String, Harp & Guitar Department

Flint School of Performing Arts

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Alesia Byrd, Chair

(ext. 128), Violin, Viola, FSPA String, Harp and Guitar Department Chair, Music on the Move Coordinator, Flint Youth Philharmonia Conductor, Troubadours Violist: B.M. (string education specialist), Michigan State University. Studied with C. Tait, W. Vehrder, Mark O'Connor and Juilliard String Quartet. Member of the American String Teachers Association. Principal second violin, Flint Symphony Orchestra and Saginaw Symphony. Violist, Classic Impressions String Quartet.

Francesco Cavallini

(ext. 216), Guitar: M.M. (classical guitar performance), Eastern Michigan University. Winner of the 1994-95 Graduate Music Competition at EMU. Attended American Mandolin and Guitar Summer School as a recipient of the Hibbard A. Perry scholarship. Completed third term as instructor of Italian for Ann Arbor Community Education.

Isoa Chapman

(ext. 208), Violin; B.M., University of Canterbury, New Zealand; M.M., University of Limerick, Ireland; doctoral candidate, Michigan State University. Private teacher in U.S. and New Zealand. He has performed with New Zealand Symphony, Auchland Philharmonia and is a current member of the Flint and Lansing Symphony Orchestras.

Joseph Deller

(ext. 229), Violin and Viola: graduate of Hope College with a BA in Violin Performance. He is the Assistant Conductor and Chamber and Sectional Coach for the Dearborn Youth Orchestra. He performs with the FIM’s Troubadours and is a member of the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Canton.

Brittany DeYoung

(ext. 213), Harp. Began studying the harp at age 8 with Julie Keyes. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Michigan in 2009 and the University of Arizona in 2007 where she received full tuition scholarships and studied with Professors Joan Holland, Lynne Aspnes and Dr. Carrol McLaughlin. While at the University of Arizona she toured with the university harp ensemble, HarpFusion, to China, Korea, and Spain where she was selected to compete in the Maria Rosa Calvo-Manzano Spanish International Harp Competition. She has competed in and won several competitions including the University of Arizona Concerto Competition, Southern Arizona Symphony Concerto Competition, and the ASTA String Competition. She also performs regularly with the Lansing Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, the Flint Symphony Orchestra, and was selected to perform with the Olympic International Orchestra for the 2002 Winter Games.

R.J. Harmon

(ext. 222), Guitar: B.A. (language arts), University of Michigan-Flint with credits in guitar performance, music history, music education and choir. Independent study of classical guitar, jazz guitar and music theory with John Hall at Oakland University. Taught at Orchard Lake School of Music in West Bloomfield and Clarkston Conservatory.

Julie Harris

(ext. 249), Cello; M.M., Michigan State University; B.M. (music education), University of Michigan-Flint; post-graduate work, Mary Grove College and University of Michigan. Member, Flint Symphony Orchestra, Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. Band and orchestra instructor, Flint Community Schools.

Karen Jenks

Karen Jenks, (ext. 230) Violin and Viola: MA of Music in Violin Performance, University of Michigan; BA in Urban Planning, Bryn Mawr. Section violin and Chair of Orchestra Committee for Flint Symphony Orchestra. Member of Saginaw Bay and Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestras and substitute for Lansing and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras. Member of chamber ensembles Kerrytown Trio and Weber/Jenks/Wu Trio . Coaches University of Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra.

Larry Newman

(ext. 244), Guitar: Studied with the Pittsburg Ballet Theater, School of American Ballet and Harkness School in New York. Taught guitar for 30 years. Performs in studio sessions, clubs, concerts and multi-media theater along East Coast and Bahamas. Transcribes, arranges and composes.

Terrence Newman

(ext. 236), Double Bass, Electric Bass: Former student, Juilliard School of Music. Experienced musician, professional engagements include concerts, clubs and festivals, including Detroit/Montreux, New York and Greenwich Village Jazz Festivals. Member, Shiawassee Chamber Orchestra. Musical production director.

Renaudo Robinson

(ext. 266) Violin and Viola; Pursuing BM in Violin Performance and BA in French and Francophone Studies, University of Michigan. Member of Dearborn and Plymouth Symphony Orchestras, and the University of Michigan Phiharmonia Orchestra. Taught violin for the Sphinx Organization

Tigran Shiganyan

(ext. 232), Violin: Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Awarded 3 prizes in the International Violin Competition in 1993 (Almaty, Kazakhstan). Soloist with Uzbekistan National Symphony, Tashkent Chamber Orchestra, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, and other ensembles. Graduated from Tashkent State Conservatoire with a Golden Diploma B.M. and M.M. (1998), D.M.A. (2002). Master classes with E. Drucker, I. Kavafian , and P. Zukerman. Won Pittsburgh Symphony Concerto Competition in 2001. Degrees from Duquesne University: Artist Diploma (2001), M.M. (2003). Full scholarship for doctoral studies at MSU to study with Dmitri Berlinsky. In 2004, won 2nd prize at the 33rd William C. Byrd International Young Artists Competition (Flint, U.S.A.). Performed professionally with Pittsburgh Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Lansing Symphony Orchestra and others.

Nicholas Toben

(ext. 263), Cello: Currently pursuing D.M.A. (cello performance), Michigan State University; M.M. (cello performance), University of Oregon; B.M. (cello performance), Hope College. Former principal cellist, University of Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Hope College Orchestra, Hope College Symphonette. Performed with Jackson Symphony, Corvallis Symphony (OR), Eugene Concert Choir (OR), Dearborn Summer Symphony.

Flint School of Performing Arts

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