Ruth is a violinist and music educator based in the greater New York City area. As a performer, she has performed solo, and as an orchestra and chamber musician around the world in some of the top concert halls and venues such as Tokyo Opera City, Beijing’s National Center for the Performing Arts, Singapore’s Esplanade, Hong Kong’s Cultural Centre, Malaysia’s Petronas Philharmonic, Taiwan’s National Concert Hall, and Carnegie Hall (Weill and Perlman Stages).

Ruth was awarded 1st place and honorable mention in American Protege International Competition and Concert Artists International respectively. She was selected to perform with the Asian Youth Orchestra in 2010 and 2011 where she got to perform with some of the best young musicians in Asia. She also had the privilege to play for international events, including those for dignitaries. Likewise, she enjoyed sharing the stage with great artists both in classical and pop music such as Wang Jian, Alban Gerhardt, Jaime Laredo, and Michael Buble. 

Originally from the Philippines, she used to be the assistant concertmaster of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the country’s national orchestra. The same orchestra featured her as soloist. She was also given the “Ani ng Dangal” or Harvest of Honors Award, a national award, presented by the President of the Philippines for all her musical accomplishments.

With full scholarship and teaching assistantship, Ruth completed her masters degree at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where she studied with Elizabeth Chang. For her undergraduate, she finished Bachelor of Music from the University of the Philippines with cum laude distinction, where she studied with Arturo Molina. Back in the Philippines, she also studied with Joseph Esmilla and Sergio Esmilla. 

As a teacher, she has gone through several pedagogy training and seminars and specifically a number of Suzuki teacher training. Some of her teacher trainers include Ronda Cole, Edmund Sprunger, Carrie Reuning-Hummel, Kimberly Meier Sims, David Strom, Elizabeth Faidley, etc. Her students have won auditions and international competitions, but the thing she’s most proud of is the joy each of her students acquire in their hard work and music making.

Currently, she has a duo with her husband, Cyd, a percussionist. They were recently invited to perform at The White House. Ruth loves chamber music, playing at church, and is passionate about instilling the love of music to the next generation. 

Siyuan turned to the world of piano performance after completing a double bachelors degree in physics and music, recognizing the vast possibility of human subjectivity and inspiration, and the power of wisdom from human beings as a unity.

He is currently studying at the University of Arizona, pursuing a Doctoral degree under the instruction of Steinway Artist, John Milbauer, and prestigious concert pianist Fanya Lin. He attended the prestigious Chautauqua Institute Piano Program during the summer of 2021 and 2023 where he interacted with top pianists in the world, including Van Cliburn Gold Medalists, and faculties and students from the most prestigious music schools.

In the university, he won first place and the audience prize in the 2022 annual Lois Trester piano competition, and was granted the full tuition scholarship upon admission. He was recently granted the second prize in the 2023 Aloha International Piano Competitions young artist category, first prize (group) in the 2023 Orbetello International Online Piano Competition with a score of 96/100, and was also

accepted as one of the finalists in the 2024 Chicago International Music Competition this summer.

In the field of music pedagogy, he is capable of combining his background in physics and music in his teaching strategies, which enable him to analyze the challenges students face and with efficient solutions. He treated music as an integral production of techniques, styles, stories or imaginations, and personal interpretations, and all parts are indispensable which he emphasizes in his teaching. He is deeply influenced by the idea of learner-centered teaching, which helps him to enhance students motivation by letting students take more roles in their learning process, like repertoire choice, self-reflection, and discussion about personal interpretation.

In recent years, after three years of teaching since he entered the piano major in his Masters degree, he established himself as an outstanding piano pedagogue, with testimonies from students and parents including the following: 

• "It is the first time for my son to be willing to practice and think about their inspiration with such self-motivation."
• "My teacher really focuses on how to put the piece together with spirit, beyond the mere notes and rhythms."
• "Siyuan's teaching not only teaches my son about playing piano but also influences his personality with his vibrant spirits."

Amanda received her master’s degree in Cello Performance from Western Illinois University. Over the years, she has had opportunities to observe and learn from world-class music pedagogies. 

She is a deeply committed teacher and has over 30 years of experience teaching students in a school setting. Her students have won top prizes at numerous music competitions including MTNA Young musician competition, American Allegro Fine Arts Association and high honors in NJMTA recitals.

In addition to teaching, she has also served as assistant principal cellist for both the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Edison Philharmonic Orchestra.

Amanda's teaching is tailored to students' learning levels and has won students’ accolades and resulted in their rapid progress in their cello lessons.

She is a member of the American String Teachers Association.

Nemanja was born in Belgrade and started playing music at an early age, even though he is not from a musical family. At the age of 4 he started playing the violin, and at the age of 6 he enrolled in music school. He finished elementary music school on the violin in the class of professor Biljana Stevanovic. At the age of 13, he started playing the viola and enrolled in the High School of Music "Dr Voislav Vuckovic" in the class of Professor Jovan Stojanovic.

During high school, Nemanja won numerous awards at international and national competitions, including: 1st prize at the International String Competition in Nis in 2013, 1st prize at the National String Competition in 2014 and 2016, 1st prize at International String Competition "Stringfest" Sremska Mitrovica in 2015 and 2nd place at the International String Competition Petar Konjovic in Belgrade in 2017.

Nemanja was a participant in numerous projects in the country and abroad. He studied at the chamber music course "Musica Mundi" in Belgium in 2016 and 2017, where the lecturers were Maxim Vengerov, Ivry Gitlis, Menahem Pressler, Fazil Say, Joshua Bell, Matthew Hunter, violist of the Berlin Philharmonic, Josef Kluson, violist of Prazak String Quartet and many others. He was also a member of several youth orchestras: European Spirit of Youth Orchestra 2015 in Italy and Slovenia, Musica Mundi Festival Orchestra in Belgium, Youth Philharmonic Borislav Pascan and Operosa Academia Orchestra.

He finished music high school as a student of the generation. In 2017, he enrolled at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade in the class of professor Dejan Mladenovic. He won the laureate and the award for the absolute winner of the viola discipline at the International Competition "Golden Steps" in Valjevo in 2019. During his studies, Nemanja was participant of the masterclasses at the Menuhin Academy in Geneva in class of Gerard Causse, the Menddlesson Music Week Festival in Wengen, Switzerland with Josef Kluson, where he gave a recital, at the courses in Belgrade with Gilard Carni, Switzerland Milan Milisavljevic, principal violist of the Metropolitan Opera, USA and Predrag Katanic Linz, Austria. He was also a member of the Teatro l'opera di Roma Youth Orchestra 2018.

Nemanja is a member of several orchestras in Belgrade and abroad, the Baltic Sea Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of maestro Kristian Järvi with whom he played at Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Tonhale Zurich, Victoria Hall Geneva, Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre London, Enescu Music Festival, Bucharest, Romania; Sudtirolfest Merano, Italy; Usedomer Music Festival Germany etc..., Casco Philharmonic Ghent, Belgium under direction of maestro Benjamin Haemhouts and BCO Orchestra Tokyo, Japan, under direction of maestro Toshio Yanagisawa, the National Radio Symphony Orchestra Belgrade, collaborates with the Belgrade Philharmonic, is a member of the Metamorphosis Ensemble, Muzikon Chamber Orchestra, Artlink Orchestra, Boljsoj Festival Orchestra. He performed with the Ensemble for New Music in BOZAR, Brussels. Nemanja became a principal viola player of Miami Music Festival Orchestra 2022, and Belgrade Music Festival Orchestra principal viola player. Perhaps one of the greatest collaborations was made with Max Richter, one of the most famous composers of today, who recorded music for the most famous publishing house Deutsche Grammophon together with the Baltic Sea Philharmonic Orchestra, and Kristjan Järvi.

In 2022, Nemanja finished his Master Degree at the University of Arts in Belgrade. Nemanja is currently a PDPL student at The New School in studio of Milan Milisavljevic, and a Doctor Degree student at The University of Arts in Belgrade.

Mexican-American violinist Daniella Renteria received her Bachelor’s of Music from the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Her primary teachers have been Dorothy Kaplan Roffman, Nurit Pacht, Avi Nagin, Joana Genova-Rudiakov, Weigang Lee, and Salley Koo.

Daniella was the winner of the 2023 John J Cali School of Music Concerto Competition where she performed the Samuel Colridge-Taylor Violin Concerto. She has played in solo master classes taught by Almita Vamos, David Chan, Ani Kavafian, Jessie Montgomery, Charles Yang, Domenic Salerni, and Daniel Philips.

Daniella has also participated in chamber music master classes taught by members of the Emerson Quartet, Shanghai String Quartet, Cavani Quartet, and Kronos Quartet.

During her undergraduate studies, Daniella received the Oscar Ravina Talent Award, John J. Cali Excellence in Orchestra Award, and the Cali Service Award. In her free time, Daniella is an active member in the Diversity and Inclusivity Committee for Kinhaven Music School, a volunteer run group that works to improve the environment for faculty and student.

Brian Purwin is a classically trained violinist and pianist with over 20 years of teaching.

Educated at Juilliard Pre-College, New England Conservatory, and The New School, Brian blends elite technical training with a wealth of industry knowledge and experience. As a 

versatile performer, he has toured with artists like A Thousand Horses, Darius Rucker, Steven Tyler, and numerous others, playing iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, Fenway Park, The Grand Ole Opry, and London’s O2 Arena. Brian is also an accomplished studio musician, appearing on numerous platinum-certified hit singles, bringing real-world insights to his teaching. His lessons emphasize technical skill, musicality, and stylistic diversity, tailored to each student.

Danielle, is both a pianist and a violinist. Growing up a Suzuki student herself, she started playing the violin when she was three and quickly picked up the piano when she was four.

From the young age of five, she has performed in Japan, Singapore, and about 20 states in the US. At an early age, she has led church choir and organized both in person and virtual music projects. While in high school, Danielle worked and performed with the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth, a celebrated youth orchestra in the Philippines that is inspired after the famous El Sistema.

Danielle took up Bachelor’s of Music in Violin Performance minoring in Music Education from the University of the Philippines and her passion for teaching has brought her to do full circle with Suzuki teacher trainings that continue to make her an effective teacher. She has taught students from ages 3 years old and her favorite moment is when the student takes joy and fulfillment in the process.

Her other passions include illustration, animation, and sports.