Photo credit: Kylie Lynn photography  Violin Lisa is the resident violinist for the Impetus Dance Collaborative and frequently works with Rhymes with Opera. She actively performs as a recitalist and chamber musician throughout the New York and surrounding areas. Lisa balances her active performance schedule with teaching in her private violin studio and is an Adjunct Professor of Violin at Suffolk Community College.  Violin Johnny is a New York based violinist and graduate of the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College where he earned a BM in violin performance. Through the years, Johnny has participated in various chamber and orchestral festivals, both in the US and in Germany, Switzerland, Ireland and most recently the National Orchestral Institute. He is an active member of the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra, Brooklyn Metro Chamber Orchestra and also plays with Symphony in C. He is currently a student of Dr. Linda Sinanian, aspiring to have an orchestral career.  Kristin Nikaj Viola In 2009, Ms. Nikaj graduated with a Master’s Degree in Performance from Mannes College where she served as principal violist of the Mannes Orchestra & the Mannes Opera Orchestra. Although she primarily performs classical, Ms. Nikaj occasionally collaborates with popular artists. Recent collaborations include Adele and Kid Cudi and television performances including: CBS's The Late Show with David Letterman, ABC's The View, and BET's Rising Icons and The Monique Show. In addition to performing, she maintains a bustling private studio of talented young musicians. Photo Credit: Jiyang Chen  Viola Mr. Williams is a candidate for the Doctorate in Viola Performance, at the Graduate Center, CUNY, under the direction of Karen Ritscher and Linda Sinanian, and is finishing his Dissertation on the unaccompanied viola works of Günter Raphael. Mr. Williams received his Master’s Degree at the Eastman School of Music, and his Bachelor’s Degree at Boston University. Mr. Williams currently teaches viola at the Aaron Copland School of Music at CUNY Queens College. Photo Credit: Jaka Vinsek  Jennifer Girone-Virgilio Cello Ms. Girone-Virgilio recorded the soundtrack to “The China Question”, a documentary directed by Brook Silva-Braga, which has been featured on CNBC. Additionally, she can be heard on Warner Brothers’ singer/songwriter Matt White’s album, “Shirley”. Jennifer is a member of Rhymes with Opera, the String Orchestra of Brooklyn, and the Red Door Chamber Players. She studied at The Hartt School with Steven Thomas, and Mannes College of Music with Paul Tobias. Ms. Girone-Virgilio is on faculty at the School for Strings, Virtuoso Suzuki Academy, and Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. Photo Credit: Eddie Watkins  Diana Golden Cello Cello photo credit: Barbara Kovacs  Guitar New York native Daniel Keene is a guitarist, lutenist, arranger, composer, and chamber player. He is currently on the faculty at SUNY Nassau Community College and Adelphi University teaching courses pertaining to guitar and music theory as well as offering music lessons at his home studio in Queens, NY. A multi-instrumentalist, Daniel plays on an array of plucked string instruments, including the Renaissance lute, Renaissance bandora, nineteenth century guitar, modern guitar, and mandolin. He has concertized extensively in New York and along the East Coast as a soloist and with a multitude of ensembles, orchestras, and choirs. Daniel is a member of The Samadi-Keene Piano & Guitar Duo and The Red Door Chamber Players and has performed with Long Island Baroque Ensemble, The Bacheler Consort, Impetus Dance Collaborative, and Musical Amoeba. An avid performer of new music, Daniel has collaborated with composers from all over the globe, premiering many new works on guitar. Daniel is currently studying music performance at the State University of New York at Stony Brook where he is pursuing the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. He attended SUNY Nassau Community College and Adelphi University, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Classical Guitar Performance. Daniel studied lute and guitar with Jerry Willard and William Zito, guitar with Stephen Leonard, composition with Dr. Sidney Boquiren, Paul Moravec, and Dr. Joanne Metcalf, and worked with tenor Jonathan Goodman, pianist Dr. Susan Sobolewski, and violinist Dr. Linda Sinanian on musical interpretation.  Fang-Yi ChuPiano Originally from Taipei, Taiwan, Fang-Yi Chu is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in piano performance at the University of North Texas, where she studied piano with Gustavo Romero and collaborative piano with Dr. Elvia Puccinelli. She earned her master’s degree at New England Conservatory in Boston. Fang-Yi was invited to attend the International Keyboard Institute Festival in New York in the summer of 2010 and 2011. As an experienced collaborative pianist, she regularly performed in Denton, Texas with talented singers and instrumentalists. In summer 2015 and 2016 she was invited by AIMS and Musiktheater Bavaria as a collaborative pianist and performed in Austria and Germany. Photo Credit: Rebekah Key  Joshua VigranPiano An increasingly visible performer in New York, Mr. Vigran continues to collaborate with some of the greatest talents in the world. This persistently shapes and develops his unique musical voice in ways that appeals to audiences across the board. “As a performer, Josh is excellent… His technique, musicality and confidence make him one of the best pianists to graduate the School of Music.” Michael Lipsey, world-renowned percussionist. Mr. Vigran graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Music from Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and holds a magna cum laude Bachelor of Music from Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach. Mr. Vigran made his Carnegie Hall debut in the Spring of 2016 as both a collaborative musician and solo performer. Recent awards for Mr. Vigran include 1st Place alongside clarinetist Tony Park and videographer Amanda Wai in the Burke and Bagley Prize for new compositions set to video. He is also the recipient of the Mayor’s Special Service Award from the Mayor of Hempstead, Long Island for his artistic contribution to the community in organizing a Summer Concert Series at Christ’s First Presbyterian Church in Hempstead. Photo Credit: Madison Fender  Organ & Voice William Roslak is an organist, choral director, and music educator based in New York City. He is a 2013 cum laude graduate of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, where he studied organ and sacred music with Dr. Matthew Lewis, Dr. Steve Pilkington, Peter Richard Conte, and Bruce Neswick. William has held a variety of professional musical positions, most notably as the organ scholar at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, and as director of music at Westhampton Presbyterian Church in the Hamptons (Long Island, NY). He has worked extensively with both amateur and professional choirs as both a conductor and accompanist. As an organ recitalist, he has performed in venues such as St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Philadelphia), the Cathedral of the Incarnation (Garden City, NY), the Church of St. Mary the Virgin (NYC), and St. Patrick's Cathedral (NYC). William is currently the associate organist at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Darien, Connecticut, where he recently played for the U.S. visit of former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. He is also a member of the choral faculty at the Special Music High School at Kaufman Music Center, as director of the Men’s Choir. William is currently pursuing his Master's in Choral Conducting at the Aaron Copland School of Music at CUNY Queens College. Photo Credit: Alessio Romano  Morgan PappasFlute Morgan Pappas is a versatile flutist, chamber musician, and music educator. She has performed at venues such as Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, and Symphony Space, and has toured internationally throughout Europe, Africa, and North America. Morgan is a member of the Hudson Flute and Guitar Duo with guitarist, Daniel Keene, the Red Door Chamber Players, and a professional member of the Westchester Band. Morgan graduated from Aaron Copland School of Music with a Masters in Flute Performance, and attended New York University for her Bachelor of Music under a talent scholarship, graduating manga cum laude. She was the recipient of several awards and winner of the Queens College Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition. In addition to performing chamber music and freelancing throughout the NY Metropolitan area, Morgan has an extensive private studio of flute students and is a social media consultant for artists and small businesses. She is currently a Resident Flutist at The Flute Center of New York. |
