

Jeremy Levine, Classical percussion
Jeremy holds Principal Timpani positions in several orchestras, including the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and Symphony in C (formally known as the Haddenfield Symphony Orchestra). Levine has also traveled all over the world performing as timpanist including the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Spain. He often played in the Broadway pit orchestra of the hit musical Something Rotten. Jeremy has a substantial private teaching studio and is the timpani professor at New Jersey City University. Mannes College of Music (BM); Manhattan School of Music (MM).

Mina Kusumoto, Piano
Mina Kusumoto has performed as a soloist and collaborative pianist in many world-renowned venues such as The Kennedy Center (under conductor Leonard Slatkin), Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, Steinway Hall, DiMenna Center, Yamaha Salon in NY, Tokyo Metropolitan Arts Hall, Minatomirai Hall in Japan, Oxford Town Hall, and Jacqueline De Prez Memorial Hall in the United Kingdom. In 2007, Mina gave a NY debut recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall as a winner of the Artist International Competition. She was also a prize winner in the International Arts Federation Competition and the All Japan Soloists Competition. She is a founder and artistic director of International Music Organization New York which gives opportunities to perform for young musicians. Currently, Mina is a piano faculty at Horace Mann School and Riverdale Country School. A native of Japan, Mina earned her Bachelor of Music Degree at Musashino Academia Musicae in Tokyo. She received her Master of Music Degree from Manhattan School of Music.

Pianist Diana Lin believes that everyone has the gift of music. She strives to help students discover the music within them, increase their love for music, and cultivate their unique, individual voices as artists. Ms. Lin’s students are annual winners of the NJMTA Spring Recital Auditions, Golden Key Festival, Crescendo International Competition, and the Little Mozarts Competition. Her students perform annually at the Baruch Performing Arts Center, The German Society of Pennsylvania, Weill Recital Hall and Zankel Hall of Carnegie Hall, as well as the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center.

Diana Lin, Piano
Born and raised in New Jersey, Diana received both her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Classical Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of the late Phillip Kawin as a recipient of the President’s Award and MSM Scholarship. Her past principal piano and chamber teachers include Stella Xu, Laurie Carney, Jon Klibonoff, and Raymond Beegle. She has performed on the stages of Alice Tully Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Steinway and Sons Hall, Manhattan School of Music, PianoSummer at New Paltz Institute, Summit Music Festival, and International Academy of Music at Castelnuovo di Garfagnana.

Tereza Lee, Piano
Tereza Lee is a pianist “whose touch is exceptionally clear” (—Chicago Sun-Times), who is also a prominent advocate for immigrant rights. She began her performing career at the age of 9, as the pianist at her family’s church. At 16, she became the first student from an inner-city school to win first prize in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Youth Concerto Competition, and performed with the C.S.O. She has gone on to perform as a soloist at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Barge Music, Lincoln Center, and the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. She has premiered works by Aaron Jay Kernis, Augusta Read Thomas, Ned Rorem, Josephine Lee, and Kenneth Frazelle.
Tereza’s role in helping to inspire Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois to introduce the DREAM Act has been documented in The New York Times, PBS, NPR, USA Today, The Economist, NY1, and WNYC. She has been engaged in activism especially on immigration issues at the local, state and national levels.
Tereza received her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 2020.

Julie Mech, Piano
In 2003, Julie Mech played her debut recital at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, having won a Special Presentation Award from Artists International and was invited to perform on the “Concerts at One” series at St Paul’s Chapel (Wall Street). She has given numerous solo recitals in the New York area, including at Weill Hall, Steinway Hall, and the Goethe-Institut New York as well as in Europe, where she received enthusiastic critical acclaim. As a collaborative artist, Ms. Mech has appeared at Columbia University, SUNY Purchase, the Metropolitan Museum, Alice Tully Hall, Rose Theater, and Carnegie Hall. As a choral accompanist she has traveled to England, The Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, and Italy. She was awarded scholarships to the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Brisbane, Australia), the University of Illinois, and Manhattan School of Music, where she received a Master of Music degree. Ms. Mech released two CDs, featuring Three Partitas by J.S. Bach and works by Ravel, Ginastera, and Schumann.

Alan Goldberg, Orchestra Conductor
Alan Goldberg holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in performance from Manhattan School of Music. He also holds a Master of Education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. He studied violin with renowned teachers Raphael Bronstein and Ariana Bronne. He also studied conducting with Harold Farberman and Anton Coppola, and chamber music with Artur Balsam. Mr. Goldberg was Orchestra Director (grades 4-12) in the Irvington (NY) UFSD for eighteen years. Previously, he taught at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City and directed the New York City All-City High School Orchestra. In 1996, the Adlai E. Stevenson High School Jazz Band (Bronx, NY), under the direction of Mr. Goldberg, won third place in the first annual Essentially Ellington competition for the tri-state area, sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director. Mr. Goldberg is a member of NAfME, NYSSMA, and WCSMA. He has served as a strings adjudicator for NYSSMA at the regular and All-State levels. He joined the MSM Summer Faculty in 2020.

Rafael Betancourt, Violin
Rafael Betancourt is a frequent guest on concert stages around the world. Born in Venezuela, he earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees with full scholarships at Florida International University (with Robert Davidovici) and Lynn University (with Elmar Oliveira and Stephen Majeske) respectively. In Germany he worked intensely with Professor Ida Bieler (Robert Schumann Hochschule Duesseldorf). He has performed in orchestras such as the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and Florida Grand Opera among others. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with artists from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra, and other major ensembles. He has given master classes in Europe and North and South America, and his students have won prizes in numerous competitions. www.betancourtviolin.com/rafael/

Nikki Federman, Viola
_{Nikki Federman, violist, is an active performer and teacher in the New York City area.  A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music’s Orchestral Performance program under the tutelage of Karen Dreyfus, Nikki performs with the American Ballet Theatre Orchestra, the American Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Nikki also has performed with the New York City Opera, and the New World Symphony.}
A sought-after studio musician, Nikki has recorded for the Sony Classical and Centaur Labels, and can be heard in various film soundtracks.  Nikki also played in the Radio City Spring, Summer, and Christmas Spectaculars and for the Broadway show If/Then with Idina Menzel, King Kong:Alive on Broadway, and currently The Lion King.
_{Nikki received her Suzuki teacher training at the School for Strings and enjoys teaching students of all ages.  She was faculty at The Mozart Academy and the Tone Academy of Music and the Artistic Director of Interplay, an afterschool strings program.  Nikki has taught for numerous outreach programs in New York City schools.}
Nikki studied with Nardo Poy and graduated from Princeton University with high honors. While at Princeton, Nikki was a member of the Princeton University String Quartet, mentored by the Brentano String Quartet. Winner of the Lillian Fuchs Memorial Chamber Music Competition in 2007, Nikki continues to be an active chamber musician.

Elad Kabilio, Cello
Praised by The New York Times for his playing “vibrantly”, “full of texture and nuance”, and with “marvelous imagination”, Israeli cellist Elad Kabilio is an active soloist, chamber musician and teaching artist. Among his recent performances are Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Morgan Library and the Joyce Theater in New York City. He has also performed at the Aspen Music Festival, Young Artist Festival in Bayreuth – Germany and was featured on WQXR Radio. Mr. Kabilio collaborates frequently with dancers from top ballet companies such as New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theater, and served as the music director of Ballet Next (2011-2014). Mr. Kabilio is committed to bringing music to new audiences and is the founder of MusicTalks, a chamber music series devoted to breaking down the barriers between musicians and audience. www.eladkabilio.com

E.J. Lee, Violin
E.J. Lee began playing the violin in Seoul, Korea at the age of four and made her solo debut three years later playing the Vivaldi Violin Concerto with full orchestra. As a teenager she won a national violin competition in Korea and performed with the Seoul Symphony. In 2004, E.J. earned her master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music. She has performed in various prestigious concert venues including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.  She has toured with Clay Aiken, performed at the Kenzo x H&M fashion show, and is regularly featured in “Mozart in the Jungle,” an Amazon Original Series.For over twenty years she has taught both privately and in schools. Currently, she teaches at Convent of the Sacred Heart, Geneva Conservatory of Music, and Riverdale Country School. E.J. is committed to service, which she demonstrates through her role as a board member at The Chelsea Symphony. As an advocate for musical outreach, she actively seeks to address a larger philanthropic goal of bringing music to audiences for whom access to music and concerts is challenging.

Everhard Paredes, Violin
Everhard Paredes has appeared as soloist with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, Venezuelan Chamber Orchestra, Chacao Symphony, Pan American Symphony, Orchestra Celebrate and others. Mr. Paredes is one of the products of the famous music program “El Sistema” in Venezuela. In November 2008, he was one of the two performers representing “El Sistema” to perform for the Quincy Jones Prize. He has also been featured multiple times at the “Strad for Lunch” concert series at WMP concert hall, playing on a three-million-dollar Stradivarius. Mr. Paredes has been on faculty at many music schools including the Youth Orchestra of Simon Bolivar Conservatory in Venezuela, Philadelphia International Music Festival, Noel Pointer Foundation in Brooklyn; he currently teaches at The Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood, New Jersey. Mr. Paredes plays on a 1797 Jean Francois Aldric violin loaned to him since 2005.

Blair Cagney, Voice Faculty
Blair Cagney, a New Jersey native, is a soprano whose experience spans a variety of operatic styles. Her first major performance was the title role in Tobias Picker’s contemporary opera, Emmeline, with Manhattan School of Music. Soon after, Ms. Cagney explored the classical French repertoire when singing Micaëla in Carmen with Hawaii Performing Arts Festival and covering Leïla in Les Pêcheurs de Perles with MSM’s Opera Repertory Ensemble. Most recently, she sang Susanna in Mercadante’s I Due Figaro with Manhattan School of Music. In 2023, she will return to the work of Tobias Picker to sing Sophie and cover Emmeline in Emmeline with Tulsa Opera. Although she is a fierce advocate of contemporary music and new works, Ms. Cagney also has a deep love and passion for the classical repertoire.

Nancy Chamberlain, Assistant Music Director
Nancy Chamberlain is a collaborative pianist at Manhattan School of Music, William Paterson University, and Caldwell University. She won the Premier Prix in Piano from the Conservatoire National in Nice, France, where she studied as a Rotary Foundation Scholar. While in Europe, Nancy performed with the Aspremont Quartet, winning First Prize in the International Chamber Music Competition in Tradate, Italy. She has taught K-12 vocal/choral/theatrical music in New York City and New Jersey and has worked as a Broadway audition pianist for Telsey and Co. Other work has included Musical Director at The Duplex Sessions cabaret in Greenwich Village, The Actor’s Project NYC at the Triad, and Barefoot Shakespeare at Alchemical Theater on 14th Street. Nancy holds an M.M. in Piano
Performance from Manhattan School of Music.

Sarah Childers, Voice Faculty, Chorus
Sarah Childers (mezzo-soprano) is a New York City based opera singer and music educator. Some of Sarah’s performance credits include Rusalka, The Mikado with the Tupelo Symphony Orchestra, Pirates of Penzance, and Die Zauberflöte with Festival South.  As an educator, Sarah worked closely with Mississippi Opera and The University of Southern Mississippi’s Linkup programs. She is an associate conductor and voice technician with the National Children’s Chorus (Manhattan division). Sarah received her BM in vocal performance from The University of Southern Mississippi and Masters of Music in vocal performance from Manhattan School of Music.

Kayla Fuentes, Voice Faculty, Acting
Kayla Fuentes is a mezzo-soprano, vocal pedagogue, and quirky theatre teacher from Starkville, Mississippi, where her passion for music and singing found its roots. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Mississippi College under the guidance of Kristen Johnson. She then moved on to graduate from Manhattan School of Music with a Masters in Classical Vocal Performance under the tutelage of Mignon Dunn. Kayla has performed at many venues and companies including Carnegie Hall, Opera America, Opera Mississippi, and has performed with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Some of her roles include the Old Maid from Old Maid and the Thief, Madame Thenardier from Les Miserables, Emma Goldman from Ragtime and Bloody Mary from South Pacific. She is currently a member of the voice and piano faculty at Larchmont Music Academy.

Jeanai LaVita, Voice and Musical Theatre Faculty
Jeanai La Vita is a dedicated voice instructor and performer who has appeared with leading companies such as New York City Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and the Ravinia Festival. A member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), Jeanai has performed in Broadway musicals with Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Michael Cerveris and has worked directly with Stephen Sondheim, earning his personal praise for her performance of his musical, Anyone Can Whistle. Jeanai’s vast expertise and mastery of foreign languages, with fluency in French, German and Italian, in addition to proficiency in Mandarin and Spanish, distinguish her as a first class performer and highly sought after instructor.  A winner and finalist in major international competitions, Jeanai received her Master’s degree in Classical Vocal Performance from Manhattan School of Music and is a classically trained dancer, actor and athlete. www.jeanai.com

Noel Patterson Jr, Musical Theatre Assistant
Noel Patterson Jr is currently a teaching assistant and residential intern at Saint Thomas Choir School after graduating in 2013. During those nine years after Saint Thomas, he continued his education at Saint James Highschool (MD) and Saint Olaf College (MN). Noel sang in numerous choirs at Saint Olaf college from Viking Chorus, Cantorei, and the Saint Olaf Choir directed by Dr. Anton Armstrong. He graduated from Saint Olaf in the spring of 2021 with a B.M Vocal Performance degree. Noel Patterson is a proud first-generation graduate and is so grateful for everyone who guided him along the way.

Giuseppe Spoletini, Musical Theatre Faculty

Canadian baritone Giuseppe Spoletini, has performed widely throughout Canada and the United States. Some of his previous roles include the title role in Gianni Schicchi, Il Conte in Le nozze di Figaro, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Escamillo in Carmen, Sulpice in The Daughter of the Regiment, and Papageno in The Magic Flute, to name a few. Mr. Spoletini is equally at home on the oratorio stage, where he has been the soloist in such works as Elijah, Messiah, The Creation, and Brahms’s Requiem.

A member of the Manhattan School of Music Precollege vocal faculty, Mr. Spoletini is also co-director of the musical theatre ensembles of both the Precollege division and MSM Summer. Mr. Spoletini’s private students have gone on to study in such prestigious conservatories and summer programs as the Manhattan School of Music College division, New England Conservatory, Mannes, Eastman, Oberlin, NYU, Tanglewood Institute, and WNO Opera Institute. He is also the vocal instructor at the Saint Thomas Choir School, whose students sing in the services and world-renowned concerts at Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Mr. Spoletini was a founding member of the acclaimed classical crossover ensemble O Sole Trio, which performed sold-out concerts at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Redlands Bowl, and Ronnie Scott’s in London, in addition to numerous tour venues across the United States and Canada. He is also a frequently sought-after clinician for vocal master classes and choral workshops when he is not teaching in NYC.

Stephanie Tennill, Musical Theatre Faculty
Soprano Stephanie Tennill has sung with such companies as the Aspen Opera Theater Center, Encompass New Opera Theatre, Union Avenue Opera and has made appearances at Alice Tully Hall, the Metropolitan Room and has been featured at Lincoln Center as well as with Trinity Wall Street’s Concerts at One series. Additional musical theater credits include a 10-month run as Cornelia in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway American Girls Revue (NYC), Deb in Hot ’n’ Cole, as well as The Cabaret Singer in the world premiere of the Rodgers and Hart ballet Glad To Be Unhappy. Ms. Tennill was a member of the Manhattan School of Music Precollege voice faculty and has taught privately at the 92nd Street Y, Highbridge Voices (Outstanding Teacher Award), Stagecoach Theatre Arts School, and the world-renowned Saint Thomas Choir School, where she headed the vocal program for eight years. She is currently Assistant Professor of Music at Saint Louis University where she heads the Vocal Program, teaching voice as well as Musical Theatre Performance. AEA member since 2007. M.M. Manhattan School of Music.

Mark Broschinsky, Classical Trombone
Trombonist Mark Broschinsky has been praised by the Rapid City Journal as a “true virtuoso on the instrument.” A zealous advocate of new music, he has commissioned numerous solo pieces, performs regularly with ensemble mise-en, and has appeared with New York-based ensembles Argento New Music Project, Talea Ensemble, and Tilt Brass. An active chamber musician, Mark is a founding member of The Guidonian Hand Trombone Quartet. He has performed as a guest artist at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico and with orchestras including the Utah Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and the Britten-Pears Festival Orchestra in England and has presented solo recitals at numerous universities. Mark was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Manhattan School of Music. www.slidetrombone.net

Isaac Kaplan, Jazz Trombone
Originally from Long Beach, California, Isaac’s love of music ultimately brought him to New York City for studies at Manhattan School of Music. As a freelance musician, Isaac has performed at Central Park Summerstage, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Segerstrom Hall, and Carnegie Hall and he has performed with artists including George Porter Jr, Los Amigos Invisibles, Patrizio Buanne, and Michael McDonald. Isaac also leads a jazz trio that performs frequently around the New York area. He holds Bachelor (’11) and Master (’13) degrees from Manhattan School of Music. Isaac has a private teaching studio in New York and has been on the Manhattan School of Music Precollege jazz faculty since 2012.

Sungwoo Kim,  Classical Flute
Korean American flutist Sungwoo Steven Kim has performed around the world. He served as a Konzertexamen fellow at ‘Hanns Eisler’ Hochschule für Musik and was named Acting Principal Flutist with Nürnberg Staatphiharmonie. As an established soloist, Mr. Kim was awarded 1st prize at the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition in 2006, Bohuslav Martinů Prize at the 61st Prague Spring Int’l Competition, and Third Prize Winner at the 38th National Flute Association Young Artist Competition. Mr. Kim teaches at the Thurnauer School of Music JCC on the Palisades and New York Music School. In addition to his musical career, he has studied with the acoustic engineering department at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. D.M.A. candidate, M.M., B.M. New England Conservatory of Music.

Ser Konvalin, French Horn
Ser Konvalin is most passionate about exploring distinctive, quirky pieces written for horn in a chamber, orchestral, and teaching setting. In 2020, they commissioned and performed the solo work Seeking Every Resolution by Nikea Randolph at Opus 40 in Saugerties, NY. They currently play in The Orchestra Now program at Bard College, under the baton of Leon Botstein. As a member of Metropolitan Horn Authority, he was added to the Chamber Music of America’s Ensemble Forward program to receive coaching and guidance from Jeff Scott. Ser has played with such orchestras as the Montclair Orchestra and the Brooklyn Symphony. They earned their Master of Music in Orchestral Performance in May of 2019 from Manhattan School of Music where they studied with the phenomenal Michelle Baker. They received their undergrad at the University of North Texas, where they first discovered their love for recording new music with the UNT Wind Ensemble under Eugene Corporon. At UNT, Ser was a recipient of the Clyde Miller Horn Solo Scholarship Competition. During his time with the Manhattan Five Wind Quintet, Ser was a winner of the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Competition. When he was a member of subtle cheetah brass, he was added to the Chamber Music Mentorship Program with Orchestra of St. Luke’s. They had the opportunity to perform the obbligato horn part to Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 with the MSM Chamber Sinfonia under George Manahan. In 2018 they played at the Imani Winds Chamber Festival, and in 2019 he played at the Round Top Festival Institute. Ser’s other interests include sewing, running, yoga, and drag performance. They have a cat named Punchy.

Alejandro López-Samamé, Classical Trumpet
Alejandro López-Samamé is a Peruvian classical trumpet player based in New York City. He made his solo debut with the Peru National Symphony Orchestra and has appeared as principal trumpet with numerous ensembles around the world, including Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, and the Peru National Symphony Orchestra, in addition to performing with the New World Symphony and the Lima Philharmonic, among others. A versatile performer with interests beyond classical performance, Mr. López-Samamé has toured with the world-famous jazz artist Ibrahim Maalouf since 2017. Also a dedicated educator, he was the primary trumpet professor at the Peru National Conservatory of Music (now Peru National University of Music) from 2012 to 2014, and is an honorary professor at the Peruvian Trumpet Academy, in addition to being a sought-after master class artist in Latin America. Mr. López-Samamé holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with James Thompson, and a Master of Music degree and Professional Studies certificate in orchestral performance from Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Thomas Smith.

Hunter Lorelli, Bassoon
Hunter Lorelli began playing bassoon at the age of thirteen years old under the instruction of Kelly Stratil, bassoonist of the Capital Wind Symphony in Washington D.C. He has most recently finished his Professional Studies Certificate in Orchestral Bassoon Performance at the Manhattan School of Music where he also received his Master of Music degree under the instruction of Kim Laskowski, Assistant Principal bassoon of New York Philharmonic. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music under the instruction of Barrick Stees, Assistant Principal Bassoon of The Cleveland Orchestra. A native of Springfield, Virginia, Hunter was Principal Bassoon of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to his orchestral merits, Hunter has also seen great success in competitions. He was a finalist for the Army and Navy band competitions and was the 2015 Young Artist Concerto Competition winner and featured soloist of the City of Fairfax Band. He often performs with the Firelands Symphony Orchestra and the Akron Symphony Orchestra. Relocated in New York City he has played with EnsembleNYC as well as numerous performances and master classes at the Manhattan School of Music. Most recently, he was a quarterfinalist at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition with The Uptown Winds and has earned a position in the substitute pool of the New World Symphony for the 2022-2023 concert season..

Phil Rashkin, Oboe
Phil Rashkin is a New York City based oboist and conductor. Mr. Rashkin is the music director for Opera Upper West and The Special Music High School’s Wind Ensemble. He also teaches at the Horace Mann School and Mannes Prep, the precollege division of The New School. Mr. Rashkin toured as an oboist with Josh Groban for the release of his album Stages; other artists with whom Mr. Rashkin has worked with include Wycliffe Gordon, Sasha Cooke, and Mark O’Connor. Mr. Rashkin’s musicianship has been described as “particularly ravishing” (The Observer) and “choice, tersely delivered moments from Phil Rashkin” (Lucid Culture).

Renee Rosen, Clarinet
Renée Rosen has performed with orchestras such as Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Stamford Symphony, Reading Symphony, Eos Orchestra, Dicapo Opera Company, New World Symphony, and New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. She has worked with conductors such as Kurt Masur, James Levine, and Zdenek Macal. Her solo appearance includes Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Ms Rosen has participated in summer festivals such as UBS Verbier in Switzerland and East-West International Academy of Music in Germany. Ms Rosen holds a BM and MM in Orchestral Performance from Manhattan School of Music and an MM from Northwestern University School of Music. Manhattan School of Music Precollege faculty since 2003.

John Verkuilen, World Music
John Verkuilen is a first year Doctor of Musical Arts student in Choral Conducting at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Dr. Ronald Oliver and Kent Tritle. Prior to the program, John served for two years as the Artistic Director of Sine Nomine, a select 24-voice ensemble in Fall River, Massachusetts, two concert cycles as a guest conductor of the 85-voice Falmouth Chorale and 16-voice FC Chamber Choir, and a year as Interim Artistic Director of Calliope, a collaborative chorus and orchestra in Boston. John earned a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from The Boston Conservatory and received a B.A. in International Studies, Economics, and Music from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. Before coming to Boston, he was appointed Macalester’s Assistant Choral Conductor, completed a yearlong music liturgy internship at St. Olaf Catholic Church in Minneapolis, and performed two seasons as a member of the Minnesota Opera. John has served as Assistant Conductor of the Newburyport Choral Society and Berkshire Choral International and has been on faculty of The Boston Conservatory Vocal/Choral Intensive.