Dr. Juan Guillermo Mireles is a devoted musician and educator, passionate about nurturing the growth of emerging talents. He has effectively taught cello and chamber music at college levels in the United States and Mexico, showcasing his adaptability across diverse teaching environments. His experience as a cello and chamber music coach for the Wichita Youth Symphony and Southwestern College underscores his dedication to guiding students towards success.

Currently enrolled in the Artist Diploma program at CCM and holding a recently conferred Doctorate in Musical Arts in Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Dr. Mireles possesses a comprehensive understanding of both performance and education. His educational journey encompasses a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance, a Master in Cello Performance, a second Master in Chamber Music, and a Diploma in String Pedagogy, accompanied by Suzuki training.

Dr. Mireles possesses a history of empowering students through private instruction, guiding them to succeed and gain acceptance into prestigious higher education institutions, including youth symphonies and state orchestras. His commitment to musical excellence, along with his extensive background, uniquely positions him to contribute meaningfully to any educational setting.

Peter Kim is an orchestral double-bassist and educator currently based in the greater area of Cincinnati. Originally from North Carolina, Peter earned his Bachelor Degree in Music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he studied with Professor Craig Brown of the North Carolina Symphony. During his undergraduate degree, Peter performed as principal bassists with the University Symphony Orchestra, as well as the UNCG Opera and Gate-City Camerata. After graduating, Peter moved to Cincinnati to complete a Master’s Degree in Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) where he studied with Professor Rachel Calin. Peter is currently continuing his studies at CCM to earn his Artist Diploma. His other notable teachers include Jeff Turner, Max Dimoff, Joe Conyers, Braizahn Jones, George Speed and Owen Lee.

During his time as a student, Peter performed with many different types of orchestras including Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Lima Symphony, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, and The National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic. There he worked with many influential conductors such as Joann Falletta, Marin Alsop, Ruth Reinhardt and more. Peter currently is a section bass player at the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games and spending time with his family, dog, and cat.

David Myers, Cello

David Myers, cellist, is a versatile performer with a repertoire spanning over 500 years. He is a strong advocate of historically informed performance practice and performs on both baroque and modern cello. Recent chamber music performances include collaborations with musicians of Bourbon Baroque, the Louisville Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, David holds a deep interest in pedagogy. Past festival appearances include the Chautauqua Institution, Prague Summer Night as principal cellist, Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, and, as a conductor, the Oberlin Summer Conducting Institute. He has played in masterclasses for Amit Peled, Scott Kluksdahl, Hans Jorgen Jensen, and Pavlo Beznosiuk and his chamber music coaches include Lee Fiser, James Tocco, and Sandra Rivers. David has studied baroque cello and continuo playing extensively with Adriana Contino. He completed completed both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as a student of Ilya Finkelshteyn. While in Cincinnati, David maintained an active freelance schedule teaching and performing, which he plans to continue since relocating to the Chicago area. Outside of music, he is a volunteer for AFS Intercultural Programs, an organization committed to working towards a more just and peaceful world through international and intercultural learning and exchange..

Jade Kurlas began studying cello at the age of three years old. By age seven, she enrolled in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music preparatory program and began intensely studying music theory, ear training, chamber music, and chamber orchestra. Eventually by age eleven, Jade auditioned and was accepted into The Starling Chamber Orchestra under direction of Kurt Sassmannshaus. During her high school career, Jade performed throughout the United States, China, Australia and Europe.

Jade continued her undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she studied with Dr. William Grubb. During her studies, she assisted in the preparatory department with Sassmannshaus Traditions, specifically assisting in chamber music coachings with young musicians. Recently graduating with her Bachelor of Music in 2017, Jade is now pursuing her Master of Music at Boston University studying with teacher, Rhonda Rider.

Mr. Bermudez has been passionate about classical music since he can remember. Although his undergraduate degree was in business, during his time at Southern Adventist University he remained highly active in music. He studied cello with the late Dr. James Stroud, played in the university and local orchestras, established the school’s official string quartet, and produced a daily classical music radio show. After graduation, he formed a chamber ensemble, Con Brio which performed yearly concerts in the Chattanooga, TN area. Mr. Bermudez completed a Master’s degree in Musicology at the University of Maryland with a thesis on the late works of Shostakovich. Most recently, he has completed a second Master’s degree in cello performance, studying with Benjamin Karp at the University of Kentucky. There he performed with the Niles String Quartet, was co-principal of the UK Symphony Orchestra, and is a substitute cellist in the Lexington Philharmonic. This fall he will begin work on his doctoral degree with Ilya Finkelshteyn at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

Elizabeth Lee began her cello studies with Metta Watts and Thomas Kraines when she was ten in Philadelphia. She has played in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, the Youth Chamber Orchestra of Temple University, and the Settlement Music School as an Advanced Study Scholarship recipient. In 2014, Elizabeth performed concertos with the Lansdowne Symphony and the Ambler Symphony as a recipient of the Elmer and Louise Menges Scholarship. From winning competitions to performing with orchestras, she has appeared in well-known venues including the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and the Seoul Arts Performing Center.

Elizabeth has collaborated onstage with distinguished artists such as Stephen Hough,Joshua Bell, Zuill Bailey, Luis Biava, David Noon, Eric Ewazen, and members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Additionally, she has performed in masterclasses for Lynn Harrell, the Johannes Quartet, the Penderecki Quartet, and the Dali Quartet. A chamber music enthusiast, Elizabeth devotes her time to her quartet, the Mipmik Quartet, which won a top prize at the Lyric Music Society Chamber Competition and performed in the Mainly Mozart Festival in Miami. On behalf of Lynn Conservatory, she travelled to Jamaica with the Robertson Quartet to coach workshops, perform concerts, and teach masterclasses. She was accepted as a fellow at the Dali Quartet International Music Festival, won a top prize in the concerto competition at Music in the Mountains in Colorado, attended Chautauqua Music Festival as a scholarship recipient, and spent this past summer at Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival. She also performs regularly as a member of the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Elizabeth graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in cello performance studying with David Cole at Lynn University. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree with Alan Rafferty at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Sarah Huesman is from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and began studying cello at the age of 6. While attending high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Sarah was a member of the Jia String Quartet, a semi-finalist at the 2013 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in South Bend, Indiana. She studied privately with Brooks Whitehouse during her time at UNC School of the Arts.

Sarah recently graduated with a Bachelors of Music from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. She was an active member of the Stamps String Quartet, Frost Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Ibis (Contemporary Music), and occasionally played with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra. Sarah has performed in masterclasses for Zuill Bailey, Paul Watkins, and Sir James Galway.

Huesman’s summer studies and festival experiences have included participation in the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, the Meadowmount School of Music, and the International Music Festival of the Adriatic (IMFA) in Duino, Italy. More recently, she attended the Castleman Quartet Program in 2015 and 2016 and the National Music Festival in 2017. Sarah is currently a Masters student at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and a student of Alan Rafferty.

J. Joshua Kim is a recent graduate from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with an Artist Diploma degree in cello performance. In 2020, He graduated with a Master’s degree studying under Alan Rafferty. Kim began his cello studies at the age of five under tutelage of Samuel Woodward, a former student of the late Pablo Casals. Kim continued to advance his studies under Dr. Alexander Russakovsky of University of Southern Mississippi. During this transition,

Kim’s musical and technical ability exceptionally grew and decided to pursue music as a career. At the age of thirteen, Kim was able to perform as a soloist with the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra performing the finale of Haydn’s C Major concerto. Shortly after, he had his first professional solo debut with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performing the last movement of Elgar’s Cello Concerto. Kim was a prizewinner in several competitions including the Lois Pickard Competition, Birmingham Music Club Scholarship Competition and the Louisiana Philharmonic Concerto Competition. Recently, he placed second prize in the CCM Chamber Music Competition with his piano trio.

In 2018, Kim received his Bachelor’s degree as a full scholarship student at the University of Alabama under the tutelage of Carlton McCreery. During his undergraduate studies, Kim was given the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Alabama Symphony. In result of winning the University’s Concerto Competition in 2018, Kim performed Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with the Huxford Symphony under the baton of Dr. Blake Richardson. In his final year at University of Alabama, Kim won the section cello position with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. He has been a tenure member since 2019. Kim serves as a substitute cellist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, and Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Kim has attended prestigious music festivals such as Meadowmount School of Music, Green Mountain Music Festival, and Eastern Music Festival. He has received masterclasses from Yo-Yo Ma, Andres Diaz, Hans Jørgen Jensen, Stephen Geber, Mark Kosower, Melissa Kraut, and Sara Sant’Ambrogio. Kim performs on an 1844 Gaetano Guadagnini cello.

Lacee Link is an accomplished cellist with extensive experience in performance, teaching, and education. She recently completed her Master’s degree at Miami University, where she studied under Dr. Sarah Kim and served as a Graduate Assistant. Lacee is an active performer with the Cincinnati Community Orchestra, showcasing her talent and passion for music. Before Miami University, Lacee earned another Master’s degree from Boise State University, where she studied with Dr. Brian Hodges and was a member of the Graduate String Quartet. During her time at Boise State, she performed as a substitute cellist with the Boise Philharmonic, won first prize in the Concerto-Aria competition, and managed her own private studio. Lacee’s academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree from Kennesaw State University, where she studied under Charae Krueger. At Kennesaw State, she was a member of the John and Linda Cooke Scholarship Quartet and performed as a substitute cellist with the Georgia Symphony and LaGrange Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her performance career, Lacee is a dedicated cello instructor. She teaches at the Virginia Pearce Glick Music Academy in Oxford, West Chester Academy, City Strings in Cincinnati, and offers private lessons at Princeton Middle School. She is also a faculty member at the Oxford Summer Music Institute, where she coaches chamber music and teaches private lessons. Lacee has enriched her skills through masterclasses with esteemed cellists such as Zuill Bailey, Dr. Melissa Kraut, Myron Lutzke, Daniel Laufer, and Greg Sauer. She has also received chamber music instruction from the Vega String Quartet, Dali Quartet, and the Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet. Her commitment to excellence is further demonstrated by her participation in summer music institutes such as Brevard Music Center, Green Mountain Chamber Festival, and the Ascent Dual Program, where she received merit-based and full-ride scholarships. With a blend of teaching, performance, and academic achievements, Lacee Link continues to inspire and contribute to the world of music.