Praised as an “excellent soloist” of “great virtuosity” (NY Concert Review), with performances depicted as “thrilling” (Boston Globe), violinist Rubén Rengel is quickly gaining recognition as a remarkably gifted artist. Rubén was the winner of the Robert F. Smith Prize at the 2018 Sphinx Competition, the Cleveland Institute of Music Concerto Competition (2014), recipient of the Sallie Shepherd Perkins Prize (2019) and the Anna Y. Tringas Award (2013), and winner of the Juan Bautista Plaza National Violin Competition of Venezuela (2011).

Laura Renz, violist, is a member of the Pacific Northwest Ballet orchestra in Seattle, Washington. She also performs regularly with the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera.

First Prize winner of the 2008 Naumburg International Violoncello Competition, David Requiro (pronounced re-KEER-oh) has emerged as one of today’s finest American cellists.

When Nick Revel is not touring as founding violist of the multi-GRAMMY™ Nominated PUBLIQuartet, he is composing, producing, and performing original solo pieces, audio engineering ensembles of various shapes and sizes, and teaching students of all ages.

Jennifer Rhyne serves as Associate Professor of Flute and Music Theory at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington where she also directs the Sølvvinden Flute Ensemble. Before joining the faculty of PLU, Rhyne taught at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

Jan Roberts has lived in the Walla Walla valley for three years after spending most of her life in the mission field of Africa and Indonesia. She is a graduate of Walla Walla University, BS in nursing, which was very helpful while living overseas.

A founding member of the Spektral Quartet, Russell Rolen has presented solo and chamber music recitals throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Based in Chicago, he performs regularly in the Chicago area and around the Midwest.

With “a special ability to present touching interpretations” (El Norte), Brazilian pianist Ronaldo Rolim is a prominent figure among the newest generation of outstanding musicians.

Chicago-based percussionist and performer Adam Rosenblatt has a penchant for finding interesting and uncommon ways to present and perform contemporary music.

Thomas Rosenkranz was the recipient of the Classical Music Fellowship Award from the American Pianists Association and is active worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, improviser, festival organizer, and artist teacher.

A native of southern California and dual citizen of France and the United States, Erik Rynearson has enjoyed performing across the Americas and Europe.

Cellist David Sabee is the Grammy award–winning music director and principal conductor of the Northwest Sinfonia.

Following his early musical education as a pianist, Sabee began cello studies at age seventeen with Johan Lingeman, former solo cellist of the Concertgebouw Orkest, and continued with Paul Olefsky and Harvey Shapiro. His primary conducting work was with the esteemed Swiss opera conductor and former Toscanini assistant, Walter Ducloux.

As one of America’s leading concert saxophonists, John Sampen is particularly recognized as a distinguished artist in contemporary literature. He has commissioned over one hundred new works, including compositions by Adler, Babbitt, Bolcom, Cage, Rzewski and Rands and has premiered saxophone versions of music by Lutosławski, Stockhausen and Tower.

Maria Sampen, Professor of Violin at University of Puget Sound, enjoys a vibrant career as concerto soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and teacher. Equally at home with repertoire ranging from classical to avant-garde to popular styles, Dr. Sampen has delighted audiences with her eclectic programs, her passionate performance style, and her highly expressive playing.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Pedro Sanchez is an Ensemble Member or the Ivalas Quartet.

Pedro was the winner of the Emil Friedman Cello Competition of Venezuela in 2010. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Virtuosi de Caracas and Arcos Juveniles de Caracas and has performed under Maestros Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel and Tan Dun, among others.

Sponsored by Elizabeth Carr

Kevin Schempf is Associate Professor of Clarinet at Bowling Green State University and is active as a soloist, chamber and symphony musician. After graduating from the Interlochen Arts Academy and the Eastman School of Music, he performed with the United States Coast Guard Band and toured with them throughout the United States and to St. Petersburg, Russia. A frequent soloist with the Band, he was featured on NPR broadcasts and on their 75th Anniversary CD recording.

Stephen Schermer, double bass, received his Bachelor of Arts with honors from Eastern Washington University, and his Master of Music with honors from the New England Conservatory. He also studied at the Tanglewood Music Center where he was the recipient of the Koussevitsky Fellowship. Mr. Schermer is currently assistant principal of the Pacific Northwest Ballet orchestra.

SEVEN)SUNS is a string quartet that plays dystopian music rooted in the language of avant metal and hardcore. Their repertoire is drawn from works by members of the group, re-imagined string quartet versions of metal and hardcore songs, as well as music from the Western art music tradition.

Double bassist Peter Seymour has performed with many of the world’s most highly acclaimed artists and ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, New World Symphony, Houston Symphony, New York City Ballet, IRIS Orchestra and the Colorado Music Festival. He was the recipient of the DownBeat Magazine Award for Best Jazz Soloist, and has shared the stage with such luminaries as Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove and Bobby McFerrin.

Carrie Henneman Shaw is known across the US as a singer who weaves style and emotion into vivid Baroque and contemporary classical music performances. Praised in the New York Times “as graceful vocally as she was in her movements,” “consistently stylish” (Boston Globe), and as a “cool, precise soprano” (Chicago Tribune), Shaw is a member of Quince Ensemble...