Meet the 2023 LEAD Cooperative Alumni!
ARTS ADMINISTRATION
Hello, my name is Mona Wu and I’m a pianist from the southeast part of China. After my completion of a Bachelor of Music degree of Virginia Commonwealth University, I’m currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at Michigan State University. During my undergraduate years, I grew a deep interest in arts administration. As I am so passionate about music and the arts, I firmly believe that a firm community is needed in order to support the arts and arts administration plays a significant role in it. I gained some experience in this field from some assistance work in music festivals previously and my current student position at the communications office in the college of music that I’m studying at. I’m so excited for the opportunity at Wintergreen this year to explore more of this world. I think the experience will not only prepare me more for arts administration, but will also help me to become a better musician and music educator.
American conductor Matthew Abernathy’s refined musicianship, impassioned performances, and collaborative leadership are establishing him as a young choral and orchestral conductor of note. He is currently the Artistic Director of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay - Principal Chorus of The Florida Orchestra and Visiting Director of Choral Studies at the University of Tampa. From 2016–2022, Abernathy was on staff at Minnesota Opera, most recently serving as Interim Chorus Director for the Opera’s professional chorus. In addition, he was Music Director of Project Opera (the company’s nationally acclaimed youth opera program) and Chorus Master for the Minnesota Opera Children’s Chorus. Prior engagements included several seasons as the Chorus Master for the Lakes Area Music Festival. Abernathy also regularly worked as an Assistant Conductor and Section Leader for Minnesota Chorale, assisting in preparing projects for Minnesota Orchestra, including their recording of Mahler Symphony No. 8 (BIS Records). Other notable conducting appearances include the Bach Society of Minnesota, Dakota Valley Symphony Chorus, Oratorio Society of Minnesota, Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, The Summer Singers, Opera MODO, Arbor Opera Theater, 113 Composer Collective, and the Norfolk Chamber Choir. He has collaborated with conductors including Michael Francis, Michael Christie, Christian Reif, Osmo Vänskä, Jonathan Brandani, Nicholas Kraemer, Kenneth Kiesler, Larry Rachleff, Kathy Saltzman Romey, and Christof Perick. His mentors include Kathy Saltzman Romey, Jerry Blackstone, Duain Wolfe, Matthew Mehaffey, Eugene Rogers, and Kenneth Kiesler. He holds degrees from SUNY Potsdam—Crane School of Music, the University of Michigan, and the University of Minnesota.
Brenna Wiinanen, flutist, is an active performer, teacher, researcher, and administrator whose experiences have led to numerous masterclasses, performances, and conferences around the world. Wiinanen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (Music Performance) from Coastal Carolina University, where she graduated as the Outstanding Senior in the Music Department, with Honors, and Summa Cum Laude. She also holds a Master in Music with a dual concentration in Musicology and Performance from the University of Kansas (KU). Her published thesis titled “The National Flute Association’s Twentieth Anniversary Anthology of American Flute Music and the Development of American Compositional Style in the Twentieth Century,” explores how the conception and formation process influenced the reception of The Anthology and its relevance today. Wiinanen is currently working towards a Doctorate in Music Performance with certificates in Arts Administration and College Teaching at Florida State University (FSU) while also serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the flute studio. Her current research aims to provide flutists with a contextual, historical, and theoretical guide to opera fantasies for flute. Wiinanen is flutist of the Fountain Five Wind Quinte and appears regularly with the Panama City Symphony Orchestra, FSU’s Symphony Orchestra and Wind Orchestra, and FSU’s Graduate Flute Ensemble. While at KU, she played with the Symphony Orchestra while also serving as its librarian. Wiinanen enjoys seeking new opportunities for development in performance, teaching, researching, and administration. Her primary teachers include Amy Hardison Tully, Daniel Velasco, and Karen Large.
Natalie Bui is a bassoonist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music at San Jose State University, where they studied under Dr. Yueh Chou. Natalie has performed with various orchestras in the area, along with the San Jose State University Wind Ensemble, where they played first bassoon in the consortium premiere of John Mackey’s clarinet concerto, “Divine Mischief.” They have also performed in the orchestra pit for SJSU’s production of Into the Woods in November 2022. Outside of performing, Natalie is a concert manager and a lead program editor for SJSU’s School of Music and Dance. They are also an administrative assistant for Silicon Valley Conservatory of Music in Sunnyvale, California. In their spare time, Natalie enjoys playing video games, cooking, and spending time with their friends.
I have been involved in music from a young age, starting violin at the age of 6. I have continued to involve myself in the classical sphere of music throughout my years and am interested in pursuing a career in arts administration in music! I just graduated with my B.A. in General Music and a B.S. in Pure Mathematics from Florida State University this Spring, and I am starting my Master's in Music Arts Administration at FSU in the fall. I am passionate about making music and bringing it to others and cannot wait to explore many areas of festival management and production at Wintergreen this summer!
My name is Jesse Roberts, and I’m a rising Junior at Virginia Commonwealth University! I’m currently pursuing a B.M in Vocal Performance. I’ve loved singing since I was a kid and I’ve been singing in school and community choirs starting in middle school. At VCU, I perform with VCU’s competitive Winterguard, “VCU Elysian.” I was also the costume assistant and stage manager for VCU Opera’s production of the Magic Flute. I love learning new skills relating to music and theater. I'm so happy to be given an opportunity with Wintergreen Music to be involved with music in ways I didn’t know was possible!
STRINGS
Rachel Tan is a violinist from Richmond, Virginia, and grew up as a member of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra. They are currently pursuing a B.M. in violin performance from James Madison University, studying under Wanchi Huang and Aiveen Gallagher. Rachel is involved with many ensembles at JMU, playing violin in the JMU Symphony Orchestra and the JMU Opera Orchestra under the direction of Foster Beyers, singing in the JMU choruses, and conducting and playing cello in the JMU Club Orchestra. In addition to their extensive orchestral experience, Rachel is drawn to the collaborative nature of chamber music. They played in their first quartet at VCU’s Youth Orchestra Program in 2018 and attended Wintergreen Summer Music Academy in 2019. Now, Rachel performs extensively with chamber groups from JMU, playing concerts and gigs throughout Virginia. Some of their favorite performances have included traveling to Winchester and Waynesboro with Monticello Strings, JMU’s faculty and student chamber ensemble; playing at the International Award USA meeting in Loudon County; and performing with guest artists from Australia in their program, Meeting Mozart. After graduation, Rachel looks forward to pursuing a Master’s degree in music therapy and continuing to perform with chamber ensembles.
Roselyn Hobbs is a violist, music educator, and fiber artist based in Boston. As a dedicated performer of contemporary music, her work focuses on bringing communities together to make music relevant to today’s world. Roselyn was the first violist to graduate from Boston Conservatory with a Master’s degree in contemporary music performance. While at the Boston Conservatory as a student of Lila Brown, she performed with contraBAND under the direction of Vimbayi Kaziboni and toured North America with Evan Ziporyn’s Black Star Project. Roselyn has performed as a guest with many Boston-based contemporary projects and ensembles, including Black Sheep Contemporary Ensemble, Semiosis Quartet, New Music Mosaic, and Ambient Orchestra. She regularly performs world premiers and commissions including solo and chamber works by John McDonald, Mara Gibson, Daniel J. Choi, and Kevin Madison. Roselyn has performed at New Music Gathering, the SEAMUS National Conference, and the International Viola Congress. She received her Bachelor of Music at the University of Tennessee under the tutelage of Hillary Herndon. As a fiber artist specializing in knotted laces, Roselyn is a skilled shuttle tatter and lace designer, centering her practice around designing geometric labyrinths and tessellations in lace. Most recently, her fiber work has been exhibited as part of Threaded: Contemporary Fiber in New England at Mosesian Center for the Arts. Roselyn is passionate about environmental conservation and serves on the board of Daraja Music Initiative, with whom she has spent her summers teaching music and conservation in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania since 2016.
Sanga Yoon is a South Korean cellist currently pursuing an artist diploma and Suzuki training program under Mihai Tetel and Blake Brasch at The Hartt School, where she also earned her bachelor's and master of music under Mihai Tetel and Terry King. She has studied and performed a wide range of music as a principal cellist of the Foot in the Door Contemporary Music Ensemble and the Hartt Orchestra under Glen Adsit and Edward Cumming, and she serves for Connecticut Valley Symphony Orchestra as a section cellist, Beth El Music & Arts, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, and Ars Philharmonic (South Korea) as a substitute section cellist. Recently, she worked with Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and Connecticut Lyric Opera under Adrian Sylveen as a substitute assistant principal cellist. Under the batons of Tiffany Lu, Neal Gittleman, and Will White, she performed several concerts as a principal cellist at Monteux School & Music Festival last summer, including Suppé’s Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna, conducted by Zach Banks, a music director at Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra. Sanga also has performed as a chamber member with Miller Anton, Katie Lansdale, Rita Porfiris, Melinda Daetsch, Steve Larson, Mihai Tetel, Robert Black, Christina Adams and Joshua Anderson from Four Corners Ensemble. She performed in concertos and sonatas masterclasses with David Finckel, Darrett Adkins, Micheal Reynold, Stephen Balderston, and Bjorn Randheim, and chamber masterclasses with Amos Yang, Attacca Quartet, Cuarteto Latinoamericano String Quartet, David Finckel, Handel and Haydn Society, Lions Gate Trio, Merz Trio, Trio Galan, and QuartetEs.
Jayla Mitchell currently studies Cello Performance at the University of Montana under Dr. Adam Collins. She is the principal cellist of the University of Montana (UM) Symphony Orchestra and a cellist in the Missoula Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed in the orchestra pits of Matilda, She Loves Me, and Sound of Music, and as a section cellist with the Great Falls Symphony and Butte Symphony. Jayla is passionate about working with composers with unique arrangements and has premiered numerous works for small ensembles at UM. Recent world premieres include the pieces 4AM by JT Vineyard and Westeferia by Emily Fink. She is an enthusiastic teacher and has a private studio of nine young cellists in Missoula. In addition to teaching private lessons, Jayla is an assistant teacher of Cello Mafia, a class of young cellists learning both pop and classical tunes. Jayla is also an active executive board member of UM’s American String Teacher Association—the only collegiate chapter in Montana. Jayla also enjoys success as a soloist and in solo competitions. She has been named a finalist in the university-wide Concerto-Aria Competition, the Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras competition, and performed as a soloist on Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major with the Great Falls Symphony. In addition to her training at the University of Montana, Jayla has taken lessons from Elizabeth Quinby and Thaddeus Suits from her hometown, Great Falls, MT. She has also received private instruction from Benjamin Karp at the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute.
Kellan Mozzone is a cellist, pianist, and flutist from the Philadelphia area. Although her greatest passion is the cello, she loves to teach and perform on piano and flute as well. She is currently pursuing her B.M. in Cello Performance from Liberty University with minors in Piano and Flute Performance. She is highly involved in the ensembles at Liberty, including the Symphony Orchestra, Flute Ensemble, Marching Band, and numerous string chamber ensembles. Additionally, Kellan plays with the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra and the Danville Symphony Orchestra in central Virginia where she currently lives. She performs at weddings and churches in the Lynchburg area, accompanies students at Liberty, and teaches private lessons. Kellan is very excited to return to Wintergreen for her second summer in the instrumental program!
Hello everyone! My name is Alexio Ciorra and I am a double bassist. I am a current student at Penn State University studying double bass performance under Dr. Patricia Weitzel. I was raised in Oakmont, Pennsylvania and this will be my 9th year playing bass. Throughout high school, I participated in many different ensembles, along with Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) and National Association for Music Education (NAfME) festivals. Through these fesJvals, I was able to advance all the way to the All-National level and those experiences reinforced my desire to pursue a career in music. In addition to my love for classical music, I greatly enjoy listening to and playing many different genres consisting of R&B/Soul, Pop, Funk, Rock, Folk, and Jazz. Outside of music, I often find myself going on hikes, fishing, skiing, ice skaJng, and playing various sports with friends. I am very excited and grateful to participate in the LEAD Cooperative this summer at Wintergreen. See you on the mountain soon!
WINDS
Larissa Hsu is a college freshman pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance. At the University of Maryland, College Park, Hsu studies under Dr. Sarah Frisof, Amal Gochenour, and Leah Arsenault Barrick. Her previous teacher was Elizabeth Shuhan, a visiting lecturer of flute at Cornell University. Hsu has played principal flute in ensembles such as the NAfME All-National Symphony Orchestra, the NY All-State Symphony Orchestra, the Interlochen World Youth Wind Symphony, and the Cayuga Chamber Youth Orchestra (CCOYO). Currently, Hsu is rotating principal of the UMD Wind Ensemble, continuing her journey as a young professional musician.
Whitney Roberts currently studies at Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee where she studies clarinet with the world renowned Mariam Adam. Previous principal teachers include Dr. Todd Waldecker, Bixby Kennedy, Dr. Benjamin Sorrell, Kristen Sheridan, and Dr. David Shae. In addition to her performance studies, Whitney is a Music Education major and German Studies minor at Vanderbilt University. In addition to the Wintergreen LEAD Cooperative, Whitney is attending the Zodiac Music Academy & Festival this summer, where she is studying with members of the internationally acclaimed Zodiac Trio. She has also attended the Rocky Ridge Music Center, where she has completed the two week college intensive and four week young artist seminar. Whitney has performed in various master class settings at the International Clarinet Association Festival and Blair School of Music where she has had the pleasure of working with Sauro Berti, Claire Chase, Flutronix, Dr. Cecilia Kang, Katherine Koehler, Sammy Lesnick, Jeremy Reynolds, and Shodekeh Talifero. Whitney also loves to combine her teaching skills with her performance background. She has built a private lesson studio within the Greater Nashville Metro community, and has had multiple students make District and All-State ensembles. Some of her students have gone on to continue studying music at the next level in a college environment. When Whitney is not performing or teaching private lessons, you can find her volunteering her time at the WO Smith Music School, serving as the president of Vanderbilt’s National Association for Music Education Collegiate Chapter, or assisting guests at Vanderbilt’s music library.
VOICE
Soprano Jie Lee was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and currently resides in Boston. She was a member of Psalms and Wisdom singers in Taiwan between 2017 and 2021, during which time she performed in the choir for many famous oratorios, such as Fauré’s Requiem and John Rutter’s Magnificat. She also sang as a soloist in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Mendelssohn’s Paulus, and Mark Hayes’ Gloria. During her pursuit of a bachelor's degree in Taiwan, Jie performed in many operas and scenes, including the roles of First Lady and Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Nella in Gianni Schicchi, and Yum-Yum in The Mikado. In the period of studying in New England Conservatory, she also performed in scenes, including Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites and Juliette in Romeo et Juliette. Jie has completed her BM degree at National Taiwan Normal University and is currently pursuing her MM degree at the New England Conservatory.
Soprano, Rebecca Rutkovsky, is a New York based singer hailed for her "attention grabbing voice" (Opera Wire). In the 2022/23 season, Rebecca will sing the title role in Princess Ida with the Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island. Rebecca recently worked with composer Steven Belfer and writer Stephen Michaelman to create the role of Sarah for the world premiere workshop of their new musical, Panama. Favorite roles include Alcina (Alcina), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice), First Lady (Die Zauberflöte), The Mother (Hansel and Gretel), Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro), Edith (Pirates of Penzance), Cinderella (Into the Woods) and Rosalia (West Side Story). In concert Rebecca has performed as the soprano soloist in a televised Schubert’s Mass in G Major with the St. Agnes Cathedral Singers. Rebecca has performed with Amadeus Opera, Bronx Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, The Allegro Singers, Brooklyn Telemann Chamber Society and Plaza Theatrical Productions. As a recitalist, she has performed various song, opera and operetta repertoire in concert with the Songe d’été en musique festival in Quebec, Canada, Opera Night Long Island, Oyster Bay Music Festival and Merkin Hall. A passionate teacher, Rebecca maintains an active voice studio on Long Island. Rebecca received her masters degree from Binghamton University and bachelors degree from American University. A passionate teacher, Rebecca maintains an active private voice studio on Long Island.
Olivia Ericsson, is a Swedish-American mezzo-soprano, from Brookline, Massachusetts. She is pursuing a Masters of Music degree at the University of Michigan and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University with a BM in vocal performance. She has been heard as Ruggiero in Alcina (Chicago Summer Opera), Dorabella in Così fan tutte (Lyric Opera Studio Weimar), Hansel in Hansel and Gretel (Comic Opera Guild & New York Lyric Opera), Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte (Berlin Opera Academy), Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro (Berlin Opera Academy), and the title role of the University of Michigan’s production of La Susanna. She has also been heard as the soprano soloist in the world premiere of Libby Larsen’s “The Fantom of the Fair” for soprano, baritone, and piano trio. She was a finalist in the 2023 Kentucky Bach Choir Audrey Rooney Vocal Competition and won first prize in the Great Composers Competition Series. She was the 2019 recipient of the Boston University Opera Departmental Award for outstanding musical achievement and was awarded the University of Michigan Merit Scholarship for musical talent and potential. In May 2023, Olivia looks forward to giving an Early Music recital at the Juilliard School in New York City, to be accompanied by organ. She will then join the Baroque Opera Workshop in Flushing, NY. In August 2023, Olivia will travel to Sweden to sing with Stockholms konstnärliga högskola and perform at the Royal Opera House.
COLLABORATIVE PIANO
Noted for her “dynamic and graceful” performances imbued with “virtuosity” and “truly lyrical expression,” American pianist Iris Cheng has given performances across the United States and Canada. An avid soloist and chamber musician, Iris is a founding member of the Cheng-MacLean Duo and has collaborated with a wide variety of outstanding instrumentalists and singers including violist Marina Thibeault, cellist Julie Trudeau, pianist Heidi Louise Williams, the Florida State University Singersm and the National Children’s Chorus. In 2022, the Cheng-MacLean Duo gave their New York debut in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall. Iris has worked with distinguished American composers including Shawn Okpebholo, James Primosch, Liliya Ugay, and Brian Raphael Nabors. Upcoming projects include a solo debut album to be released by Albany Records featuring contemporary piano works and recorded premieres by Eleanor Alberga, James Lee III, Brian Raphael Nabors, Shawn Okpebholo, and Hannah Kendall. Prizewinner of the International Young Artist Piano Competition, Iris completed her DM in Piano Performance and two MM degrees, in Piano Performance and in Piano Pedagogy-Performance, from the Florida State University. She completed her BM Piano Performance degree at Wheaton College, Illinois. Her piano mentors include Dr. Heidi Louise Williams, Dr. Daniel Paul Horn, Faye Bonner, Philip Chiu, and Chiharu Iinuma. An active pedagogue, Iris is artist-faculty for the Tutti Chamber Music Summer Festival Program, Associate Pianist for the National Children’s Chorus, and pianist for the American Youth Chorus, St. Albans School, and the National Cathedral School. She also maintains a private studio in Washington D.C.
Sasha Rasmussen is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, where she studies with Dror Biran. Before CCM, she completed a Master of Music and Performer’s Diploma in piano performance at Southern Methodist University, where she studied with Carol Leone. Sasha graduated with High Distinction from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Ann Schein and Enrico Elisi. Recent highlights include receiving SMU’s Harold Von Mickwitz Prize in Piano Award for contributions to chamber music and performing Messiaen’s Exotic Birds with the Meadows Wind Ensemble at SMU.
CONDUCTING
Leon Kobayashi is a conductor and violinist from Phoenix, AZ. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in violin and conducting from Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music in Nashville, TN, where he studies under Stephen Miahky for violin and Robin Fountain and Tucker Biddlecombe for conducting. He serves as the Music Director of the Vanderbilt Commodore Orchestra, the student-run non-music major orchestra at his university. He has received additional conducting guidance from Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alexander Mickelthwate, and Scott Seaton.
As a violinist, he has attended numerous international music festivals including Le Festival International du Domaine Forget, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and played in masterclasses for renowned artists, including Robert McDuffie, Peter Zazofsky, and Martin Chalifour. His previous violin teachers include Steven Moeckel and Hisami Iijima. He is currently a violin sub for the Nashville Symphony.
Nathan Howard is a multi-instrumentalist and conductor from Dallas, TX where he studies Orchestral Conducting and serves as the assistant conductor of the Meadows Symphony Orchestra at Southern Methodist University. Before SMU, he studied at Samford University and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he studied with Otis Murphy and recorded with the New Music Ensemble. As an ensemble leader, Nathan has served as Music Director for The Camp-of-the-Woods jazz band and conducted the Lviv NationalPhilharmonic, Samford University Orchestra, and the Meadows Symphony Orchestra. His conducting teachers include Michelle Merrill and Paul C. Phillips.
Jack Reynertson is a teacher, performer, and conductor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He Graduated from St. Olaf College in 2020 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education. Jack currently teaches the Repertory Orchestras at Edina High School and teaches middle school band, orchestra, and general music classes at Eagle Ridge Academy, while also serving as Concert Orchestra Conductor for the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies. He has studied conducting at the Pacific Northwest Conducting Institute, the Conductor’s Institute of South Carolina, and in masterclasses with the Denver Philharmonic and Boise Baroque Orchestras. Jack continues to perform as a percussionist with the Minnesota Symphonic Winds.
I am thrilled to join the Wintergreen Music family this year and have the opportunity to collaborate with the talented artists who make this community so special. I am originally from Colorado and have recently made Virginia my new home. I absolutely love being part of the East Coast, exploring this section of the country, and meeting new people. Music has always been an important priority in my life and since the age of 15, I knew I wanted to become a conductor. My career has afforded me exciting opportunities to conduct orchestras across the U.S. and also internationally in locations such as the U.K., the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria. I served as an assistant conductor for the Muncie Symphony Orchestra from 2016–2019 and was selected as a Conducting Fellow with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra during their 2015–2016 concert season. One of the influences in my upbringing and one of my special interests is business. I am a devoted advocate of entrepreneurial endeavors and in 2021 I founded my own business to support musicians throughout their career. I feel it is important for everyone in the performing arts to be innovative, sharing new ideas and creating more opportunities for future generations. Bringing audiences and communities into the fabric of the arts is essential to an enriching human experience and is the reason I am inspired to continue learning, improving, and serving through music.
COMPOSITION
Daniel Powers is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree in composition at the Hartt School. He started showing interest in composition in middle school which led to him deciding to take private lessons with Romeo Melloni during his Sophomore year of high school. At the Hartt School he has had many pieces performed by himself and friends and participated in different concert series and grants, most notably one with The Library of Congress. Another area of musical interest for him there is his studies with Scott Mendoker, his tuba professor. He also served as the President of the Tom Mulligan Chapter of the Hartt School Tuba Euphonium Consortium.
Peyton Dexter is an 18 year old American Composer and pianist currently residing in Hartford Connecticut. This fall he will begin studying composition with Mason Bates at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. While only having written a relatively small mass of juvenilia, he displays a somewhat diverse and unique palette across his multiple orchestral works, his chamber, solo piano, and jazz ensemble works, as well as his song cycle that was recorded in 2022. Currently Peyton studies privately with composer Daron Hagen.
Nalah Aiden Palmer is an African-American multi-genre composer and violinist. Currently attending Penn State University studying music composition with Dr. Baljinder Sekhon, Palmer composes primarily for musical theatre and strings. She graduated high school from Duke Ellington School of the Arts with an Arts Diploma in violin performance as well as acting as concertmaster and collaborating with the Kronos Quartet during her time there. Palmer has composed pieces for distinguished ensembles including SydeBoob Duet and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, the latter being performed live for the Prague Proms 2022 Music Festival. Her musical theatre experience includes composing for Broadway Records on multiple albums and she’s been an official partner with both Maestra and Muse since 2020 as well as having worked with New York Theatre Barn that same year. Her most recent project, Two Maiden Ladies (co-written by August Greenwood) is a staged production highlighting the true story of a same-sex marriage in the 1800s. Palmer hopes to write more music that creates space for representation in a white male-dominated field.
