Lucas R. is a passionate cellist currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His musical journey began in fifth grade with local lessons under Miss Katherine Barrett Zywan, who first ignited his love for the instrument. As a high school student, Lucas began studying with Prof. Gita Ladd, who guided him through the early stages of his development and helped shape his foundation in both technique and musical expression. He continued his studies with Prof. Ladd until his sophomore year of college, when he transitioned to his current teacher, Dr. Ismar Gomes, under whose mentorship he is refining his artistry and expanding his performance repertoire.

Throughout his education, Lucas has been an active performer in the Baltimore area, distinguishing himself in numerous ensembles. From 2020 to 2022, he served as the principal cellist for Young Musicians of Baltimore and took on the role of assistant principal during the prestigious Chamber Week at the Peabody Institute. His experience also includes performances with the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra and at the Endless Mountain Music Festival, Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and Corning Museum of Glass. Recently, Lucas has held the position of principal cellist with the UMBC Symphony Orchestra, where he continues to hone his skills in both orchestral and solo settings. Outside of his musical endeavors, Lucas enjoys hiking, collaborating in chamber music, and tending to his growing collection of plants. With a deep commitment to both his craft and personal growth, Lucas looks forward to furthering his professional career and his contributions to the classical music world.

Described by Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist Suli Xue as demonstrating “exceptional talent, a great enthusiasm in music, and a high level of determination,” Magdaline K. is an American-born Russian/Belarusian cellist and pianist from Whittier, California. Raised in a household that valued music and creative expression, she developed an early passion for performance and a belief that music serves as a powerful means of connection, storytelling, and shared human experience.

Her artistic voice has been significantly shaped through international study, particularly in Spain. In 2025, she studied with renowned cellist Lluís Claret in an international masterclass, an experience that broadened her musical perspective and deepened her commitment to music as a universal language. She will continue this artistic trajectory as a participant in the prestigious Keshet Eilon Mastercourse in Altea, where she will engage with an international community of young musicians dedicated to artistic excellence and cultural exchange.

A dedicated and versatile artist, Magdaline has performed throughout Southern California, the East Coast, and Spain as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator, earning multiple first-place gold medals in ensemble competitions in California, Boston, and Washington, D.C. She is a First Prize winner of the 2024 Charleston International Music Competition (Summer 2024) and has developed a growing artistic presence through both traditional concert performance and interdisciplinary collaborations.

In 2024, she appeared as a soloist with the Synesthesia Sinfonietta, performing the West Coast premiere of Chad Rehmann’s arrangement of “O Holy Night.” She has also performed at venues including Royce Hall, Warner Bros. Studios, Fred Kavli Theatre, Broadway West, Glass Slipper Palace, LA Theatre, and Candlelight Concerts, experiences that have shaped her collaborative and performance-driven artistic identity.

Equally committed to innovation and collaboration, Magdaline has led her own chamber ensembles and formed a wind ensemble to perform the Gulda Cello Concerto under the baton of Isaiah Castro, exploring repertoire that bridges classical, jazz, and popular traditions. Her work beyond the classical stage includes collaborations with artists such as Mike Sabath and Haley Joelle, as well as appearances in music videos including Being Human (2023), Dumbstruck(2023), Memory Lane (2024), and Sullivan Grace’s “2805” (2025), further reflecting her interest in cross-genre artistic expression.

Magdaline is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Cello Performance at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University under the mentorship of Amit Peled. During her undergraduate studies, she studied cello with Dr. Marek Szpakiewicz and piano with Dr. Éva Polgár and Professor Mark Gasbarro, graduating Cum Laude.

Elizabeth R. began studying the viola at age 9 and the flute at age 10, and has experience performing and teaching strings and woodwinds. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education at Ithaca College, where she studied flute with Kelly Covert. She spent one semester at the Ithaca College London Center, taking lessons with Susan Milan at the Royal College of Music. After completing her undergraduate degree, Elizabeth moved to southern Maryland, where she taught pre-k through fifth grade band, strings, chorus, and general music for four years at St. Mary’s County Public Schools. While in Maryland, she earned her Master of Music in Music Education from Boston University. In 2010 she played Griffes’s Poem for Flute and Orchestra with the Chamber Orchestra of Southern Maryland In Concert as the winner of the COSMIC Young Artist Competition.

Elizabeth earned her PhD in music education at Temple University in 2019. While at Temple, she worked as a TA in the music education department, which included serving as a graduate conductor of the Night Owls Community Band and teaching Woodwind Methods to undergraduate and graduate students. She also taught as an adjunct and supervised student teachers at West Chester University. During her doctoral studies, she was a member of the viola faculty for the Music Education Pathways program at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, PA and was a member of the flute faculty at Ferrwood Music Camp in Drums, PA. Elizabeth is happy to be back in Maryland, teaching 4th-6th grade band and orchestra in Prince George’s County Public Schools.