Daphne Gerling enjoys an active career teaching, performing, and writing about the viola. From Amsterdam to Vietnam, and New Zealand to Costa Rica, Daphne’s travels have taken her to 38 universities around the United States, and to 16 countries overseas. She has been a summer fellow at Lincoln Center Education in New York, and performed on baroque viola with the Washington Bach Consort. Her dissertation, “Connecting Histories: Identity and Exoticism in the 1919 Viola Works of Ernest Bloch, Rebecca Clarke and Paul Hindemith (2007) led to her involvement in the 20/19 project.

Praised by the Strad for her “enterprising programming” her debut recording, “Encircling”, is released on the Acis label. It features lesser-known works by female composers active at the time of the 1919 Coolidge competition, and was presented as a featured recital at the International Viola Congresses in Thailand in 2023 and Brazil in 2024. Dr. Gerling studied viola, vocal performance, and historical musicology at Oberlin, CIM, and Rice.

She is deeply grateful to have been mentored by viola professors Jeffrey Irvine, Lynne Ramsey, Karen Ritscher, and James Dunham, and to have served as their graduate teaching assistant throughout her degrees. She undertook further studies with Heidi Castleman, Victoria Chiang, Joan DerHovsepian, Thomas Riebl, and Simon Rowland-Jones. She completed long-term Suzuki teacher training in Books 1-4 with Teri Einfeldt, and books 5-9 with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker, and loves working with pre-college students. Dr. Gerling’s students currently hold teaching and performing positions throughout the United States, Brazil, South Korea, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. She is Assistant Professor of Viola at the University of North Texas, and President-Elect of the American Viola Society.

She also serves on the boards of the International Viola Society, and the Brazilian Viola Society. Her website is www.daphnegerling.com

Celebrated by the Dallas Morning News as “clearly a pianist with considerable skill and force of personality,” Eduardo Rojas has graced the stage as a soloist with orchestras across both South and North America. His remarkable performances include collaborations with esteemed ensembles such as the Richmond Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, Bogotá Philharmonic, Bogotá Symphony, Philharmonic of Cali, Panama National Orchestra, Colombia Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Van Cliburn Foundation, Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving, Orpheus Chamber Singers, Great Lakes Symphony, American Wind Symphony, Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Chamber Symphony among other orchestras. He has also performed in various countries, including Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Panama, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Taiwan and under the baton of distinguished conductors such as Andrés Orozco, Paolo Bortolameolli, Zoe Zeniodi, and Rafael Payare.

In the summer of 2013, Rojas recorded a live DVD at the renowned New World Center in Miami Beach, Florida, featuring Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Subsequently, in 2015, he released two albums: “Eduardo Rojas Plays Beethoven
Vol. 1” and “Regenwald – Melodies from the Rainforest,” which showcase his distinctive arrangements of Latin American music. In 2016, he was invited to Taipei, Taiwan, to conduct master classes and serve as a judge for the Asian Pacific International Piano Competition.

Driven by a desire to combine his musical talents with a passion for teaching and entrepreneurship, Eduardo Rojas established the Rojas School of Music in 2014. This private institution aims to elevate the impact of artistic education in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, where he resides. Rojas is committed to making a positive difference in his community by nurturing young orchestras throughout the Metroplex. He is also recognized as an International Bösendorfer Artist and a Yamaha Artist.

Eduardo has served as a collaborative pianist and a coach for various organizations, including Fort Worth Opera, Southern Methodist University, and Dallas Chamber Symphony. He has collaborated with musicians such as Gary Levinson, Simon Gollo, Santiago Canon, and Allan Steele, among many others. Currently, he holds the position of Artistic Director at the International Music Festival in Popayan, Colombia.

Blayne Salerni studied Trumpet Performance at the University of Delaware. There, he studied with NFL Films trumpet player Rob Skoniczin. He also received a Jazz Studies minor where he studied with Broadway Saxophone great Todd Groves, and local jazz artist Tom Palmer.  

Kaitlyn O'Leary (she/her) is a New York based actor, singer, dancer and choreographer. She began her performance training at the age of five, and attended Orange County School of the Arts. She went on to graduate in 2023 with Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Texas State University, under the direction of Kaitlin Hopkins. Her credits include Pippin (Assistant Director), Spring Awakening (Assistant Choreographer) and Into the Woods (Baker's Wife) at Texas State University, and regionally in Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl) and Cinderella (Swing).

Dr. Jeffrey Barudin is a dynamic and innovative percussion performer and pedagogue currently based in Philadelphia, PA. He has performed as a soloist and ensemble member around the world, including several performances at PASICs and PAS Days of Percussion. He has also participated in numerous world premiere performances and recordings. His playing has been praised as having "...the naturalness of conversation" with "joy that cascades from every note."

Ana María Quintero was born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1993 and began her studies at the age of six with her mother, Clara Muñoz. Ms. Quintero graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music degree from Fundación Universitaria Juan N. Corpas School of Music, where she studied Violin Performance and Chamber Music under the tutelage of Maestro Fabio Santana. She holds a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from New Mexico State University, where she studied with Professor Simón Gollo.

Freddy is a Venezuelan-born musician who enjoys a versatile career as a chamber player, pedagogue and organizational leader. Currently based in Philadelphia, Freddy serves as Associate Artistic Director of Trenton Music Makers –A creative youth development organization focusing on empowering its students through high-quality music education.

2024 NEMC Summer Concert Schedule

Free Weekly Concerts - Bowl in the Pines

July 5, 6, 19, 20, 26, 27, August 11* - 3:00pm

*Intensive & Prelude Showcase Concert

44th Annual NEMC POPS Concerts - Bowl in the Pines

July 13 - 7:30pm - TICKETED EVENT*

*This event will showcase Pianist Jeffrey Biegel, soloing with the NEMC Symphony Orchestra in the Maine Premier of “Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue.”

Free Weekly Recitals - Alumni Hall

Snow Pond Chamber Players Welcome Recital

June 30 - 5:00pm

Faculty Recitals 

July 4, 11, 16 & August 7 - 7:30pm

Student Recitals 

Counselor Recital 

July 2 - 7:30pm

Musical Theater Showcase (Core Camp) - Alumni Hall

July 27 - 1:00pm

Prelude Recital - Bowl in the Pines

August 9 - 2:00pm 

Chamber Music Recitals - Alumni Hall

August 9 & 10 - 4:00pm

Jazz Concert - Bowl in the Pines

August 9 - 8:00pm

Musical Theater Intensive Showcase - Alumni Hall

August 10 - 8:00pm

NEMC JAZZ INTENSIVE DAILY SCHEDULE SAMPLE 2024

8am Breakfast

8:15-8:30am Warm up

8:45-10:15am Small Group Rehearsals

10:30-11:15 Masterclass

11:20 - 12pmChart Reading

12-1pm Lunch

1pm-1:45p Rest Hour

1:45p-2.:30p Theory/Improvisation

2:30-4pm Rec Time

3-4p Private Lessons/Individual Practice

4-6p Big Band Rehearsal

6-6:45p Dinner

7-7:50p Jam Sessions/Free Time

8p Campus Activities

Aaron Henry is a saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer, specializing in modern and contemporary improvisation. He has performed at venues including Lincoln Center, The North Sea Jazz Festival, and the Istanbul Jazz Festival, and recorded with artists including Dave Liebman, Miguel Zanon, Anat Cohen, Antonio Sanchez, Matthew Stevens, Esperanza Spalding, and Tiger Okoshi. As a composer he has written and produced music for Fox International, National Geographic, and Elias Music, and has placed tracks in international catalogs, libraries, and commercial streaming markets. Selected recording and production credits include Grammy-nominated NEC faculty member Mehmet Ali Sanlikol’s large ensemble What’sNext?, Louis Cato (Jon Batiste and Stay Human of The Tonight Show) and guitarist Matt Stevens, and Maine-grown artists Adam Agati (Corey Henry, Marcus Miller), Lyle Divinsky (The Motet, Model Airplane), Nick Falk (Hiss Golden Messenger), and Anna Lombard.

Jackson Perrin is a performer, singer-songwriter, and vocal coach on faculty for Texas State University’s Musical Theater program. He currently teaches private sessions for Sophomores through Seniors as well as a Pop Rock Repertoire building class. Since attending Texas State for Musical Theater Jackson received his certification and master certification in One Voice and has taught privately for nine years. He’s helped hundreds of singers from various training backgrounds and genres achieve their vocal goals while passionately focused on applying technical theories and into practical use on the field.

Jackson has also co-founded Presence a Brooklyn-based musician collective, they provide a weekly improvised live-music session for emerging artists throughout Brooklyn with a focus on inclusivity and intentional creativity.

Aimee Radics (she/her) is a music director, conductor, pianist and educator currently serving as Head of Music Direction for the BFA Musical Theatre Program at Texas State University. She teaches Singing for the Actor, a musical theatre performance course, and teaches collaboratively as in-class music director for Pop Rock Repertoire Building, Musical Theatre Through Musicianship, and a variety of core BFA classes in the Musical Theatre Program. Aimee is also a Certified One Voice Coach.

Prior to joining the faculty at Texas State, Aimee held a faculty position at East Carolina University as a teaching instructor, music director and vocal coach. As a professional music director and conductor, she has worked extensively in regional, cruise ship and educational theatre across the country. Professional highlights include Red Mountain Theatre Company, Cortland Repertory Theatre, Post Playhouse, Florida Studio Theatre, and Norwegian Cruise Line, with favorite music directing and conducting credits including Next to Normal, 9 to 5, A Chorus Line, A New Brain, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George.  

Aimee holds a bachelor’s degree in music and theatre as well as a Master of Music in Musical Theatre and Opera Conducting from Ithaca College, has studied with Sheri Sanders in the Rock the Audition Training Program, attended the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University, and is a member of Maestra and Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance.

Andrew David Sotomayor is an award-winning musician based in NYC. Music directing credits include Tootsie and Escape to Margaritaville (First National Tours), and Curvy Widow (Off-Broadway Premiere). As a composer, he has provided music and lyrics for the original musicals 50 Shades of F***d Up, Committed, Sarah Crewe, The Circus Animals, Guardians, and Third Party Ruling, as well as scores for the audiobook The Influential Voice, the short film Cuba 1961: A Love Story, and the independent feature film, BX3M.

A passionate educator, he has enjoyed several years on the teaching faculty at Paper Mill Playhouse - teaching at both their July Conservatory and August Intensive. He is a proud graduate of Stetson University, Florida.

Keaton Garrett is a collaborative composer and saxophonist based in Michigan. His work is informed by his experiences performing in chamber ensembles as a classical saxophonist, while also being influenced by whatever he is listening to at the moment. His musical grammar is dynamic from work to work but at its core synthesizes concepts of collaboration, timbre, texture, line, and audible/tangible processes.

Keaton completed graduate studies in composition and saxophone performance at Michigan State University with Dr. David Biedenbender, Dr. Alexis Bacon, Dr. Lyn Goeringer, and Professor Joseph Lulloff. Keaton also completed a music education degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, studying composition and saxophone under Dr. Stephen Lias and Dr. Nathan Nabb. Keaton is currently the saxophonist for the Zenith Reed Quintet and Cadre Trio. His saxophone and wind ensemble music is published by MurphyMusicPress.

Bassoonist and educator Ryan D. Romine serves as Associate Professor of Bassoon and Music Theory at Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, VA, USA). An in-demand orchestral bassoonist, he regularly performs with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Opera Roanoke, and the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. As a solo performer and avid researcher, he has dedicated himself to a career of presenting rediscovered works to audiences worldwide. His debut solo album of French contest pieces, Première, was hailed as “an absolutely brilliant CD…bringing back from oblivion some truly beautiful music, played with precision and lyricism…” and his rediscovery of Jacques Ibert’s Morceau de lecture for bassoon and piano in 2018 made international news.

An active supporter of contemporary composers, Ryan has premiered numerous works—including his own—for audiences worldwide. Stemming from these interests, in 2019 he published Bassoon Reimagined, a comprehensive bassoon extended technique resource designed for both performers and composers. Ryan contributes to the academic side of his profession as only the third bassoon editor in the history of the International Double Reed Society (IDRS).

Originally from Newark, OH, Ryan holds his undergraduate degree in music education from The Ohio State University and his MM and DMA in bassoon performance from Michigan State University. His primary teachers include Christopher Weait and Michael Kroth. For more info about Ryan and his musical endeavors, visit www.ryanromine.net.

Dr. Rachel Hockenberry is the Assistant Professor of Horn at Illinois State University, where she teaches horn lessons, horn pedagogy, warmup class, and studio class, conducts the ISU horn choir, and performs regularly with the ISU Faculty Brass Quintet. An active freelance musician, Rachel has performed with the Cincinnati, Columbus, Santa Barbara, Illinois, Quad Cities, Peoria, and Dubuque Symphonies, Orchestra Kentucky, and many others. She has also performed with artists such as Billy Idol, Pete Townshend, and Jon Batiste, and has recorded for television series. She is principal horn of the Queen City Opera, where in October of 2015 she performed the “Long Call” from Act II of Richard Wagner’s Siegfried. She is a hornist with the Maryland Chamber Winds and can be heard on both of the group’s albums. She has toured with the Stiletto Brass Quintet and is the hornist on their album, Scarpe!

Before Illinois State, Rachel was the horn professor at Pasadena City College and Los Angeles City College, and kept a large private studio of young hornists throughout Los Angeles County who successfully auditioned into the California All State and All Southern Bands and the Colburn Youth Orchestra. She incorporates elements of El Sistema - a music education philosophy based on the belief that music is a transformative and fundamental human right for all people - into every aspect of her teaching career. Rachel is a graduate of the Sistema Fellows Program at the New England Conservatory of Music, and has completed residencies with El Sistema programs in Venezuela and across the United States. Upon graduation from the Sistema Fellowship, she became the founding director of Kentucky’s first El Sistema inspired program, North Limestone MusicWorks.

A Virginia native, Rachel received her bachelor's degree in horn performance from James Madison University. She earned her masters and doctoral degrees in horn performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, with cognate studies in arts administration. Primary teachers include Randy Gardner, Tom Sherwood, Liz Freimuth, Duane Dugger and Abigail Pack, with additional instruction from David Ohanian and Roger Kaza.

In her free time, Rachel enjoys teaching yoga classes, doing gymnastics, eating vegan food, and hanging out with her dogs and cats.

Dr. Charles Huang has concertized throughout North and South America, Brazil, Germany, and Asia. He has performed with the Miami String Quartet, the Annapolis Chamber Music Festival, the Hartford and New Haven Symphonies, and with soloists Humbert Lucarelli, Henrique Pinto, Angel Romero and others. A founding member of Oboe Duo Agosto, he is active in commissioning diverse new repertoire. Their project, Daughter of the Sea, composed by Andrea Clearfield and choreographed by Katie Stevinson-Nollet, features music, movement, and poetry, all performed by the duo. 

Dr. Huang has been a Fulbright Scholar in Stuttgart, Germany, semi-finalist in the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, scholarship recipient to the Music Academy of the West and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and a winner of the Miami String Quartet Competition. He has recorded music by Phil Salathé, released by PARMA records, and Keith Kramer, on Navona Records and released by the Society of Composer’s Inc. He currently teaches at the Hartt School Community Division and at Smith, Mount Holyoke and Williams Colleges. As a clinician and performer, he has given masterclasses at the University of Michigan, Alabama, SUNY Purchase and Chiayi University in Taiwan. Dr. Huang has also been on the faculty of the Lucarelli Oboe Masterclass, and at Festival Eleazar de Carvalho in Fortaleza, Brazil. His teachers include Nancy Ambrose King, Humbert Lucarelli, Ray Still and Ingo Goritzki.