Orchestra members

Max Hobart has an extensive reputation as both a violinist and conductor. His nearly 30 year tenure with the Boston Symphony Orchestra included being Assistant Concertmaster of BSO, and Concertmaster of the Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler and John Williams. For 10 years he was a guest conductor of the Boston Pops. Max’s conducting activities outside the BSO were centered on the Boston Civic Symphony as Music Director and Conductor, with performances at NEC’s Jordan Hall for more than 25 years.

Leading an active musical life in various areas of the music industry, Bäverstam is a composer, cellist, and pianist as well as an improviser and conductor. A winner of numerous awards as a cellist such as the Concert Artists Guild international competition in 2010, and the Boston Symphony concerto competition in 2006, Bäverstam has now made his foray into a double career as performer and composer. 

Taiwanese violinist Jean Huang's active performing career has brought her to concert halls internationally and throughout the United States. Huang holds Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral of Musical Arts degrees in Violin Performance with honors from the New England Conservatory with the Doctoral thesis topic "A Performative Analysis and the Critical Edition: Francis Poulenc Violin Sonata".  Jean currently serves as the concertmaster of the Cape Cod Orchestra and the Vangarde Symphony Orchestra.

Aija Rēķe is a violinist, chamber musician, published composer, concert presenter, and pedagogue. She graduated from Boston University (MM, 2015) under Dana Mazurkevich, with a CFA Full Tuition Scholarship, and Rotterdam Conservatory (BM, 2013) in the Netherlands under Benzion Shamir. She has performed extensively in Europe and America as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician. Aija performs regularly with ALEA III – Contemporary Music Ensemble in Residence at Boston University.

Hailing from Ukraine, Liubomyr Senyshyn is a Boston based violinist. Prior to his career in the United States, Liubomyr was a three year member of the K&K Philharmoniker, an Austrian- Ukrainian orchestra that tours throughout Europe. With K&K, he played over 120 concerts per year in the greatest concert halls in Europe. Liubomyr holds a Masters in Music from the Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy and an Artist Diploma from the Longy School of Music under the guidance of Mark Lakirovich.

Young-Shin Choi is the concertmistress of the Boston Civic Orchestra and performs with various Boston-area orchestras, including the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. Previously, she was the principal second violinist of the Flanders Symphony Orchestra in Belgium. During her 12 years in Belgium, she also worked with the Vlaamse Opera orchestra as a guest violinist. Besides being a regular chamber music player and an experienced educator, she  performs concerts as a soloist in Asia, Europe, and the US.

Turkish born and raised, Bengisu Gokce is a multi-genre Violinist and Singer, known for combining in her music the Turkish roots with Eastern-European and Middle-Eastern traditions.

As a professionally renowned performer, Gokce's versatile playing has led her to share the stage with several music icons including Mark O’Connor, Tigran Hamasyan, Aynur Dogan, Shreya Ghoshal, Toninho Horta, Shankar Mahadevan, Simon Shaheen, Amal Murkus, and Pablo Ziegler.

Passionate for empowering generations through music and education, Taiwanese violinist Jennifer Wang serves as a violin teaching artist at Boston Music Project. Ms. Wang holds a Bachelor's degree in Music from the Taipei University of Education. She earned her Master's degree in Violin Performance at Boston University, where she studied with violinist Lynn Chang. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Boston University under the guidance of violinist Peter Zazofsky. 

Originally from Maine, Jessica performs regularly throughout New England in the Lexington Symphony, Boston Ballet Orchestra, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Rhode Island Philharmonic, New Bedford Symphony, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Cape Symphony, ALEA III, and the New England Chamber Players.  She has also performed with The Who, The Eagles, Michael Buble, Weird Al, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Hanson, Sarah Brightman, 2Cellos and Trans Siberian Orchestra.

Subaiou holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (2021) in Violin Performance from Boston University. Her dissertation is on the integration of Chinese musical elements in contemporary violin repertoire. Her recent solo performances include the Wellesley Symphony in 2016, the Brookline Symphony in 2017, and Carlisle Chamber Orchestra in 2022. In 2019, she co-founded the non-profit arts organization Spectacle Collective, which brings multidisciplinary art forms into conversation with each other.

Originally from Ann Arbor MI, violinist Emma Powell is an active performer based in New England. She currently serves as resident musician at the Newport String Project, a youth mentorship initiative based at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Community Center in Newport, RI. She performs with local ensembles including the Rasa String Quartet, Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, and Palaver Strings. Emma holds degrees from Princeton University (BA) and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University (MM).

Anna Stromer is a violist based in New England. As a performer, session musician, and composer, she has found herself working with artists such as Eminem, Boston Ballet, Michael Buble, Cautious Clay, Jacob Collier, Tigran Hamasyan, 2Cellos, Kansas City Ballet, Josh Groban, Jared Leto, etc. Her string quartet has performed for Barack Obama and Conan O’Brien and has been featured on Good Morning America as well as TV shows such as Modern Family and Gossip Girl. 

Bryan has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician throughout the United States. Originally from Houston, he is a graduate of Boston Conservatory where he studied with Roger Tapping and Rictor Noren. Bryan also serves as Personnel and Operations Manager for Brookline Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Director at The Chestnut Hill School. A recipient of fellowships from Aspen Music Festival and the Sphinx Organization, he founded the Santa Fe Retreat for Musicians and Friends. 

Raymond is a violist from Cambridge, Massachusetts who performs in and around the Boston area. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree and Graduate Performance Diploma at The Boston

Conservatory where he studied with Lenny Matczynski. His former teachers include Victoria Chiang, Catharine Carroll-Lees, Steven Wyrczynski, Gabriela Diaz, and Elizabeth Westner. He can be found performing with many local orchestras, recording for soundtracks, and playing in chamber concerts with friends. 

Lu Yu began her musical studies at the age of six at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, China. Lu received her Bachelor of Music degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London with a full tuition scholarship. She then studied with Marcus Thompson at NEC where she received her Master of Music degree. Among her many awards, she was granted "The Young Musician of 2008" in Hong Kong. Lu is the core violist of Juventas New music Ensemble and principal viola of the Boston Civic Symphony.

Taisiya Sokolova started studying music at the age of three in her native Russia, attending the Gnessin Special Music School for gifted children. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from Indiana University. Among her many awards are the Imperial Symphony Orchestra Young Artists competition in 2014, and the International Competition “21st Century Art” in Kiev, Ukraine, in 2009. Taisiya is currently working towards a Doctorate of Musical Arts at Boston University.

Seth MacLeod earned a BM in cello performance from Boston University, where he studied with Michael Reynolds and George Neikrug. Mr.Neikrug dedicated a cadenza he composed for the Dvořák Cello Concerto to Seth MacLeod. He has performed as a soloist with the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra, and the Metrowest Symphony Orchestra. He is the principal cellist of the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra and a member of Symphony by the Sea. Seth plays on a cello made by Ken Meyer.

Cellist Melody Giron was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. She began her musical studies at the New England Conservatory of Music Preparatory School when she was four. She has recorded for movie scores and TV commercials in addition to recording and performing with various popular music artists such as Stevie Wonder, Eminem, and Shawn Mendes. She can also be seen on Amazon Prime's Mozart in the Jungle as well as the Today Show and Good Morning America performing with various artists.

A native of Santa Barbara, California, Nicolas Sterner is a cellist, conductor, educator, and writer. Nicolas leads a varied career as a freelancer and organizer based in Cambridge, MA. When not performing, he maintains an active studio of cello, violin, viola, and piano students. His contributed writings and music criticism are published in the Boston Musical Intelligencer. He is also the founder, conductor, and collaborative director of the Chromos Collaborative.

From Newton, MA, Emma Churchill is currently completing her Masters in cello performance at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University with Norman Fischer. In 2013 she joined the BPO Youth Orchestra for its inaugural year, playing concerts in  Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, and on tour in venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie and Dvorak

Hall in Prague. Emma is passionate about outreach and believes artists should use their platform to help and engage students with less access to the arts.

Hailed as “eloquent” by the Boston Globe, Korean-born cellist Mina Kim has been making music in the Boston area since 2010. As an active performer and educator, Mina enjoys performing in the US and South Korea, as well as teaching at Phillips Exeter Academy. Mina has performed at Carnegie Hall with ROSIN for the New York Women’s Foundation fundraiser. A featured soloist with USP Chamber Orchestra and Busan Philharmonic, Ms. Kim is currently working toward a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at NEC.

Eric Duback is a freelance string bass player and music educator living in the Boston area. When he is not playing his instrument, he loves rock climbing, playing games, reading, and spending time with his friends and family. He grew up on The North Shore of Massachusetts, and studied bass at The Boston Conservatory. He holds a certificate of music education from UMass Amherst.

Lillian Young is a bassist and composer from Austin, Texas. She is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree at Boston University studying music performance with Todd Seeber and composition with Martin Amlin.

Lillian has attended summer festivals including Curtis Summerfest, BUTI, and Music Academy of the West. This summer she will attend New Music on the Point and the Lucerne Festival. She has also performed with the Texas All-State Symphony Orchestra and the Boston University orchestras. 

Moises Carrasco is a bassist from Haverhilll, Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor’s Degree and Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Mr. Donald Palma and Mr. Tom VanDyck. Mr. Carrasco’s extensive work in ensembles has led him to perform all over the United States and Europe, from Symphony Hall in Boston to Musikverein in Vienna. Prior to seeking a full-time career in music, Mr. Carrasco was a handyman and and carpenter in Wyoming.

Flutist Michael Finegold has performed with symphony, theater, dance orchestras, and jazz groups. He has recorded works for flute and orchestra as soloist, and in chamber music including with Essex Chamber Music Players. His recordings are on Parma, ECMP Recordings, and are available online. ECMP’s latest recording (2021) is Local Cultural History Through Music, Merrimack Valley. Finegold is included on the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) roster in the Category of Performing and Touring.  

Bianca Garcia of Salem, NH was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of fourteen. Bianca has toured sixteen countries over South America, Europe and the UK while collaborating with various celebrated artists such as Placido Domingo, Paquito DiRivera, and Gil Shaham. From 2009 to 2015 Bianca was Principal Flutist and a founding member of the celebrated Discovery Ensemble. Since 2016, Bianca has enjoyed performing Substitute Principal Flute with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra

Flutist Agita Arista was born and received her musical education in Latvia. In 2004 Mrs. Arista earned her Master’s degree in Chamber Music performance and in 2001 she received her Bachelor degree in flute performance under Vilnis Strautins. In the US she has appeared with the BB & B Society, MIT Concert Choir Symphony Orchestra and the Tchaikovsky Festival Orchestra. In the summer of 2019 she was invited to perform as a soloist at the Concert of Orchestral and Chamber Music at the Koerner Hall.

Amanda Hardy, oboe, joined the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra as principal oboe in November 2013 where she occupies the Clinton Graffam Chair. As a recipient of the Gillet Scholarship and Tourjée Alumni Scholarship Award, Amanda studied with BSO principal oboist John Ferrillo at the New England Conservatory (NEC).  Amanda was winner of the 2010 Borromeo String Quartet Guest Artist Award Competition and also has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops in Symphony Hall (2009).

Joel Bard received his Bachelors in oboe at the Cleveland Institute and went on to get his Master of Music in orchestral conducting at Juilliard. Joel has worked as a freelance musician in Philadelphia and Boston. After getting his Ph.D in biochemistry working on muscarinic signalling at Harvard, he did his postdoctoral fellowship in x-ray crystallography at the Boston Biomedical Research Institute.  He currently leads a bioinformatics group supporting biotherapeutic drug discovery at Pfizer.

Hailed as "outstanding" by the Boston Musical Intelligencer, clarinetist Kristian Baverstam performs regularly in the United States and abroad. Baverstam is principal clarinet of the Boston Civic Symphony. He was recently featured as soloist with the orchestra, performing "Viktor’s Tale" by John Williams, which garnered him praise as "an excellent soloist." Baverstam also performs with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, the Bach, Beethoven and Brahms Society and the Plymouth Philharmonic.

Celine Ferro is a freelance clarinetist in Boston, along with being an active performer and teacher in the Greater Boston Area. After earning two degrees in clarinet performance from Boston University and the New England Conservatory, she went on to premier and commission new music with the Kalliope Reed Quintet, Boston’s first professional reed quintet, of which she is a founding member. She is also a member of the professional bass clarinet ensemble Improbable Beasts. 

 Miranda Macias is a bassoonist and educator in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 2020, she continues her education at New England Conservatory of Music, where she studies with Richard Svoboda. She is passionate about chamber music and education and hopes to bring a feeling of joy and accomplishment to her students and colleagues.  

T.J. Vculek made his professional performance debut in the Hilbert Circle Theatre, performing Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, in a side-by-side performance with the Indianapolis Symphony. He continues to perform with many premier musical groups throughout the country. Also a bluegrass enthusiast on banjo and guitar, T.J. currently attends the New England Conservatory, where he pursues his master’s degree studying with professor Richard Svoboda, principal bassoon of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

April Verser, originally from Loveland, CO, is currently working towards a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Bassoon Performance at Boston University under the guidance of Nancy Goeres and Margaret Phillips. She received her Masters in Bassoon Performance from Carnegie Mellon University and holds Bachelors degrees in Mathematics, Bassoon Performance, and Music Education from Lawrence University. She has performed with groups across the US and co-founded Ventae, a women's chamber ensemble collective.

Liz Jewell is a Boston based freelance trumpeter and instructor. Ms.Jewell has performed with orchestras across New England, including Plymouth Philharmonic, Vermont Symphony, Symphony NH, New Bedford Symphony, as well the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and Bach Beethoven and Brahms Society. She serves as brass coach at the Middlesex School and the Tufts Youth Philharmonic. She received a Master of Music from the Indiana University School of Music, and a BA in Music from Western Carolina University.

Ryan Ramey holds the principal horn chair with the Boston Civic Symphony which holds its concerts in Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory. He has performed solo concertos with both orchestra and wind ensemble, performed Schumann’s Konzertstuck for Four Horns multiple times with other esteemed horn soloists, and can be heard on various portfolio recordings for upcoming film composers. Ryan teaches french horn at Thayer Performing Arts Center and assists with the Youth Ensemble of New England.

Helen Wargelin is a Boston-based, classically trained horn player. She frequently substitutes with the Seattle Symphony and the New World Symphony and was an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago in their 2019-20 season. An adept soloist, she has placed in numerous concerto competitions, including at Northwestern University and the Aspen and Brevard Music Festivals. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music at the NEC on full scholarship as an Edward Hyde Cox Presidential Scholar.

Israel Gutierrez is a bass trombonist, arts administrator, and diversity advocate currently based in Boston, MA. Since 2018, Gutierrez has been the Tour and Orchestra Manager for The Sphinx Virtuosi. He is a member and co-founder of the Boston Trombone Project, a Boston based trombone octet, and holds trombone performance degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (B.M.) and Boston University (M.M.) Israel is currently the Manager of Community Engagement for Celebrity Series of Boston. 

Massachusetts native Krysten Keches has been called an “excellent young soloist” by the Boston Globe. An avid orchestral musician, she performs regularly as a substitute harpist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, BMOP, Odyssey Opera, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, Yo-Yo Ma's Silkroad Ensemble, and the New World Symphony. Krysten serves on the Board of Directors of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra Foundation.

Co-recipient of The American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for his work with the Juventas New Music Ensemble, Tom Schmidt is one of the Boston area's prominent free-lance percussionists and educators. Tom received his Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from The University of Maine, and his Masters Degree in Percussion Performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Endorsed by Zildjian cymbals, he is currently an Assistant Professor of Percussion at The Berklee College of Music.

Chase is a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music with concentrations in performance and business. While actively building a freelance resume around the Boston area, playing with groups such as the New England Philharmonic and the Longwood Symphony Orchestra, he also continues to be an avid percussion educator looking to focus on giving back to the communities in which he serves.