Lindsay Deutsch

Violin

With her limitless enthusiasm and vast gifts as a performer and entertainer, American violinist, Lindsay Deutsch, is a charismatic and captivating presence on today’s music scene. She has thrilled audiences world-wide with her passion for music and brilliant display of technique and musicianship.

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Lindsay is a much sought-after soloist and entertainer and is presently touring as solo violinist with Yanni - having toured with him in Saudi Arabia and the U.S.. Maestro Jung-Ho Pak, conductor and artistic director of the Cape Symphony Orchestra, says of Lindsay, “A conductor dreams about finding a soloist who understands the essential responsibility of helping change a large community’s view of classical music. In a time when every concert has to be unforgettable and a game changer, Lindsay can make that happen every time.”

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Ms. Deutsch frequently appears as guest soloist with American and Canadian symphonies. Ms. Deutsch’s performance of Astor Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Jeffrey Kahane, was selected for NPR’s Symphony Cast Program. Her movie credits include playing the solo violin sound track for the movie, “The Good Shepherd” starring Robert De Niro.

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Ms. Deutsch received her education from the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles, where she studied under Robert Lipsett. Lindsay Deutsch plays on an 1845 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin.

Lauren Jelencovich

Voice

Lauren has already garnered great acclaim for her affecting and sparkling portrayals of opera and musical theater roles throughout the United States and abroad. Lauren is currently on a World Tour with Yanni as his featured vocalist, and recently returned from Egypt, India, South America, China, Thailand, Russia and Dubai. She is featured on his album "Inspirato" alongside artists such as Placido Domingo and Renee Fleming. Additionally,  she performs on the DVD/ CD and PBS special: “Yanni: Live at El Morro!” Lauren is also featured on the PBS special "Yanni: World without Borders." In 2015, she performed and filmed in front of the Giza Pyramids in Egypt which was released as a PBS special.

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Featured in People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People and Teen Magazine, Ms. Jelencovich was a grand prize winner on Ed McMahon’s Star Search and the recipient of Andrea Bocelli’s National Italian American Foundation World Scholarship. 

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A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music (MSM), Ms. Jelencovich made her debut Off-Broadway in the world premiere of The Music Teacher by Wallace & Allen Shawn. Lauren recorded two albums.

Ruti Celli

Cello

Ruti Machnai (known professionally as “Ruti Celli” since 2013) began her musical journey at the age of 8, in Israel, her native country.

While gaining an extensive orchestral & chamber music experience, Ruti moved to the US in 1997 to complete her degree in Cello Performance with Prof. Laurence Lesser at the ‘New England conservatory of Music’ (Boston), after which she joined the prestigious ‘New World Symphony Orchestra’ in Miami, 2000.

In addition to being an avid performer, Ruti became involved in the field of music production in 2006, developing a unique cross genre between Classical, New Age, Acid Jazz, Lounge, Trip hop & Pop music. 

Since then, Ruti has worked extensively as a producer/ cellist composer on numerous musical projects. One of her recent composition projects won the ‘Best Soundtrack Recording Award’ at the ‘Indie Music Channel Awards’ of 2019, for the piece- ‘Separate Journey’ on the movie ‘Raceland’ (2018).
 

Arlen Hlusko

Cello

Grammy award-winning Canadian cellist Arlen Hlusko is a dynamic, versatile young artist who has performed extensively as soloist and chamber musician across North America, Asia, and Europe. A laureate of numerous competitions, and recent graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Arlen is currently a member of Ensemble Connect (the resident ensemble of Carnegie Hall), and regularly performs with several ensembles based on the East Coast, including the Bang on a Can All Stars and Dolce Suono Ensemble.

Arlen has recently been featured performer with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra, among others. She has also been on the roster of preeminent summer festivals including Music from Angel Fire, Tippet Rise, Spoleto USA, and Bay Chamber Concerts, among others.

Committed to using her music to serve her community, Arlen founded her own interactive chamber music concert series, Philadelphia Performances for Autism, and is involved with several communities in Philadelphia & NYC, including Carnegie Hall’s “Musical Connections” at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.

Leah Metzler

Cello

Leah Metzler is an accomplished and highly sought after cellist based in the Los Angeles area. Leah enjoys an active and versatile career performing and recording multiple genres of music on acoustic, electric, and baroque cello, as well as on the viola da gamba.

Leah’s musical career has included concerts throughout the USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, The Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. 

Leah is an active recording artist as both a solo and orchestral player. Her work can be heard on the scores of numerous movies, television series, albums, commercials, and video games. She has had the pleasure to work with artists such as Lady Gaga, The Eagles, Stevie Wonder, John Williams, Andrea Bocelli, and David Foster.

Leah holds her B.M. in cello performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she studied with cellist Darrett Adkins. She received her M.M. in cello performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where she studied with former member of the Kronos Quartet, Jennifer Culp.

Mikala Schmitz

Cello

Hailed by San Francisco's Civic Center for her "...professional and highest caliber of playing," 
Los Angeles-based cellist Mikala Schmitz is an avid performer of many different styles of cello 
playing. Ms. Schmitz often finds herself crossing over into a variety of musical genres. From jazz 
and electronic to classical and baroque, Mikala continues to find new and fascinating 
collaborative avenues. 

Mikala's work with the English rock group The Last Shadow Puppets took her all over Europe, 
and you can hear her on their EP ​Dream Synopsis​. You can also hear her on television shows 
such as Netflix's ​Chef's Table​ and HBO's ​The Brink​. Ms. Schmitz will resume her award-winning 
tenure next Spring with Tim Robbins’s acting troupe, The Actors’ Gang, on a national tour of 
their production of ​The New Colossus​, an original one-act play written and directed by Tim 
Robbins and members of the cast, with original music by Ms. Schmitz and David Robbins. 

Ms. Schmitz holds a B.M. degree from Oberlin College Conservatory, where she studied cello 
with Darrett Adkins. Mikala also holds a M.M. degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, 
where she studied with The Cleveland Orchestra's assistant principal cellist. 

Jason Stoll

Piano

Southern Californian pianist, Jason Stoll, has garnered many praises and awards for his performances throughout his career. Concert highlights for the upcoming 2019-2020 season include a recital debut in Paris, chamber music, and concerti across the United States, and overseas. Mr. Stoll has also competed internationally and was named a Semi-finalist in the 2015 Dublin International Piano Competition and Finalist in the 2013 American Paderewski Piano Competition. ​​

Mr. Stoll has served on the faculty of the Bronx Conservatory of Music for three years teaching private piano lessons.

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Mr. Stoll holds degrees from California State University, Northridge, the Juilliard School, and the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. His principal teachers included John Perry, David Louie, Jerome Lowenthal, Matti Raekallio, Dmitry Rachmanov, and John Roscigno. 

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Currently, Mr. Stoll is a piano instructor and lecturer at California State University, Northridge, and is also a freelance pianist, masterclass presenter and adjudicator throughout the Los Angeles area. 

Soo Lee Biancalana

Piano

Soo Lee Biancalana has performed world-wide including the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia.

She has won a number of competitions including the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition; Beverly Hills Concert Series; Phi Beta Music Scholarship Competition; MTNA Steinway Collegiate Artist Competition; Russian American Music Teachers Association Piano Competition; and IBLA International Piano Competition (Ragusa, Italy).

Soo Lee’s education includes Bachelor of Music​ ​magna cum laude​ at The Conservatory of Music at Lynn University, Master of Music​ at the Thornton School of Music at University of Southern California,  Doctor of Musical Arts​ at the Thornton School of Music at University of Southern California, and Professional Study Degree​ in Piano Performance at The Colburn Conservatory of Music.

Soo Lee currently teaches privately and her past teachers include John Perry, Norman Krieger, Roberta Rust, Victoria Mushkatkol, Choong-Mo Kang, Yong-Hee Moon.

Grace Han

Piano

At​ ​the​ ​age​ ​of​ ​12,​ ​California​ ​born​ ​pianist​ ​Grace​ ​Han,​ ​made​ ​her​ ​orchestral​ ​debut​ ​at​ ​Colburn’s​ ​Zipper​ ​Hall​ ​performing​ ​the Mendelssohn​ ​Piano​ ​Concerto​ ​No.​ ​1​ ​in​ ​G​ ​minor​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Torrance​ ​Symphony​ ​Orchestra.​ ​Among​ ​her​ ​awards​ ​are​ ​prizes​ ​with the​ ​Korea​ ​Times​ ​Piano​ ​Competition,​ ​Southern​ ​California​ ​Bach​ ​Competition,​ ​Music​ ​Teacher’s​ ​Association​ ​of​ ​California​ ​Piano Solo​ ​and​ ​Concerto​ ​Competition,​ ​and​ ​recently,​ ​the​ ​Rondo​ ​Young​ ​Artist​ ​Piano​ ​Competition​ ​in​ ​New​ ​York​ ​City.

She​ ​is​ ​equally​ ​active​ ​as​ ​a​ ​chamber​ ​musician​ ​and​ ​has​ ​coached​ ​and​ ​performed​ ​with​ ​Daniel​ ​Avshalomov,​ ​Alan​ ​Kay,​ David Krakauer,​ and Laurie Carney, ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​participated​ ​in​ ​chamber​ ​music​ ​programs​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​YMF​ ​Chamber​ ​Music​ ​Series, and Bard Music Festival. She has also assisted in musical directing for numerous Broadway singers and actors and participates in cabarets all around New York City. 

She​ ​is​ ​a​ ​teaching​ ​artist​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Bridge​ ​Arts​ ​Ensemble​ ​and​ ​maintains​ ​a​ ​private​ ​studio​ ​in​ ​NYC ​and​ ​New​ ​Jersey. 

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Ms.​ ​Han​ ​holds​ ​a​ ​Bachelors​ ​and​ ​Master​ ​of​ ​Music​ ​Degree​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Classical​ ​Piano​ ​Performance​ ​Program​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Manhattan School​ ​of​ ​Music.​ ​She​ ​has​ ​studied​ ​previously​ ​with​ ​Dr.​ ​Louise​ ​Lepley,​ ​Dr.​ ​Solomon​ ​Mikowsky,​ ​Alexandre Moutouzkine, and Olga Kern. 

Wendy Prober

Piano

Wendy Prober has performed throughout the United States and Canada as a critically acclaimed chamber musician and soloist. She is the founding pianist of the award-winning Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble, and has served as Artist-in-Residence at Loyola Marymount University, the prestigious USC Composition Department, "Sunday's Live" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture (MAHMA), as well as the popular Los Angeles based, SPaCE Salon.

Highly sought after as an expert in the performance of new music, Prober recorded Morton Lauridsen's "Cuatro Canciones" on the RCM label.

She has served as Faculty-in-Residence for Loyola Marymount, and the University of Judaism, and for two seasons was Executive Director of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, with whom she continues to solo frequently. In addition, Prober has oft been a featured soloist with Robert Kapilow's wildly celebrated, "What Makes it Great," series.

Prober currently holds the Herbert Donaldson Piano Chair at the Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture in Malibu, California.

Sean Ericson and Cindy Giannini

Dancers

Sean Ericson and Cindy Giannini have been dancing together for 5 years. They are active members of the Colorado tango community, performing with the Denver based tango company Parasol Arts; and learning from Colorado based tango masters Nick Jones and Diana Cruz, and Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne.

Sean and Cindy are committed instructors, teaching group classes and private lessons in Denver. They believe in teaching all aspects of Tango so that their students have not only a technical understanding of the steps, but have a connected and musical dance as well.

Sean and Cindy recently fell into the competitive aspect of tango, representing the United States at the Mundial de Tango in Buenos Aires after being named the official 2017 USA stage tango champions.

Sophia Barr

Dancer

Sophia Barr is a junior at Chapman University pursuing a BFA in Dance and BA in Strategic and Coorporate Communications with a minor in Peace Studies.

She grew up in Phoenix, Arizona where she began her training in dance at age nine. Some of her previous experiences include the Backhaus Dance summer intensive, Complexions Contemporary Ballet workshop, and modern dance training in Israel this past summer with several companies like Batsheva and Vertigo.

Upon graduation, Sophia aims to go to Europe to develop a career in concert dance and social justice work.