Karen Ouzounian, Cello
Described as “radiant” and “expressive” (The New York Times) and “nothing less than gorgeous” (Memphis Commercial Appeal), cellist Karen Ouzounian approaches music-making with a deeply communicative and passionate spirit. She is a founding member of the Aizuri Quartet, currently the string quartet-in-residence at the Curtis Institute of Music, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Her commitment to adventurous repertoire and the collaborative process has led to her membership in the Grammy-nominated, self-conducted chamber orchestra A Far Cry, and the critically-acclaimed new music collective counter)induction. Additionally she has performed with such ensembles as The Knights, Trio Cavatina, IRIS Orchestra, and as guest principal of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.
Highlights of Karen’s recent seasons include performances of the Elgar Concerto in Chile with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago, a tour of Japan with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a performance with the Silk Road Ensemble at the TED Conference in Vancouver, a Musicians from Marlboro tour, recitals at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts with pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute, and a Musicians from Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute tour. Born to Armenian parents in Toronto, Karen was a prizewinner at the 2012 Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank Competition. She holds Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, where she was a student of Timothy Eddy.
Highlights of Karen’s recent seasons include performances of the Elgar Concerto in Chile with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago, a tour of Japan with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a performance with the Silk Road Ensemble at the TED Conference in Vancouver, a Musicians from Marlboro tour, recitals at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts with pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute, and a Musicians from Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute tour. Born to Armenian parents in Toronto, Karen was a prizewinner at the 2012 Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank Competition. She holds Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, where she was a student of Timothy Eddy.
Mary Rowell, violin
Considered by critics to be one of the most important and exciting performers on the contemporary scene today, the innovative violinist Mary Rowell can not be classified. Known for her work with the Grammy Award® winning Tango Project, the indie band The Silos and pop icon Joe Jackson, she has carved an indelible place in the contemporary classical music world with the post-classical quartet ETHEL of which she is co-founder. Mary has performed, recorded and premiered countless scores of today’s composers as soloist and chamber musician. She has appeared as violin and electric violin soloist with the National Symphony, Houston Symphony, New York Chamber Orchestra, and Warsaw Philharmonic, among others and has stunned the dance world with her brilliant solo electric violin performances of Richard Einhorn’s Maxwell’s Demon. Mary is an ensemble member of the Tribeca New Music Festivalspecializing in the “Avante-Pop” and is half of the experimental Americana duo BRIM with composer/performer Eve Beglarian. A graduate of the Juilliard School, she currently teaches at Middlebury College and is the concertmaster of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra and the Broadway hit show Newsies.
Nicholas Gallas, Clarinet
Clarinetist Nicholas Gallas has performed with a diverse range of artists and ensembles, including the Axiom Ensemble, Symphony in C, the Washington Ballet Orchestra, Opera Slavica, the National Repertory Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, the Westfield Symphony, Capital City Concerts, Metropolis Ensemble, Ensemble Pi, Red {an Orchestra}, Duncan Sheik (U.S. Tour), Sympho, the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, the Asia-Pacific United Orchestra, Con Vivo, Either/Or, Syzygy New Music, the New Juilliard Ensemble, and as a substitute with the Cleveland Orchestra. He has also taught and performed in Mexico with Cultures in Harmony, an international cultural diplomacy project. In 2009 he became a member of the Quintet of the Americas, a woodwind quintet that was founded in 1979 in Bogotá, Columbia and is currently ensemble in residence at New York University. As a member of the quintet, Nicholas has collaborated with the Colorado Quartet, Cuarteto Latinoamericano, and renowned Bandonéon player Daniel Binelli. Nicholas has performed in such venues as the MoMA, Avery Fisher Hall, Miller Theatre, Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, and Symphony Space. He has performed in festivals including the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Focus! Festival for Contemporary Music, Aurora Music Festival (Sweden), the National Repertory Orchestra, the Chelsea Music Festival, and the Sarasota, Hot Springs and Kent Blossom festivals. Nicholas received his Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School and his Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where his principal teachers were Charles Neidich and Franklin Cohen.
Brad Balliett, Basson
New York City-based bassoonist and composer Brad Balliett is gaining a reputation for unusual and thought-provoking programming, performance and composition. In addition to performing with Decoda, Brad is principal bassoon of the Princeton Symphony, and performs regularly with Metropolis Ensemble, Ensemble Signal, and Ensemble ACJW. Festival performances include Marlboro, Tanglewood, June in Buffalo, Newport Jazz Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommen, and the Lucerne Festival, where he was an Academy Spotlight Artist in composition. Formerly acting principal of the Hartford Symphony, Brad has also appeared as principal bassoon with the Houston Symphony and American Ballet Theater, and has performed with the New York City Ballet, International Contemporary Ensemble, Anthony Braxton, Zakir Hussain, and Miguel Zenon. Brad is an alumni of Carnegie Hall’s The Academy, and is a founding member of Decoda, the Deviant Septet, and DZ4. Brad graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 2005, and holds an MM from Rice University. Brad is also active as a composer, with regularly occurring performances of his chamber, orchestral, and choral music, and makes hip-hop albums with his band The Oracle Hysterical. Brad also hosts a weekly radio show with his twin brother, Doug, on WQXR’s Q2 Music called The Brothers Balliett.
Hailed by the New York Times as an “elegant soloist” with a sound “devotional with its liquid intensity,” Nathan Schram is a violist in the cutting-edge chamber collective, Decoda as well as the violist of the Bryant Park Quartet. Schram performs with an array of adventurous ensembles such as Alarm Will Sound, ACME, New York Baroque Incorporated, Le Train Bleu, and the Wordless Orchestra. He is also a founding member of the string trio Speed Bump, an ensemble devoted to improvising within the jazz medium and performing their own compositions. Nathan’s musical arrangements for various ensembles have been heard in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Le Poisson Rouge, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Schram won first prize in the 2008 ASTA National Solo Competition and was a prizewinner in the 2007 Primrose International Viola competition. He studied at Indiana University and at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofia.
Ayane Kozasa, Viola
Winner of the prestigious Primrose International Viola Competition in 2011, Ayane Kozasa also captured the Competition’s Mozart Award for the best chamber music performance, as well as its Askim Award for her performance of the Competition’s commissioned work. A winner of Astral Artists’ 2012 National Auditions, Ms. Kozasa was also the winner of a 2012 S&R Washington Award and has been a prizewinner at the Irving M. Klein International String Competition. She was named principal violist of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in 2013, and has been featured in The Strad and Strings magazines. Festival appearances include Marlboro Music
Festival, the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Angel Fire’s Young Artists Program, and the Steans Music Institute at the Ravinia Festival. A recent graduate from the Kronberg Academy Masters in Germany studying with Nobuko Imai, Ayane also graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music studying with Misha Amory and Roberto Diaz. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Kirsten Docter and William Preucil, and has worked with notable teachers such as Michael Tree, Nathan Cole, Cyrus Forough, and Philip Lewis.
Festival, the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Angel Fire’s Young Artists Program, and the Steans Music Institute at the Ravinia Festival. A recent graduate from the Kronberg Academy Masters in Germany studying with Nobuko Imai, Ayane also graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music studying with Misha Amory and Roberto Diaz. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Kirsten Docter and William Preucil, and has worked with notable teachers such as Michael Tree, Nathan Cole, Cyrus Forough, and Philip Lewis.
Miho Saegusa, Violin
Violinist Miho Saegusa enjoys an active career as a chamber musician, soloist, and orchestral player, and has performed throughout the United States and abroad. Her passion for chamber music has led to participation at the Marlboro Music Festival, Ravinia Steans Institute, and Music@Menlo, and she has collaborated with world-renowned musicians Mitsuko Uchida, Richard Goode, Arnold Steinhardt, David Soyer, Kim Kashkashian, and Miriam Fried. Miho was appointed Concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in 2011, and is a member of IRIS Orchestra where she often leads as Concertmaster. Highlights of the 2013-2014 season include concerto appearances with both ensembles. She has also toured domestically and internationally with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Miho started violin studies at the age of five, and her principal teachers include Masao Kawasaki and Dorothy DeLay. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, and completed graduate work at The Juilliard School, earning her Master of Music and Artist Diploma.
Zoë Martin-Doike, Violin
Violinist Zoë Martin-Doike from Honolulu, Hawaii is a recent graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Pamela Frank. Zoë has been heard on the NPR shows “From the Top,” “A Prairie Home Companion,” and “What Makes It Great,” and has performed as a soloist with notable orchestras including the Honolulu Symphony, Richardson Symphony, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She won first place in the Lennox International Young Artists Competition and the Music Teachers’ National Association senior string competition, and she has attended the Sarasota Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and the Keshet Eilon Music Festival in Israel. Passionate about chamber music, Zoë has collaborated in chamber music performances with such artists as Atar Arad, Roberto Diaz, Jonathan Biss and Gilles Apap. Zoë enjoys studying Eastern religion and philosophy in her spare time, and has had the distinct pleasure of performing for His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
Jacqueline Kerrod, harp
Harpist Jacqueline Kerrod hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, where she began her life and playing career. She graduated from Yale University with a Masters of Music and Artist Diploma. A versatile performer, Jacqueline has appeared as a member of the New York Philharmonic, New York City Opera and as a guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She is a member of American Modern Ensemble and is the regular harpist for Argento Chamber Ensemble, with whom she has also recorded. Recently she performed with the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) at Lincoln Center. As an advocate of new music, Jacqueline is a member of Clockwise with violinist Marc Uys, (a violin and harp duo with a special interest in commissioning and performing works by South African composers) and was a founding member of MAYA (a flute/harp/percussion trio). The Norfolk Chamber Music Festival featured her as soloist with Ransom Wilson and the festival orchestra in Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp. In Quito, Ecuador, she was again the featured soloist in the same work. She has also appeared as soloist with the Colonial Symphony, Montclair State University, and the SONOS Chamber Orchestras. She has performed with Kanye West, Santo Gold, Antony and the Johnsons, Mr. Fogg, and was the harpist for the Google Chrome online advertisement released in 2009. She is prominently featured on Robert Paterson’s CDs called Book of Goddesses and Star Crossing. In April 2011 Clockwise was presented at the Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe. Recently, Ms Kerrod completed a tour of the Western Cape, South Africa with renowned flutist, Liesl Stoltz. She is the harpist for the hit show The Fantasticks! in New York City.
Photo Credit: Leo Sorel
Photo Credit: Leo Sorel
Marc Uys, violin
Marc Uys was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, where he had his first violin lessons at the age of four. He holds a Master of Music degree (distinction) from the University of Cape Town. His teachers were Isaac Melamed, Prof Jack de Wet and Farida Bacharova. From 2002 to 2006, Marc was the first violinist and manager of the Sontonga Quartet. This group, widely regarded as the leading quartet in South Africa, worked extensively with composers ranging from Kevin Volans to Terry Riley and Osvaldo Golijov, championing many new works in South Africa and abroad and performing in venues such as the Victoria National Gallery in Melbourne, Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Barbican in London, and Central Park and Lincoln Center in New York. During this time, Marc was able to develop and pursue his passion for South African music - music he has continued to explore and promote since moving on from the quartet. 2008 saw continued collaboration with harpist Jacqueline Kerrod in the duo ‘Clockwise’ in New York and during an extensive tour of South Africa in June and July, during which time they performed the premieres of newly commissioned works by 10 South African composers. These works have since been presented in New York, San Francisco, and at the Harare International Festival of Arts in Zimbabwe. In January 2012, Marc was a guest faculty member at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music’s Winter Academy in Kabul. In April 2012 he became concertmaster of the New York based Arcos Orchestra, and led them on a European tour in June 2012, including performances at major venues in Germany - the Konzerthaus in Berlin, Liederhalle in Stuttgart - and in the Konzerthaus in Vienna. Marc plays a fine 18th century Italian instrument on generous loan from the Lindbergh Arts Foundation.
Meena Bhasin, Viola
Meena Bhasin is a captivating violist who is forging a new role for the classical musician. She is a founding member and an artistic leader of The Declassified, New York City's trailblazing society of virtuoso chamber musicians, arts advocates and educators. She is passionate about using music to spark cultural dialogue. In recent seasons, Ms. Bhasin has designed Carnegie Hall residencies in Mumbai and Abu Dhabi collaborating with musicians and students from both cities. In her home town of New York City, Ms. Bhasin is a member of Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and a frequent performer with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. She also relishes collaborations across genres and has toured the US as a soloist with legendary rock band Jethro Tull. Ms. Bhasin spent three years as a fellow in The Academy, the post-graduate leadership program of Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School, where she taught and made frequent concert appearances on the Carnegie stages, around New York City, and around the world. Ms. Bhasin graduated as a Presser scholar from New England Conservatory and also holds a BA in international relations from Tufts University.
Owen Dalby, violin
Praised as "dazzling" (New York Times) and "a fearless and inquisitive violinist" (San Francisco Classical Voice), Owen Dalby is hailed for his gripping interpretations of music from across the stylistic spectrum. He is a co-founder of The Declassified, New York City's trailblazing society of virtuoso chamber musicians, arts advocates, and educators.
Owen made his solo debut at Lincoln Center in 2010, and his varied career involves frequent appearances as a member of the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Princeton Symphony, Ensemble ACJW, and the Metropolis Ensemble. He can also be heard on baroque violin with Four Nations Ensemble, Clarion Music Society, and Trinity Wall Street’s Baroque Orchestra and Choir. Owen is regularly invited to perform chamber music at international festivals from Hamburg to Honolulu, and from Iceland to Mumbai. His chamber collaborators have included Daniel Hope, Dawn Upshaw, the Persian kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor, and Simon Rattle. Owen is a native of Berkeley, California and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale.
Owen made his solo debut at Lincoln Center in 2010, and his varied career involves frequent appearances as a member of the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Princeton Symphony, Ensemble ACJW, and the Metropolis Ensemble. He can also be heard on baroque violin with Four Nations Ensemble, Clarion Music Society, and Trinity Wall Street’s Baroque Orchestra and Choir. Owen is regularly invited to perform chamber music at international festivals from Hamburg to Honolulu, and from Iceland to Mumbai. His chamber collaborators have included Daniel Hope, Dawn Upshaw, the Persian kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor, and Simon Rattle. Owen is a native of Berkeley, California and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale.