Meet the Artists of the 2026 Akropolis Chamber Music Institute!

Congratulations to the 27 performers and 5 composers who have been selected to attend the Akropolis Chamber Music Institute at Interlochen Center for the Arts!

Akropolis is pleased to welcome the artists attending the fifth Akropolis Chamber Music Institute, newly expanded and now taking place at Interlochen Center for the Arts June 7 - 13, 2026.

For one week, these 27 instrumentalists and 5 composers will work intensely with Akropolis: living, rehearsing, and creating together as an artistic collective. The 5 composers will each have a world premiere given by the collective during the festival, in addition to writing a new reed quintet work that Akropolis will premiere during their 26/27 touring season.

Learn more about each of these artists below. Stay tuned for more information about when and where you’ll be able to hear these artists perform alongside Akropolis at Interlochen this summer!

2026 Composers

Yanchen Ye, Composer

Yanchen Ye is a rising composer whose music resonates across international stages, performed by leading ensembles including the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and China’s National Center for the Performing Arts. His work often uncovers dualities within simple and familiar ideas, translating shared human experiences into explorations of belonging. The National Ballet of China commented that his music "powerfully resonates with contemporary yearnings."

A recipient of multiple honors including two American Prizes, Ye achieved his breakthrough when The Morning at Bita Lake won the National Center for the Performing Arts’ Composition Prize. Following its premiere by the National Ballet of China, conductor Chen Zuohuang championed his work on Guiyang Symphony’s five-city tour. Overseas recognition followed swiftly: the UK’s Vale of Glamorgan Festival featured his new commissions, while Kristjan Järvi led its European premiere at Germany’s TONLAGEN Festival. Xizi (戏子), winner of the Celebrate Asia Competition, American Prize, and New Conductors Orchestra Competition, became another highlight, recently featured by Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and Arkansas Symphony.

Critics have celebrated the arresting vitality of Ye’s musical language—from the "irresistible forward momentum" and "huge outpourings of clattering energy" (The Seattle Times) to its fluid shifts between "hushed harmonics and biting, Bartókian cross-rhythms" (Wales Arts Review). His orchestral imagination weaves "immense sonic tapestries that vividly depict natural forces" (Musik in Dresden), astonishing listeners with unexpected "varieties of color, rich layering, and powerfully sustained tension" (National Ballet of China).

Based in Michigan, Ye holds degrees from Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory, New England Conservatory, and a DMA from the University of Michigan, where he also taught music theory, orchestration, and composition.

Dayton Hare, Composer

In his music, composer Dayton Hare strikes a balance between lyricism and color, narrative and atmosphere. Often drawing inspiration from the natural world, Dayton hopes to raise questions about our relationship to our environment and elevate underappreciated beauty found around us. His music has been performed nationally and internationally at venues like Carnegie Hall and Paris’s Salle Cortot by groups such as the New York Youth Symphony, Ensemble Variances, Four Corners Ensemble, Mammoth Trio, the Yale Percussion Group, Utari Duo, the Norfolk Festival Chamber Choir, and others. He has been awarded fellowships from the Fulbright Program, the National Orchestral Institute + Festival, the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music, the Conservatoire américain de Fontainebleau, and the Norfolk New Music Workshop, and been recognized with artist residencies at the Rabbit Island Foundation and the Vashon Artist Residency. He was the 2024-25 grand prize winner of the New York Youth Symphony’s Jon Deak First Music Competition and a winner of Illinois State’s RED NOTE Competition. In addition, he has won numerous calls for scores, including ones from Bent Frequency, Stare at the Sun, the Art Music Society, and others.

Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Dayton received a Master of Music from the Yale School of Music, and Bachelor's degrees in music composition and English literature from the University of Michigan. During the 2024–25 year, he was in residence at the Fondation des États-Unis in Paris as the recipient of the Fulbright-Harriet Hale Woolley Award in the Arts, where he composed music that engaged with the city's climate change mitigation efforts. He is based in western Massachusetts.

Mary Denney, Composer

Celebrated for her eclectic, vibrant and sometimes whimsical sound, composer Mary Denney explores the relationship between sound, music, and memory. More specifically, she is particularly drawn to the ways in which music can be used to shape one’s sense of identity. Mary finds inspiration from a diverse array of influences, including pop, indie rock, modern wind ensemble repertoire, minimalism, and free improvisation. 

An avid collaborator, Mary believes that the composition process does not end once the notes hit the page; she is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and creatively-stimulating environment for performers and composers alike. She has collaborated with a number of esteemed ensembles such as Splinter Reeds, loadbang, FLYDLPHN, Newfound Chamber Winds, and Unheard-of//Ensemble; she has received commissions from Trio Seraphina, the 28/78 New Music Ensemble, and the University of the Pacific Percussion Ensemble. She has been a composition fellow at the Cortona Sessions for New Music, Longy’s Divergent Studio, the Valencia International Performing Arts Summer Festival, the Penn State New Music Festival and Symposium, and the Collaborative Composer Initiative. Performances of her work have taken place in art museums, churches, schools, and public parks.

In addition to composition, Mary has worked as a sound engineer, bookseller, and teacher, and plays horn player. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she is currently a graduate student at the University of Michigan, and holds a Bachelor of Music in composition from University of the Pacific. Her favorite non-compositional activities include reading speculative fiction novels, video and tabletop gaming, perfecting her winged eyeliner, and befriending every cat she comes across.

Jason Zhang, Composer

Can a meme save the world? Can computers write 18th-century counterpoint?

Jason Zhang is a composer, pianist, and programmer from Michigan whose work seeks to answer these urgent questions. His work explores the intersection of internet culture, humor, and classical music.

He received Bachelor’s degrees in Composition and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, where he worked with Roshanne Etezady, Evan Chambers, Michael Daugherty, and Bright Sheng. His projects span music information retrieval research with Dr. TJ Tsai and AI-music exhibition work with Carol Reiley. Jason has collaborated with ensembles including the Attacca Quartet, Hypercube, Hub New Music, Loadbang, Bergamot Quartet, TEMPO Ensemble, musicians from the San Francisco Symphony, and the University of Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also been recognized by awards from MTNA, BMI, Nova Linea Musica, and the University of Michigan.

Outside of music, Jason enjoys solving collaborative crosswords, climbing, and mead-making.

Annette Ma, Composer

Nashville-based composer Annette Ma (b. 2005) hails from Hong Kong and California, and finds herself inspired by musical tension, rhythmic drive, and the narrative potential of music. Currently a sophomore Music Composition major at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music (Tenn.), she has studied with Michael Rose, Molly Herron, Stan Link, and Michael Slayton; she recently attended the 2025 Emerging Composers Intensive at Hidden Valley.

Her works have been showcased at California All-State Young Composers’ Symposium in 2022 and 2023, and have received performances by musicians and ensembles at the Blair School of Music and her alma mater, Stevenson School (Calif.). She has also scored for film and theatre productions, including several of Stevenson School’s theatre and Making Movies productions. Additionally, her choral piece Memories of the Past at Red Cliff (念奴嬌·赤壁懷古) earned an Honorable Mention in the “From Constraints to Creativity: Call for Cantonese Choral Works” call-for-scores.

As a saxophonist, Annette has been a concerto soloist with the Youth Music Monterey Honors Orchestra, and performs with the Vanderbilt University Wind Symphony; she is currently pursuing a minor in Saxophone at Vanderbilt, and her teachers include Jimmy Bowland and Paul Contos. She is also a vocalist, percussionist, and self-taught euphonium and tuba player; she plays sousaphone for the Vanderbilt University Spirit of Gold Marching Band, and is working towards a Mathematics second major and Computer Science minor.

2026 Ensemble

Solstice Reed Quintet

Founded in 2022, the Solstice Reed Quintet is dedicated to exploring, showcasing, and contributing to the diverse range of repertoire for reed quintet, featuring both established composers and emerging voices. Our mission is to present music that challenges, inspires, and offers fresh perspectives on the unique possibilities of this distinct ensemble.

Passionate about connecting with communities, Solstice sees music as a powerful bridge that brings people together. We strive to create vibrant, engaging performances that leave lasting impressions on audiences of all backgrounds. Through our artistry, we aim to contribute to the cultural landscape and inspire a deep love of music in all who hear us.

Solstice has earned recognition in the competitive music sector, winning first prize at the Mississippi Music Teachers Association (MMTA) competition and being named finalists in the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Flex Competition. Recently, Solstice has been invited to give recitals at the 2024 NASA Biennial Conference and the 2025 and 2026 International Navy Band Saxophone Symposiums. 

Steadfast in its mission to contribute to the reed quintet repertoire, Solstice has enjoyed three collaborations with leading contemporary composers David Huang Mailman, Alan Theisen, and Rachel McFarlane. Recently, Solstice was invited as artists in residence at SUNY at Buffalo. The Composer’s Collective and the Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center will host Solstice in a two-day event that will culminate in a recital featuring ten brand new works for reed quintet. 

With members hailing from diverse backgrounds, including Becca Chadwick, Freddy Mora Quiros, Matthew James, Cailin McGarry, and Hannah Faircloth, Solstice brings well-rounded artistic perspectives and a shared commitment to creating meaningful, memorable experiences for every audience.

2026 Instrumentalists

James Aldous, Bass Clarinet

James is a versatile and accomplished woodwind performer specializing in clarinet, bass clarinet, and saxophone. Originally from the UK, he made his BBC Proms debut at age 17, soloing with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in the world premiere of The Garden of Earthly Delights by Michael Berkeley, conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich.

Now based in California, James is an in-demand orchestral and chamber musician, performing with ensembles including Diablo Symphony Orchestra, Redwood Symphony, Nova Vista Symphony, and Left Coast Chamber Ensemble. An active chamber musician, he is particularly engaged in contemporary repertoire across a range of ensemble settings.

In 2025, he served as principal and solo clarinetist with the Hollywood Studio Intensive Orchestra for Hollywood Collection Two, recorded at Warner Bros. Studios and featuring Arturo Sandoval.

James holds a Recital Certificate with Honors from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and BA and MA degrees from the University of Cambridge. He has pursued further study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Bass Clarinet Intensive Program, working with Jeff Anderle, Stephanie Gardner, Jonathan Russell, and Jerome Simas.

He was awarded First Prize in the Enthusiasts Solo Competition (bass clarinet) at the International Clarinet Association’s Low Clarinet Festival in 2025, and is a member of ASCAP, the American Federation of Musicians (Local 6), and Chamber Musicians of Northern California.

Kaitlyn Beasley-Zeitler, Bassoon

Kaitlyn Beasley-Zeitler is a first year Master’s student at Arizona State University, studying bassoon performance under Dr. Albie Micklich. While she is originally from Leander, Texas, Kaitlyn received her undergraduate degree in bassoon performance and graduated summa cum laude under the instruction of Dr. Christin Schillinger at Ithaca College. Ithaca, being just South of Cayuga Lake in Central New York, is home to a plethora of beautiful gorges and trails which Kaitlyn frequented in her free time. 

​Throughout her four years at Ithaca College, Kaitlyn developed her own private studio and local bassoon reed business. She held sub positions with the Cornell and Binghamton University Symphony Orchestras, and taught children’s music classes at The Community School of Music and Arts in downtown Ithaca, NY. As Kaitlyn continued her professional development, she began seeking opportunities to hone her skills outside of Ithaca. This led her to attend the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival during the summer of 2024. Following this, Kaitlyn accepted a Junior Faculty position with Bocal Majority for their 2025 Summer season, teaching reed classes and chamber music to a group of 7th grade bassoonists. In the same summer, she attended the Madeline Island Chamber Music Festival, where she was offered instruction by each of the members of the WindSync and WindScape woodwind quintets. 

​Motivated by the teachings of each musician she met during her studies, Kaitlyn was able to discover her love for new music, chamber music, and simply making music with other talented individuals. She looks forward to continuing to meet new people and develop her collaborative skills through the Akropolis Chamber Music Institute!

Lucy Croasdale, Saxophone

Lucy Croasdale is a performer, collaborator, educator, and composer originally from Madison, WI. She is a multi-instrumentalist who has had the pleasure of playing in an array of musical genres. Her focus lately has been building her private saxophone studio in the Austin, Texas area while developing her professional musical voice.

When she was very young, she started off as a Suzuki violinist, eventually migrating to saxophone, and along the way, picked up guitar, voice, trumpet, bass clarinet, flute, piano, and mandolin, among other things. Since starting college, saxophone has become her main focus. In high school and early undergrad, she was concentrated on jazz and improvisation studies but has turned her attention more towards contemporary and classical saxophone lately.

Throughout her musical career so far, she’s received a few special honors. Some of which were attending the 2019 Essentially Ellington festival and competition, being commissioned by Lawrence University to compose an educational big band chart for the 2022 Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend, being a member of the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble when they won the 2023 Outstanding Performance award for Large Jazz Ensemble – Undergraduate College category, and premiering a saxophone quartet concerto, Second Nature by Viet Coung, as a soloist with the University of Texas Wind Ensemble. Another endeavor she is proud of was when Lucy created and led a weekly beginner’s jazz workshop September 2021 – March 2022 where she taught improvisation lessons and lead the educational jazz jam that followed, in an effort to create accessibility to the genre. Along with the workshop, Lucy was a co-founder of LU’s Jazz and Gender Equality Initiative.

Lucy Croasdale earned her Master’s degree in Music Performance at The University of Texas at Austin where she studied with Dr. Stephen Page and earned a Bachelor of Music Performance with a Jazz Emphasis from Lawrence University where she studied with Steven Jordheim and Jose Encarnacion.

Caleb DeLong, Horn

Caleb DeLong is a horn player at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Horn Performance where he studies with Dr. Katie Johnson-Webb. An active and versatile performer, Caleb plays with the University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Horn Choir, contributing to a wide range of repertoire from standard orchestral works to contemporary wind band literature.

In addition to his large ensemble work, Caleb is a passionate chamber musician. He has performed in a variety of small ensembles, developing a strong interest in the communicative and collaborative nature of chamber music. His performances emphasize musical storytelling and thoughtful interpretation, values that continue to shape his artistic identity. Caleb’s research into chamber music has been featured in academic and conference settings, including the Southeast Horn Workshop and the International Horn Symposium.

Beyond the university setting, Caleb is an active freelance musician in the Knoxville area. He has performed in pit orchestras, chamber groups, and on recording projects, gaining valuable experience across genres from classical to commercial music. These opportunities have allowed him to grow as a flexible and reliable performer, equally comfortable in traditional concert settings and more contemporary performance environments.

Caleb’s performance experience is grounded in a dedication to connecting with audiences and fellow musicians alike. Whether performing in a large ensemble or an intimate chamber setting, he strives to bring energy and expressive depth to every performance.

Mark Doerr, Oboe

Mark Doerr is an oboist and educator serving as Second Oboe and English Horn with Detroit Opera and the Michigan Philharmonic. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Oboe Performance at the University of Michigan, where he studies with Dr. Nancy Ambrose King and serves as a Graduate Student Instructor.

He holds Master’s degrees in Oboe Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Dr. Andrew Parker.

As a performer, Mark has appeared with ensembles including the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, and Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. He has collaborated in notable performances such as Wynton Marsalis’s Symphony No. 5 alongside Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Band, and has served as principal oboist in professional and festival settings.

Committed to contemporary music and collaboration, Mark has commissioned, premiered, and recorded new works by several living composers such as and Nkeiru Okoye, where he recorded for Naxos Records with EXIGENCE and the Sphinx Vocal Ensemble. He was also invited to perform at the inaugural Calefax Reed Quintet Festival in Amsterdam as a founding member of Tree City Winds.

His artistic development has included fellowships and appearances at leading festivals such as the Round Top Music Festival, Festival Napa Valley, the National Music Festival, and the Mostly Modern Festival.

An active educator, Mark teaches reed making, oboe pedagogy, and applied lessons at the University of Michigan. He also maintains a private studio in the Ann Arbor area and serves as a clinician for middle and high school programs. His students have won concerto competitions and performed in all-state ensembles.

Originally from Frisco, Texas, Mark Doerr continues to build a career defined by performance, teaching, and artistic collaboration.

Ben Graham, Viola

Ben Graham is a violist from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. A current sophomore at Yale University, he is majoring in both Music and Cognitive Science. He is fascinated by the connections between these two disciplines, and enjoys studying how music and sound is perceived, processed, and stored in the brain.

At Yale, Ben is Co-Principal Viola of the Yale Symphony Orchestra, is an active performer in chamber ensembles, and performs in a variety of student-led ensembles. He also enjoys sharing music throughout various New Haven communities as a member of the Yale Music Outreach Collective. Ben also sings as a Bass II in the Yale Glee Club, and performed as a bass soloist with the ensemble in a recent performance of Mozart’s Requiem.

Outside of Yale, Ben was most recently a fellowship student at the Aspen Music Festival and School in 2025, and is grateful to be returning to Aspen as a fellow this summer after ACMI. He was also Principal Viola of the New York String Orchestra in 2024 under Jaime Laredo, a member of Carnegie Hall’s NYO-USA in 2023, and Principal Viola of both the Interlochen World Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra. As a chamber musician, he attended the Castleman Quartet Program in 2024, and his former string quartet won the MASTA Chamber Music Competition in 2023 and received Second Place in the Glass City Chamber Music Competition in 2022. 

He is thrilled to be attending ACMI this summer, and is looking forward to playing new music with amazing musicians!

John Griffin, Clarinet

John F. Griffin Jr. is a clarinetist and educator dedicated to inspiring the next generation of musicians through performance, teaching, and advocacy. He began his clarinet studies with Dennis Zeisler at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Later earned his Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he studied with Dr. Anthony Taylor and Dr. Andy Hudson. He continued his studies at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, completing a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance under the guidance of Dr. Jeremy Reynolds while serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Griffin currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. In addition to his work at East Central, he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Clarinet Performance and Wind Conducting at the University of North Texas. At UNT, he studies with Dr. Kimberly Cole Luevano, performs with the North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Maestro Eugene Corporon, and teaches Woodwind Methods to undergraduate music education majors. An active chamber musician, Griffin is a founding member of the wind quintet Shakadugat, with whom he regularly performs and tours. His musical life is grounded in collaboration and a deep appreciation for chamber music as a space for both artistic expression and community. Griffin is deeply committed to increasing representation of underrepresented performers within the classical music community. He views advocacy and mentorship as central to his work and strives to create pathways for future generations of musicians to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered in their musical pursuits. As an educator, Griffin emphasizes the importance of strong fundamentals—long tones, scales, and articulation—while cultivating a supportive and motivating learning environment. Drawing from his own experiences of perseverance and growth, he encourages students to pursue excellence with discipline, curiosity, and confidence. Through his teaching and performance, Griffin remains dedicated to fostering musical artistry and helping students realize that dedication and hard work can make even the most ambitious goals possible.

Ethan Hicks, Clarinet

A clarinetist for over twenty years, Ethan Hicks strives to push the boundaries both as a performer and educator. They operate primarily within the state of Michigan as a visiting instructor, soloist, and chamber musician, working to bring numerous genres to both live and virtual audiences. As a nonbinary musician, Dr. Hicks endeavors to reflect their identity in their craft and uplift gender nonconforming composers, as well as other members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Dr. Hicks established their own private clarinet studio in 2016 and has maintained a high level of students ranging from middle school through the university level. As an educator, they prioritize performing without pain, committing to researching methods to both limit and manage injuries to the wrists and jaw in wind musicians.

An avid chamber musician, Dr. Hicks is a founding member of the Trillium Wind Quintet and the AoE Reed Trio and has functioned as band leader for three Eastern European Folk music groups over the last decade, recording numerous albums and touring over Michigan and Oklahoma. They have also executed a variety of recitals for reed quintet, clarinet/saxophone duo, and more.

Aside from performing at live venues, Dr. Hicks has created and upheld a virtual presence on a variety of social media from Instagram, to TikTok, and Twitch, highlighting music from genres such as classical, romantic, video game, klezmer, and more. They are a firm believer of reaching audiences in modern ways to keep them invested in the continued existence and success of instrumental music.

Dr. Hicks earned a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from Central Michigan University, a Master of Music degree from the University of Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from Michigan State University. Their primary teachers include Dr. Kennen White, Dr. Suzanne Tirk, and Dr. Mingzhe Wang.

In their off time, Dr. Hicks enjoys running, boxing, and playing the piano.

David Hilt, Clarinet

David Hilt is a student at the Northwestern Bienen School of Music where he is pursuing a masters in Clarinet Performance studying under professors Todd Levy and Stephen Williamson. 

Prior to this he received a bachelor's from the UW-Milwaukee School of Music in Clarinet Performance.

David has also been a featured soloist of the UW-Milwaukee Symphony orchestra, and has subbed in the greater Milwaukee area, and with the Portland Festival Symphony. 

Outside of the clarinet he enjoys reading, hanging out with friends, and being outdoors!

Milo Holcombe Pomerance, Bass Clarinet

Originally from Roswell, Georgia, Milo Holcombe Pomerance is bass clarinetist with a Bachelor of Music Performance from the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. As a performer, he is committed to bolstering the bass clarinet’s reputation to be on par with its smaller sibling through working with composers to expand its increasingly diverse repertoire. 

Milo’s past chamber music experience includes playing with the 25th Ave Reed Quintet, the first reed quintet to come out of Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music. Since their founding in 2022, the quintet has worked to promote the performance of new music, including a collaboration with the Blair Composer's Forum resulting in five premieres. The quintet was also named one of seven National Finalists in the 2023-2024 MTNA Wind Chamber Music Competition. In addition to his chamber activity, Milo regularly performs in larger ensembles such as the Vanderbilt University Orchestra and the Vanderbilt Wind Symphony as well as dabbling in flute and saxophone in the pits for the Vanderbilt Opera Theater and Vanderbilt Off Broadway.

Outside of Vanderbilt, Milo first attended the Akropolis Chamber Music Institute in 2023 as well as having participated in festivals such as the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Bass Clarinet Intensive, and studied with Sarah Watts at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance. When he’s not playing the clarinet, he can be found petting dogs, watching birds, or exploring the nooks and crannies of Vanderbilt’s campus.

Lyndon Ji, Piano

Lyndon Ji, Grand Prize winner of the Chicago International Music Competition, has performed across the USA, Asia, and Europe. His recent performances span both traditional and contemporary settings with organizations such as Orchestra New England, Core Memory Music, the Gijón Piano Festival, American Matthay Association, American Liszt Society, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Masterclasses, Bowdoin International Music Festival (Fellowship), Norfolk New Music Workshop, and the Mozarteum Summer Academy. A core tenet of his programming is to include both traditional and new compositions by diverse voices, ranging from young, living composers such as Benjamin Webster, Sam Wu, and Zihan Wu, to lesser-known works by composers such as Fanny Mendelssohn, Lili Boulanger, Takemitsu, and Dutilleux.

Upcoming projects include planned outreach concerts featuring several newly commissioned works for piano and/or synthesizer and a residency at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute in collaboration with multimedia artist and clarinetist Nikki Pet and composer Benjamin Webster.

Despite early musical inclinations and a concerto debut with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra in 2012, Lyndon’s primary interest was mathematics. He earned his B.S. from Yale University, graduating with several honors and subsequently working in the Office of Strategic Analysis as an inaugural Swensen Fellow. He later pursued music at the University of Michigan with Logan Skelton, leaving for one year to study as a Toshizo Watanabe Fellow at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama. Upon returning, he completed his M.M. and received an Artist Diploma from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under Roberto Plano.

Lyndon currently serves as staff pianist at Rutgers University, Artistic Director of the Bay Area International Piano Competition, and continues as a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the Yale School of Music under Wei-Yi Yang.

Outside of music, Lyndon enjoys brewing coffee in all forms, cooking, video games, and the company of his wife and two cats.

Kellen Ko, Flute

Kellen Ko is a freelance flutist, private teacher, and new music interpreter. Their work as a performer focuses on music as a window into the kaleidoscopic stories found in human experiences. An enthusiastic collaborator, they have performed on flute/auxiliary flutes with the Young Performing Artists' Collective (MA), various large ensembles at Boston Conservatory, the Parallax flute-clarinet duo with Kristina Nie, and the Wind Advisory wind quintet. As an adventurous and flexible interpreter of new music, Kellen can be found premiering works for solo/chamber projects (Lauren Whritner, It’s Hideous! for flute and electronics; Naataanii Gorman-Prow, Micropulses for flute/clarinet duo; Veronica Kao, substanceless blue; Upcoming solo flute commission with Luciano Lopez-Parnetti), as well as the Berklee Film Scoring Session Orchestra. In April 2026, the Parallax duo will present various works for flute, clarinet, and wind quintet and examine the invisible social boundaries around finding joy for Asian American diasporas.

As a private teacher, Kellen mentors students of all ages and abilities, helping them find joy and identity through playing the flute. Alongside performing, Kellen is a founding member and community engagement coordinator with the Massachusetts Modern Music Retreat, a non-profit music festival enriching the musical soundscape of Central Massachusetts by sharing emerging musicians' voices with new audiences. Kellen is currently in Boston Conservatory's MM in Contemporary Classical Music Performance program studying with Prof. Sarah Brady. Kellen previously received a BM in Flute Performance and Music Education from Ithaca College. Kellen's past teachers include Allison Parramore and Corrie Cook.

Sara LeBlanc, Oboe

Sara LeBlanc is an oboist from Ottawa, Canada currently based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She maintains an active and multifaceted career as a performer and teacher. Known for her thoughtful musicianship and collaborative spirit, Sara is committed to artistic excellence, versatility, and musical connection.

Sara holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Ottawa, where she studied with Charles Hamann. She is currently pursuing dual Master’s degrees in Oboe Performance and Chamber Music Performance at the University of Michigan, where she studies with Dr. Nancy Ambrose King.

Sara is a 2024 recipient of a Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artist Grant, recognizing her promise as an emerging Canadian artist and supporting her continued development as a performer. This distinction reflects her dedication to her craft and her commitment to contributing meaningfully to Canadian artistry.

As an active freelance musician, Sara has appeared with orchestras such as the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Kingston Symphony, and has worked extensively with ensembles throughout the Ottawa region. Her performance experience spans a wide range of repertoire, and she is equally at home in large ensemble and chamber settings. Sara is passionate about working with composers to create new works, and has had the privilege of collaborating with her colleagues at the University of Ottawa and the University of Michigan to premiere new compositions. Alongside her performing career, Sara maintains a small private teaching studio, where she enjoys working with students of varying ages and levels.

Sara is an alumna of the Scotia Festival of Music (2023–2024) and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (2024–2025). Through NYO Canada, she has had the privilege of performing on the Horizons Tour and the organization’s 65th Anniversary Tour.

Alyssa Mercedes Mena, Flute

Alyssa Mercedes Mena is a Cuban-American flutist, composer, and educator based in Miami, Florida. An active performer, she has appeared with ensembles including the Florida Grand Opera, South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Nu Deco Ensemble, Symphony of the Americas, and the Palm Beach Symphony. A passionate chamber musician, she collaborates across genres and is dedicated to expanding the flute repertoire through innovative and culturally rooted programming, including collaborations with Sugar Hill Salon in New York City and contemporary new music ensemble The Last Hundred.

Alyssa is a prizewinner in several national competitions, including First Prize in the Mid-Atlantic Young Artist Flute Competition and Second Prize in the National Flute Association Low Flute Artist Competition. In 2025, she won the Frost Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition and performed Lowell Liebermann’s Flute Concerto. She was also a YoungArts winner in Classical Flute, recognizing her early promise as a performer.

As a composer, Alyssa draws deeply from her Cuban heritage, creating works that explore identity, memory, and intergenerational storytelling. Her solo alto flute work Hasta La Raíz was premiered at the National Flute Association Convention, later published by Coleman Page Publishing, and recognized as a prizewinner in the National Flute Association Newly Published Music Competition. Her chamber works have been commissioned and performed by ensembles across the United States, including a recent chamber commission from the Seattle Symphony for their Octave 9 series, Los Sueños de Mis Abuelos, as well as a collaboration with the National LGBTQ+ Flute Choir, Voces Que Siguen, to be premiered at the 2026 National Flute Association Convention in Portland.

Alyssa is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Flute Performance at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, where she studies flute with Dr. Jennifer Grim and composition with Dr. Charles Mason and Dr. Shawn Crouch. She is a fellow of the Henry Mancini Institute, performing in its touring orchestra, and serves as a graduate teaching assistant in the Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program, where she mentors young musicians in underserved communities.

Deeply committed to education and community engagement, Alyssa maintains a private studio and works with students of all ages, both in person and online, as well as at local schools including Miami Arts Studio, Westminster Christian School, Hialeah Miami Lakes Senior High School, and Coral Reef Senior High School. She has also collaborated with programs as a teaching artist for Nu Deco NXT, the Greater Miami Youth Symphony, and the Alhambra Orchestra. Through her performing, teaching, and composing, she seeks to create meaningful musical experiences that honor her heritage and connect with diverse audiences.

Regan Pilgrim, Horn

Regan Pilgrim is a French horn player committed to continued learning and is actively developing her work as both a performer and educator. A native of Belton, Texas, she is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, where she serves as a graduate assistant. In addition to her academic work, she performs as Third Horn with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra and is an active freelance musician in the Columbus, Georgia area.

Regan earned her Bachelor of Music in Performance from Oklahoma State University, where she was actively involved in the Greenwood School of Music. During her time at OSU, she performed with the Wind Ensemble and Cowboy Marching Band, gaining valuable leadership and teaching experience. She was also involved in horn chamber ensembles, experiences that laid the foundation for her collaborative approach to music-making.

She completed her Master of Music in Performance in 2023 at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. While at Frost, Regan held a teaching assistantship in the horn studio and was named a Henry Mancini Institute Fellow. Through the Institute, she performed regularly in ensemble settings and collaborated with guest artists, gaining valuable professional performance experience.

Committed to collaboration and continued artistic growth, Regan has expanded her work as a chamber musician through participation in the New Found Chamber Winds Fellowship in the summers of 2024 and 2025. As a soloist, Regan has advanced to the semi-final round of the International Horn Competition of America university division in both 2022 and 2024 and will compete in the professional division in 2026. 

Ethan Pinckert, Percussion

Ethan Pinckert celebrates art as a holistic and collaborative process by viewing the past through a unique lens, while innovating closely with the voices of the present and future.

At the core of his work, Ethan Pinckert prides himself in being an active participant in the creation and performance of new music. Many of these premieres were with ensembles such as the Contemporary Chamber Players of Stony Brook University, and the Ithaca College Contemporary Ensemble. Ethan also works closely with composers within his community giving several premieres of new works featuring percussion, including the West Coast premiere of Seessa’s “The Four Loves” at New Music Gathering 2023. Ethan also frequently appears as a solo artist, performance artist, and collaborating with singer/songwriters around the greater New York City area. Ethan currently serves as the Repertoire Coordinator for the Massachusetts Modern Music Retreat, fostering composer/performer collaboration resulting in a concert series of new works in Northern and Central Massachusetts.

Ethan Pinckert is also an active composer, having recent performances of his work performed by the Ithaca College Percussion Ensemble, as well as clarinetists Timothy Coffey, and Noemi Bender. Ethan’s work frequently engages with other disciplines of spoken word, visual art, and theater. All the while, it draws directly from how we experience the world around us.

Ethan holds a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music at Stony Brook University. He had the privilege to study percussion under Dr. Mike Truesdell, Conrad Alexander, and Dr. Eduardo Leandro. He was mentored in composition by Dr. Sally Lamb McCune.

Aidan Ramirez, Percussion

Aidan Ramirez (b. 2005) is a competition-winning performer and composer from Laredo, Texas and is currently based in Miami, Florida. He currently attends the Frost School of Music and is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in percussion performance. He studies performance with Svetoslav Stoyanov, Pablo Rieppi, and Leonardo Soto. Aidan has been recognized for his performances and compositions, winning first prize in the 2022 and 2023 TIERRAS South Texas Percussion Competition in the keyboard (2022) and snare drum (2023) categories, recognized as a finalist in the 2023 Great Plains Marimba Competition, and first prize in PercWorks' International Young Percussion Composer of the Year Composition Competition in 2023. 

As a performer, Aidan is deeply engaged in the performance of contemporary music and frequently collaborates with student composers at the Frost School of Music, premiering new works and contributing to the development of emerging repertoire. He is particularly drawn to chamber settings and percussion ensemble music, where he greatly values the collaborative and exploratory nature between both the composer and performers.

In addition to performance studies, Aidan is also pursuing a minor degree in composition under the direction of Dr. Lansing McLoskey, Dr. Dorothy Hindman, and Dr. Donald Scott Stinson. As a composer, he aims to bridge the gap between classical contemporary music and more immediately familiar and accessible musical expression. While Aidan’s compositions are rooted in complexity and dissonance, he aims to remain grounded in familiarity so that audiences can experience the beauty that he sees in more contemporary music. Through the use of free melodies and unexpected timbral shifts, Aidan uses his music to portray abstract concepts and emotions that words fail to easily describe.

Aidan’s growing body of work includes pieces for solo percussion, chamber ensembles, and upcoming collaborative projects with fellow musicians. As both a performer and composer, he is committed to expanding the reach of new music to composers, performers, and audiences alike.

Tyler Romesberg, Oboe

Tyler Romesberg holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas and an Artist Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Outside of school, he has also attended NYO Canada, Rocky Ridge Music, the Curtis Mentorship Program, the 2020 Eastern Music Festival Virtual Session, and the International Lyric Academy in Vicenza, Italy.

 In the Greater Toronto Area, Romesberg was the Principal Oboe of Oakville Symphony from 2022-2024, and he was the Guest Principal Oboist for the Ontario Philharmonic for the 2025/26 season. He has performed with several professional ensembles in the US and Canada, including the Winnipeg Symphony and the Syracuse Orchestra. 

As a soloist, he was the winner of the 2024 Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition, and he performed Ruth Gipps’s Oboe Concerto with the ensemble at the Winners’ Gala. He has also performed with the Lavinia Ensemble as an invited soloist twice. 

A passionate educator, Tyler Romesberg has taught class music and private lessons, and he has acted as an elementary substitute teacher. He served as an oboe instructor for Carroll School District from 2019-2022 and the double reed instructor for Aubrey School District in 2022. In addition to lessons for young oboists and bassoonists, he also taught masterclasses, reed making classes, and a combined beginner double reed class. Now based in Rochester, NY, he is a performer, teacher, and tennis coach. 

When he is not making reeds or practicing, Romesberg loves to be outside, and he enjoys tennis, hiking, skiing, and running. 

Cooper Taylor, Bassoon

Cooper Taylor is bassoon performance undergraduate student at Arizona State University. Born in Glendale, Arizona, Cooper began bassoon in 2018 and has since traveled across the country and the world to cultivate his musical knowledge, most notably performing in the 2025 National Music Festival under Jeffery Keesecker, the 2025 Saarburg International Music Festival, 2023 Music For All Honor Band of America, the 2023 Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) Bassoon Workshop under Margaret Phillips, and the 2022 UNCSA Chamber Music Academy of Southern Germany under Saxton Rose. While in high school, Cooper performed in the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO) for four years, playing principal or second bassoon for their large orchestral works and ballets. During his participation in PYSO, Cooper placed third in their concerto competition and received the opportunity to attend the BUTI festival for free.

At the International Double Reed Society conference in the summer of 2024, Cooper premiered two new works for bassoon quartet, written by Kincaid Rabb and Sergey Khvorostianov, respectively. He also participated in a performance class hosted by Gina Moore and another by Kristin Wolfe Jensen.

In the summer of 2026, Cooper will be attending Vienna Summer Music Festival and Domaine Forget’s bassoon workshop, receiving the opportunities to learn from Patrick Dis Ritis, Mathieu Lussier, and Nadina Mackie.

During his time at ASU, Cooper has had the pleasure of performing with the AZ Musicfest Orchestra, the Scottsdale Philharmonic, and ProMusica Arizona Chorale and Orchestra. He has also participated in ASU performance classes by Monica Ellis, Mark Dover, Aaron Pergram, and Christopher Witt.

Outside of music, Cooper frequently lifts weights and reads nonfiction books. In the Spring of 2024, Cooper ran a Spartan 10k and finished in the top 15 percent of racers. This past Winter, he ran the Arizona Rock ‘n’ Roll half-marathon! Cooper is an early-morning person and loves to be outdoors!

Hannah Wolkowitz, Saxophone

Hannah Wolkowitz is a saxophonist and composer whose music is rooted in storytelling and connection, often drawing upon shared experiences and featuring audience participation and klezmer-inspired melodies and rhythms. Her music ranges from orchestral compositions to multimedia chamber and solo works full of rich textures, rhythmic groove, and memorable melodies.

As a saxophonist, Hannah performs as a soloist and chamber musician, and strives to champion and represent the work of other composers. As a saxophonist, Hannah has received national recognition as an MTNA finalist and U.S. Navy Band Young Artist Solo Competition finalist. She was selected to perform in the U.S. Navy Band’s International Saxophone Symposium for three consecutive years, the third performing her own work, Euphoria, and has been a featured soloist with several orchestras in the St.Louis area: University of Illinois-Springfield, University of Missouri-St.Louis, and the Alton Symphony Orchestra. She was also the saxophonist in the St.Louis Klezmer Band, Klezundheit! for four years.

As a composer, Hannah was commissioned by the La Jolla Symphony in collaboration with Luna Composition Lab. Recent awards include: winner of the Ballora-Wang Young Composer Award, and works chosen for conferences, festivals such as the U.S. Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, International Music by Women Festival, and Heidelberg New Music Festival. Hannah is a Luna Composition Lab, Wildflower Composers Festival, and NPR From the Top alumna.

Hannah Wolkowitz is pursuing her BM (29') in Composition, Saxophone Performance, and a minor in Performing Arts Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan. She currently studies with Dr. Roshanne Etezady and Dr. Timothy McAllister.

Hannah was a competitive gymnast for ten years but now enjoys focusing her time on her music, spending time with her family, reading, and doing CrossFit.

Xujing Yao, Clarinet

Xujing Yao (Yao) is a clarinetist and doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota, maintaining an active career as both a performer and educator. She received her graduate training at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she developed a strong foundation in both solo and chamber performance.

Her work spans solo, chamber, and ensemble settings, with a particular passion for collaborative music-making and innovative programming. She is the founder of the Dyno Woodwind Quintet, an emerging chamber group dedicated to engaging audiences through diverse repertoire and creative performance projects.

In addition to performing, Yao is actively involved in artistic planning, outreach, and promotional work, contributing to the ensemble’s artistic direction and growing public presence. Alongside her musical career, she also works as a Chinese language tutor, bringing a cross-cultural dimension to her teaching and communication.

Outside of music, Yao enjoys bouldering, yoga, and indoor cycling, which she finds essential for maintaining both physical and artistic balance.

Meng Yuan, Piano

Meng Yuan is a pianist who made her solo debut at the age of ten. She is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate in Piano Performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, studying with Dr. Dror Biran on full scholarship and previously serving as his teaching assistant. She also teaches in CCM’s Preparatory Program through Lives United/Vidas Unidas. Meng is the pianist of DuoMente, a violin–piano duo with violinist Dan Qiao. Together, they serve as Artists-in-Residence for the “Music with a Mission” series, performing Beethoven’s complete sonatas for piano and violin and curating culturally themed concert programs across the American Midwest. Beyond DuoMente, her piano trio won first prize in the 2022 CCM Chamber Music Competition. In 2025, she was featured as a guest artist at Arizona State University and Murray State University in Kentucky. Her early training included the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Olga Radosavljevich, followed by the Overlap Program at CIM, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance under Dr. Daniel Shapiro, with a concentration in piano pedagogy and a minor in harpsichord.