Lyrica Alumni News

What are LyricaFest past and present participants doing now? *In chronological order of LyricaFest summers

LyricaFest extends congratulations to the following members of the festival who now hold positions such as……

  • Susanna Cortesio-Ogata

    violinist (’00) Handel & Haydn Society, Assistant Concertmaster

  • Polina Sedukh

    violinist (’00) San Francisco Symphony

  • Mimi Reiter

    violinist/violist (’00) Royal Philharmonic, BBC Radio Orchestra

  • Victoria Mazin- Scharwtzman

    pianist (’00) Boston Lyric Opera, principal coach and accompanist

  • Emileigh Vandiver

    cellist (’00) Dallas Symphony Orchestra

  • Emily Eng

    violist (’00) Orchestra of the Age of

    Enlightenment

  • Christina Wheeler

    violinist (’00) United States Army Band Orchestra

  • Lukas Hurwitz

    violist (’00) Bonsai/ Camouflage Records- Music Producer

  • Min-Jeong Kim

    violinist (’00) Glenn Gould School of Music, Cecilia String Quartet, Banff Competition First Prize Winners (2010)

  • Carrisa Redick

    cellist (’00-’02) Assistant Professor, University of Northern Colorado

  • Russell Wilson

    violinist/violist (’00,’01,’03-’09) Vermont Symphony Orchestra ( principal), & Portland Symphony

  • Andrew Eng

    violinist/violist (’00-’03,’05-’09) Lead Violinist- MASS Tango, LyricaFest- Bermuda Music School, visiting faculty

  • Courtenay Vandiver

    cellist (’00,’06- ’09) A Far Cry founding member

  • ***Ashley Vandiver

    violinist/violist (’00,’06-’09, ‘10) Toronto Symphony, Santa Fe Opera, A Far Cry & Santa Fe Opera

  • Becky Hood

    cellist (’00 -’09) Stockton Symphony Orchestra, University of Connecticut Community School of the Arts & All Newton Suzuki School

  • Alyson Montez

    violinist/violist (’00 &’03) Grammy award winner, (2008) Best Latin regional Album, “Canciones de Amore” Mariachi Divas

  • Pierre-Alain Bouvrette

    cellist (’01) Violins du Roi (Montreal)

  • Frederic Bednarz

    violinist (’01) Molinari String Quartet, Canada

  • Dimitar Petkov

    violist (’01) Portland Symphony Orchestra (ME)

  • Maia Chance

    violinist (’01) Romance Novelist Season of Winter and Grass

  • Yun-Yang Lin

    cellist (’01- ’04) Faculty- Hartt School of Music Community Music School & Neighborhood Music School

  • Isaac Allen

    violinist/violist (’01-’05) Hausmann String Quartet in residence at San Diego State University & Mostly Mozart

  • Yuan Zhang

    cellist (’01-’05) Hausmann String Quartet & Associate Principal Hang Zhou Philharmonic- Beijing, China

  • Viki Tcherthchian

    violinist/ violist (’01, ’02) Portland Symphony, ME

  • Tamara Theodis

    violinist (’02) Director, Oregon Suzuki Talent Education Center

  • Nikola Latakov

    violinist (’02) Orquesta Sinfonica de Navarra, Spain

  • John Richards

    violist (’02) Founding member, Alarm Will Sound & Jack String Quartet

  • Adda Kridler

    violinist (’02) Assistant Principal Second- Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Assistant Professor, Ball State University

  • Leo Eguchi

    cellist (’02,’03) Brookline Music School faculty, Founding member, Kalistos Chamber Orchestra

  • Belinda Yu

    violinist/ violist (’02, ’04) CNN news correspondent, Atlanta, GA

  • Justin Caulley

    violist (’03) Camerata Salzburg & Vorspieler in the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin

  • Alex Maynegre

    pianist (’03) University of Texas, (Austin) Butler School of Music, faculty, collaborative pianist

  • Beth Ringel

    cellist (’03) Fort Collins Symphony

  • Erika Rhodes

    cellist (‘03) Actress- The 18 Year Old Virgin, & The Plague

  • Sasha Callahan

    violinist (’03) Rhode Island Philharmonic & the Brookline Music School

  • Yi Ching Fedkenheuer

    violinist (’03) Utah State University, faculty

  • Bradley Ottesen

    violist (’03) Fry Street String Quartet

  • Melanie Olsen

    violinist (’03) Tucson Symphony Orchestra

  • Charlotte Whitman

    cellist (’03) Founder, Hartford Public School Satellite Music Program

  • Adrianna Rossmiller

    cellist (’03) Faculty- MacPhail Center for Music

  • Katalin Vismeg

    violinist (’03) Hartford Symphony

  • Carlos Boltes

    violist/ charango (’03) member of the *Alturas Duo and ensemble hailed as playing with  "...marvelous virtuosity..." by The Washington Post. The only group of its kind, the duo formed with the idea of playing South American and classical music by bringing together the unusual combination of the viola, charango and guitar creating fiery programs that move at ease between J.S. Bach, South American folk rhythms and new music commissioned by the duo. In 2009 they received the CMA / ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming. The same year, Alturas were named Goodwill Ambassadors" for the Chilean-American Foundation

  • Scott Hill

    guitar (’03) Alturas Duo See above for description

  • Jessica Helie

    violinist (‘03,’04) Faculty- Concord Music Academy, NH

  • Bram Goldstein

    violinist (’03,’04) Hausmann String Quartet, in residence, San Diego State University

  • Angela Choong

    violinist/violist (’03,’05) Hausmann String Quartet

  • Nick Upton

    cellist (‘03-’05) Conductor, Albuquerque Youth Orchestra, Las Vegas Philharmonic,

  • Yoko Kida

    pianist (’04) New England Conservatory collaborative pianist

  • Meredith Riley

    violinist (’04) Richmond Symphony, Assistant Principal 2nd violinist (’04) Soloist- Syracuse Symphony (winner of the’06 Concerto Competition, Sphinx Competition/ semi- finalist

  • Laura Shaw

    cellist (’04) Faculty- Preucil School of Music,

  • Sookyung Jeong

    violist (’04) Tuscalossa Symphony Orchestra

  • Sarah Vander Ploeg

    violist (’04) Princeton University Marshall Scholarship Recipient

  • Keith Sanders

    violinist/violist (’04, ’05, ’07,’08) Trio Essence, VOX 4 & founding member/ Artsehcor (hip-hop orchestra)

  • Lauren Burns

    violist (’04, ’05) University of Florida Associate Professor

  • Greg Abrell

    violinist (’05-’19) WILD String Quartet

  • Patrick Shaughnessy

    violinist/ violist (’05-23) Heimat String Quartet

  • Jeremy Harman

    cellist (05-’09) Berklee School of Music, Associate Professor, Sirius String Quartet

  • Laura Manko

    violist (’05) Skidmore College, Faculty Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

  • Allan Espinosa

    violinist (’05) Founder & Director -Quincy Music Academy

  • Sarah Bennett Foldager

    violinist (’05,’06) BARRAGE & Aarhus Symphony Orchestra Denmark

  • Rob Bradshaw

    cellist (’05,’06) Chair of Strings- All Newton Music School (‘09)

  • Esther Rogers

    cellist (’06) Rochester Contemporary School of Music

  • Colin Benn

    violist (’06) Sao Paolo State Symphony Orchestra & Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, Haven String Quartet

  • Erin Caplan

    violist (’06,-’08,’10, 12- ’14) South Shore Conservatory & New School of Music & Dean, Castleman Quartet Program

  • Mathew Beckmann

    cellist (’06) Haven String Quartet in Residence Music Haven

  • Arlyn Valencia

    violinist/ violist ’06 Fellow- Community Works/ with the Providence String Quartet

  • John Zion

    violinist (’06) Director, Melvin Kaplan Management

  • Anna Griffis

    violinist /violist (’06) Foundling Baroque Orchestra

  • Michelle Abraham

    violinist (’06,’07, ’14) Tucson Symphony- Associate Concertmaster

  • Robyn Zavitzky

    violist (’06, ’07) Wild String Quartet

  • Louisa Blood

    violinist (’07) Chicago Civic Orchestra, Grand Rapid Symphony

  • Arun Nadgir

    pianist (’07,’08) Tennessee State University, Associate Professor

  • Sarah Jacques

    violinist (’07,’08) Faculty- Powers Music School, Concord Conservatory “Bach with Verse”- Artistic Director

  • Bryan Hayslett

    cellist (’07-‘10 ) New World School of Music, Assistant Professor, Alexander Bouno International String Competition 1st Prize Winner 2010 & 2011

  • Lindsey Baggett

    violinist (07-’09, ‘11) Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra & Houston Symphony (interim)

  • Mischa Veselov

    cellist (‘07-’12) Grammy Nominated Neave Piano, Trio in Residence, Longy School of Music of Bard College

  • Anna Williams

    violinist (’07-’12) Grammy Nominated Neave Piano Trio

  • Shelby Trevor

    violinist (’08) Suzuki School of Music- Theory & Musicianship Faculty, Wheaton College, Assistant Faculty

  • Sarah Larson

    violinist (’08) VOX 4 String Quartet –Carnegie Hall Zankel Recital Hall debut, October, 2009

  • Orie Furata

    violinist (’08) VOX 4 String Quartet Director, Experiential Chamber Music Union- collaborations with Mark O’Connor & Dana Leong & Henri Smith New Orleans Friends and Flavours

  • Seth Woods

    cellist ’08 VOX 4 String Quartet

  • Jessica Oddie

    violinist ’09,’11,’12 New Zealand Symphony- Assistant Concertmaster

  • Kaleigh Acord

    violinist/ violist’09-‘13 & WF ’14. ‘15), Con Affetto Trio in Residence From the Top LyricaFest Young Artist Faculty

  • Sara Matayohsi

    violinist (’09) United States Army Band & Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Assistant Principal 2nd

  • Adrianna Khoo

    cellist (‘10) Hong Kong City Chamber Orchestra & KinderU Suzuki Academy, faculty

  • Mathew Laughlin

    cellist (’10) Edward Said National Conservatory, Jerusalem, Faculty

  • Shi Mei Lee

    violinist (’10) Singapore Symphony & Singapore School of the Arts, faculty

  • CheHo Lam

    violinist (’11) Forbes- “Under 30 Entrepreneur”

  • Anya Shemetyeva

    violinist/ violist (’11, ’13) Buffalo Philharmonic

  • Mina Kim

    cellist (’11-’16) Con Affetto Trio- Ensemble in Residence From the Top

  • Emily Lane

    violist (’11-’15 & ’22 Chautauqua Festival Orchestra, Lincoln Center Chamber Music 2, in residence, Holland America Cruise Line, Phantom of the Opera

  • Rebecca Phillips

    violinist (’11-’19) Con Affetto Trio- Ensemble in Residence From the Top

  • Brent Selby

    cellist (‘11) Beantown Swing Orchestra and Video Game Orchestra VCO (Principal)

  • Elizabeth Vysin

    (’12-14 &’16,’17-20) Hartt School of Music Community Division Faculty

  • Julia Clancy

    violist (’12) I Palpati

  • Lydia Bassett

    violinist/violist (’12-’15) Director- Klassical Kids

  • Kate Goldstein

    violinist (’12-’16) Performing Arts Center of MetroWest Violin & Viola & Yamaha School of Boston

  • Genevieve Tabby

    cellist (’12) Atlas String Quartet

  • Sula Lee

    violinist/ violist (’13,’14 ) Zora String Quartet Grand Prize Winners Fischoff Chamber Music Competition

  • Ignacy Grzelazka

    cellist, (’14) Hartford Symphony, El-Sistema, Longy School of Music

  • Nicole Oswald

    violinist (’14.’15) Virginia Symphony

  • Alan Snow

    violinist (’14, ’22-Young Artist Faculty) Associate Concertmaster, Minnesota Symphony

  • Willa Finck

    violinist (’16) Rochester Philharmonic

  • Miclen LaiPang

    violinist (’16-’20 &’23) Vienna Radio Orchestra Guest Concertmaster, LGT Orchestra, Germany

  • Leah Froyd

    violinist, (’17-’20) Albany School of Music Faculty & Citizen’s Artist Orchestra, Administrative Director, Co Founder of Insight Chamber Players

  • Alyssa Tong

    violinist (’18, ’19) Founder OSSI- Online Solo String Intensive

  • Tyler James

    cellist (’19,20,21& 23) Boston String Academy Faculty

Ensembles

  • Cecilia String Quartet

    Banff Competition First Prize Winners (2010)

  • Alturas Duo award winning duo,

    (2009 CMA / ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming): named "Goodwill Ambassadors" for the American Chilean foundation

  • Hausmann String Quartet

    in residence at San Diego State University & Mostly Mozart Music Festival

  • A Far Cry

    in residence at New England Conservatory & the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

  • Vox 4 String Quartet

  • Neave Piano Trio

    Longy School of Music, Trio in Residence

  • Con Affetto String Quartet

    Robert Sherman’s McGraw Hill Young Artist Showcase NPR debut ’13, LyricaFest’s WinterFest’s Quartet in residence

  • The WILD String Quartet

  • Stamps String Quartet

    Resident Ensemble University of Miami

  • Sirius String Quartet

  • Citizen’s Artist Orchestra

    in Residence, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless

  • Atlas String Quartet

    in Residence Lincoln Center Chamber Music 2, Holland American Cruise

LyricaFest Marriages

Beth Ringel & Alex Maynegre  May‘03

Katilyn Vizmeg & Carlos Boltes ‘04

Viki Tchertchian &Nikola Latakov ‘05

Angela Choong & Isaac Allen June ‘06

Sasha Callahan & Leo Eguchi June ‘07

Ashley Vandiver  &Alastair Eng Dec. ’10 ( marriage attributed to Andrew Eng ( ’00-’07)

Micha Veselov & Anna Williams ‘22

LyricaFest babies

Oscar & Felix from Beth Ringel & Alex Maynegre

Freya from Sascha Callahan & Leo Eguchi

Ari from Isaac Allen & Angela Choong