As a native of Iowa, Joel Peterson grew up as an active member of the Eastern Iowa musical community. Starting violin lessons at age six, Joel was Suzuki trained and attended several years of Suzuki music camps in his formative years. Joel attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute, Ottawa Suzuki Institute, American Suzuki Institute, Credo Music Festival, and the Eastern Music Festival. As an accomplished violinist, Joel was the winner of the Muscatine Concerto Competition with his performance of Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 2. Joel received his Bachelor’s of Music in Violin Performance and Music Education from the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music where he studied with Dr. Samantha George. His private instructors also include John Schultz, and his mother, Kris Peterson. Joel is currently studying to receive his Master’s Degree at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Timothy Lees and Stefani Matsuo.
Described as a violinist whose playing is “emotional and virtuosic” by Stadt Sulzbach-Rosenberg und Umland Newspaper, Jingting Liu has performed at venues such as Weil Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, Zhongshan Concert Hall in Beijing, Steinway Music Hall in Shenzhen, China, etc.
As an experienced teacher, Jingting has taught in University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as a Graduate Teaching Assistant of Violin. She also served as a violin teacher in Ichi San Academy, Montessori Academy, American String Teachers Association (ASU 360 Project), String Project in Arizona State University, and Joy Music Company in Arizona.
Jingting Liu won the First Prize in Hong Kong International String Competition, and she was also the first place in Vivaldi Concerto Competition in Arizona. It leads to a performance of Vivaldi’s “Spring” Concerto with the Four Seasons Orchestra, which was broadcast by AZ-KBAQ radio station.
Jingting is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in UC-CCM under the tutelage of Prof. Won-Bin Yim, with full scholarship and served as his graduate assistant. She completed her bachelor and master degrees in Arizona State University where she was a student of Prof. Danwen Jiang.
Anja Ormiston is a violinist and violist based in Cincinnati. Originally from Scotland, she holds a Bachelor of Music (honours) in violin performance and a Master of Music in viola performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Anja has a wealth of teaching experience within non-profit projects, schools of all levels, and private studio tuition. Additionally, she enjoys a wide-ranging career collaborating with ensembles, orchestras, string trios/quartets and award-winning popular artists.
Amelia Korbitz is an American violinist with a passion for new music and collaboration through chamber music. She frequently performs works by living composers and is a co-founder of the Antigone Music Collective, a nonprofit organization with the mission of bringing new music by dedicated specialists to a broad audience. Amelia is committed to performing the music of underrepresented composers and advancing the role of women in classical music. She has won the UC College-Conservatory of Music Concerto Competition, took top honors at the New Philharmonic Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition, and is a grant recipient of the Matinée Musicale Scholarship Fund as well as the 3Arts Foundation.
Amelia is a founder of Antigone Quartet, the core performing ensemble of the Antigone Music Collective. They perform regularly throughout the Midwest and have been invited to perform at the Southern Illinois Music Festival, Musica Le Mans, and the Musica Malicorne Festival in France. They have also been artists in residence at the Ascent International Music Festival. The Antigone Quartet was a finalist ensemble in the Glass City Chamber Competition as well as prizewinners in the UC College-Conservatory of Music Chamber Music Competition in 2022 and 2023. They have been featured on WGUC 90.9, performing the winning work of the inaugural Antigone Music Collective call for scores.
Solo performance highlights include Vivalid’s le Quattro Stagioni: Primavera with the West Suburban Symphony, L’Inverno with the Southern Illinois Music Festival Orchestra, Piazzolla’s Los Cuatros Estaciones Porteñas with the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra. She has spent five consecutive summers at the Southern Illinois Music Festival and as an associate concertmaster in 2022 and 2023. She is a violinist in the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and has also performed with the Queen City Opera, Green Lake Festival Orchestra, the Immaculata Chamber Music Series, and Solaris Chamber Music Series.
Amelia is a student of Dr. Won-Bin Yim and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory where she was a member of the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra and the contemporary music ensemble Musica Nova. Amelia has been a scholarship student at the Ascent International Chamber Music Festival, ENCORE String Quartet Intensive, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, and the Green Lake Chamber Music Festival.
Julia Poetain began her studies on the violin at age 4 with Jason Posnock of the Asheville Symphony. Her other teachers include Charles and Rachel Stegeman, the late Richard DiAdamo, Fred Lifsitz, and the late Hong Guang Jia. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance in 2018 and her master’s degree in May 2023, both from Duquesne University. Julia performs regularly with the West Virginia Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, Butler Symphony, Wheeling Symphony, Youngstown Symphony, Westmoreland Symphony, and the Johnstown Symphony orchestras. Julia has appeared with artists such as Michael Bublé, Andrea Bocelli, and Il Volo. Julia is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and currently lives in Cincinnati, OH.
A passionate and inspiring performer, Ava Shedd has developed into an accomplished violinist and musician who loves engaging with audiences and educating the next generation of young musicians. She has had years of orchestral, chamber and solo experiences which have shaped her into a well-rounded individual based in the world of classical music. Hailing from Virginia Beach VA, Ava has blossomed into the violinist she is today because of ensembles such as the Bayyouth Orchestras of Virginia, Hampton Roads Chamber Players and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra where she is currently a substitute section violin. Ava is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory. While her primary focus lies in the study of the violin, she also has years of experience in teaching and playing the piano. In her free time she enjoys listening to as much music as she can, visiting local coffee shops, thrifting, reading, and going on long walks.
Lila Reeser is a violist and composer from Parrish, Florida. She began playing at the age of 9 and continued throughout school, with involvement in multiple ensembles around the area.
She received her Bachelor’s of Music in Music Composition and Music Theory from Florida State University where she studied under dr. Pamela Ryan. During her time there, she was heavily involved in orchestra, multiple chamber groups, as well as being a founding member of Florida State University’s New Music Ensemble, Polymorphia. Lila is a strong proponent of new music and loves composing for viola.
Prior to starting her masters at the University of Cincinnati, she worked with the Sarasota Youth Orchestra. Here, she worked with children and enjoyed watching the progress they made every rehearsal and being able to support them in their growth as young musicians.
Lila is currently studying with Dr. Catherine Lees at CCM while she finishes her Master’s Degree in viola performance. She has experience teaching both private lessons and group sectionals. She is looking forward to expanding her studio of violinists, violists, and early composers and to creating a safe environment that inspires students to have fun while learning new skills. In addition to music, Lila enjoys exploring Cincinnati and petting any dogs she can.
Violinist Jade McClellan is an Atlanta native who began playing the violin after her mom asked if she would be interested in learning the instrument. At the time, she didn't even know what a violin was! That simple yes set her on an exciting musical path on which she has performed in the United States and Japan, and the Czech Republic. She has organized musical events and fundraisers to use music as a tool for good. Her favorite venues to perform are at churches and in nursing homes to share healing and love through music. An engaging soloist and chamber musician, she is currently studying with Kurt Sassmannshaus at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She previously studied under Carla Trynchuk at Andrews University. She is also a passionate and creative teacher and sharing the joy of music with children is one of her greatest joys. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature with her dog.
Born in Beijing, China, Muning Wang is currently pursuing her Doctoral Degree in Viola Performance at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music (UC/CCM) with conducting as her cognate, where she studies with Catharine Lees and Aik Khai Pung. She also received her Masters Degree in Viola Performance from UC-CCM with Graduate Incentive Award, and Bachelors Degree in Viola Performance from Renmin University of China (RUC), where she studied with Yue Qi.
Muning is a passionate musician, she has been performing as an orchestral violist/violinist in CCM Philharmonia Orchestra, CCM Concert Orchestra, CCM Chamber Orchestra. She was Principal Violist of RUC Youth Philharmonia Orchestra and RUC Youth Chamber Orchestra. She has also performed in Australia, Vienna, Ireland, United States and China with Beijing 101 Middle School Philharmonia Orchestra, RUC Youth Philharmonia Orchestra, CCM Philharmonia and Concert orchestra and Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra.
Muning has attended music festivals such as National Orchestral Institute, Rencontres Musicales Internationales Des Graves, and the Beijing International Music Festival & Academy. She has played in masterclasses for Susan Dubois, Keju Wang. Muning also have teaching experiences for over 5 years of violin and viola, and piano.
American born, British-Israeli violist Maya Fields is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music as a two-time recipient of the Graduate Incentive Award, a full tuition scholarship, where she studies with Catharine Lees and Denisse Rodriguez-Rivera. Her prior education includes studies at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music as well as the Eastman School of Music, where she holds Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Viola Performance. Additionally, Ms. Fields earned a minor in Russian language from the University of Rochester.
Born in 1997 into a family of musicians, Maya Fields began her musical studies at the age of four, originally studying violin with Callista Koh at the Cleveland Music School Settlement, before entering the Cleveland Institute of Music's Preparatory Division at the age of eleven, where she switched to the viola and began studying under the tutelage of Cleveland Orchestra violist, Lisa Boyko.
As an orchestral violist, she has held principal viola positions in several orchestras - the Cleveland Institute of Music's Preparatory String Orchestra, Cleveland Heights High School's Symphony Orchestra, Interlochen Arts Camp's Intermediate and World Youth Symphony Orchestras, the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, where she was a recipient of the Mark Jackobs endowed chair award, the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Eastman School of Music's Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras, the Chautauqua Music School Festival Orchestra, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory's Philharmonia Orchestra, and the National Orchestral Institute. She has had the honor of working with renowned conductors such as Marin Alsop, JoAnn Falletta, James Feddeck, Andrew Grams, Giancarlo Guerrero, Louis Langree, Jahja Ling, Brett Mitchell, Ruth Reinhardt, Osmo Vanska, Franz Welser-Most, and David Zinman.
Ms. Fields also holds a number of honors and awards. She is the first prize recipient of the 2011 state of Ohio's Viola Society Competition, a winner of Cleveland Heights High School's 2014 Concerto Competition, and has appeared as a guest artist on Interlochen's Public Radio as well as Cleveland Ohio's WCLV Ideastream. In June, 2019, on behalf of the Cleveland Orchestra, she had the honor of accepting an invitation to perform as a featured guest artist as part of the Cleveland Orchestra's Gourmet Matinee Series at the Blossom Music Center.
She has attended the Interlochen Arts Camp, where she was a recipient of the Emerson Scholarship, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, the AIMS Festival, where she was an orchestral fellowship recipient, and the Chautauqua Festival, where she was a two time orchestral fellow.
Maya Fields is a founder of Project Build - Peer Masterclass Series, an online organization founded during the COVID-19 global pandemic, focused on creating, building, and strengthening musicianship through globally interconnected friendships.
Dominic Mileti has played viola for the past 16 years, and violin for 6 years. Knowing from a young age his love for music, Dominic attended Interlochen Arts Academy high school where he studied with David Holland and Renee Skerik. After graduating, he pursued his music education at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music studying with Dr. Catherine Lees. During his undergraduate, Dominic was principal and co-principal of the conservatories Philharmonia Orchestra. Dominic attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute in 2016, receiving teacher training with Kathleen Spring. After which, he started his adult teaching career working with multiple studios through the tristate area. Currently, Dominic is finishing his master degree in viola performance from CCM, where he performs on a monthly basis with the Philharmonia, as well as chamber groups in the Cincinnati area and at school. He is currently studying under Denisse Rodriguez from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and has a studio of violin and viola students ranging from six years old to adults in Batesville Indiana that he has been cultivating for the past three years.
Hannah MacNeal began her musical studies at the age of 11 in her hometown, Louisville, Kentucky with Stacey Yates. In 2012, she began attending the Youth Performing Arts Program at DuPont Manual High School for Viola Performance, where she studied with Jason Seber, Daniel Whisler, and Jonathan Mueller, a member of the Louisville Orchestra. During the four years spent there, she performed in the American String Teacher’s Association (ASTA) conference, the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) conference, and the Indianapolis Music For All Festival. She was also a part of the Louisville Youth Orchestra from 2011 until 2016 and had many regional performance opportunities alongside the Louisville Orchestra. In 2015, she was the only violist in Kentucky selected to be a part of the Kentucky Center’s Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA). These opportunities inspired her to continue her viola performance studies at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) with Dr. Catharine Lees. Throughout her time spent at CCM, she has been a part of countless solo, chamber, and orchestral performances. Hannah has recently performed with the Kentuckiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lima Symphony. Not only has she continued her passion for performance, but she has also fallen in love with teaching. She has several years of teaching experience with a variety of ages and skill level. She loves to share her experiences and hopes to spark the light of music in those around her. She is currently finishing her degree at CCM, teaching private viola and violin lessons, and a part of a touring band, Acarya, where she plays a five- stringed electric viola. They have just released their first album, “The Way Home,” which was produced by Turtle and the Stone Productions. Hannah plans on pursuing a career in violin and viola performance and teaching based on experience, adaptability, and passion for music.
Sarah Thomas received her Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, in violin performance from the University of Tulsa and her Master of Music in violin performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, she began her violin studies at the age of three and a half. Despite falling asleep in lessons during the "Twinkle years," she has pursued her passion for music all of her life. Sarah is an alum of the IES Vienna Music Program, where she spent Fall 2015 studying music, performing, and attending concerts. She is also an alumna of the Bowdoin International Music Festival, the National Orchestral Institute, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Brevard Music Center. During her time at the University of Tulsa, Sarah was an active chamber musician and concertmaster of the TU Symphony. Most recently, Sarah was the principal 2nd violinist of CCM's top orchestra, Philharmonia. While at CCM, she participated in the string quartet program coached by the Ariel String Quartet and also performed in numerous student recitals and collaborations. From 2016-2017 she taught elementary school orchestra in Tulsa Public Schools and was the Beginner Strings Teacher at Sistema Tulsa. Sarah teaches private students in the Greater Cincinnati area and is a faculty member of Cincinnati Strings and the Immanuel School of Music in Lakeside Park, KY. Sarah has performed with the Signature Symphony and String Quartet and the Tulsa, Richmond, and Kentucky Symphonies. When not playing violin or teaching, Sarah enjoys gardening, cooking, hanging out with friends, and exploring all the fun things to do in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.