Earning widespread notice for his richly colored and superbly crafted scores, Pierre Jalbert (b. 1967) has developed a musical language that is engaging, expressive, and “immediately captures one’s attention with its strong gesture and vitality” (American Academy of Arts and Letters). Among his many honors are the Rome Prize, the BBC Masterprize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Fromm Foundation commission, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Stoeger Award, given biennially “in recognition of significant contributions to the chamber music repertory”, and an Academy award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Jalbert has drawn inspiration from a variety of sources, from plainchant melodies to natural phenomena. His music has been performed worldwide in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Barbican. Recent orchestral performances include those by the Boston Symphony, the National Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Louis Langrée. He has served as Composer-in-Residence with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the California Symphony under Barry Jekowsky, and Music in the Loft in Chicago. Three new CDs of his music have been recently released: Violin Concerto, with Margaret Batjer and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jeffrey Kahane, Piano Quintet and Secret Alchemy, performed by the Jupiter String Quartet and Bernadette Harvey, piano, and Piano Trio No. 2, performed by the Morgenstern Piano Trio. Jalbert is Professor of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston, and he is a co-founder of Musiqa. 

Jacob Schafer is a multifaceted violinist dedicated to compelling and thoughtful performances of works old and new. Based in Houston, he is a core member of Loop38 and Kinetic Ensemble and regularly performs with the Houston Symphony, Houston Ballet and Grand Opera Orchestras, Bach Society, and Mercury Chamber Orchestra. Passionate about bringing music to audiences in both familiar and innovative contexts, he has performed at venues as diverse as the Aspen Art Museum (Colorado), the Bergen Public Library (Norway), Houston’s Smither Park, and New York’s Carnegie Hall. Recent performances include world premieres by Steven Banks, Martha Callison Horst, and Du Yun; collaborations with Renée Fleming, Anthony McGill, and Seth Parker Woods; and a solo violin commissioning project featuring world premieres by Nicky Sohn and Max Vinetz. Festival appearances have included Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Norfolk New Music Workshop, Sarasota Music Festival, and Tanglewood Music Center. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Jacob holds a BA in Music and in Ethics, Politics, and Economics from Yale University and an MM in Violin Performance from Rice University, where he is currently completing his DMA under the tutelage of Paul Kantor.

Born in 1997, Christopher Ellis has been described as “a rapidly rising cello star” (The Irish Times). Christopher grew up in Ireland and attended the Royal Irish Academy of Music with Aisling Drury Byrne before continuing his studies at the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et Danse Paris studying with Marc Coppey, where he graduated with the highest honours of a ‘Premier Prix’. As a soloist Christopher has performed internationally at SuperCello Festival Beijing, Piatigorsky Cello Festival Los Angeles, Cello Biennale Amsterdam, Pablo Casals Masterclasses France and Kronberg Academy Masterclasses and has appeared at festivals in Ireland including Kilkenny Arts Festival, Clandeboye Festival, Sligo Chamber Music Festival and Killaloe Music Festival. As a chamber musician, Christopher has shared the stage with artists such as Barnabás Kelemen, Lars Anders Tomter, Finghin Collins, The Vogler Quartet, Elina Vähälä and Marc Coppey. A recent highlight for Christopher was making his debut as soloist with the Irish Chamber Orchestra at the Cellissimo Festival in Galway, Ireland. Christopher is currently studying with Brinton Smith at Rice University in Houston, Texas

Nicholas Bissen is a strong advocate for student opportunity and success. He is the owner and operator of the Rose Street Saxophone Room, a thriving studio where students perform as soloists and quartets in competitive recitals, place in All-State ensembles, and create performance experiences for their local community. Nicholas has held faculty positions at Lone Star North Harris, the New England Music Camp, and Stephen F. Austin State University as adjunct professor. Nicholas’s energetic teaching carries into his performances, and has been featured as a chamber musician and recitalist. Most recently, he premiered a series of saxophone quartet works with the Kazoku Quartet in February, and performed a solo set with Musiqa on Film at the Match in March.  As a former DACAMERA Young Artist, Nicholas has shared his energy and passion for the saxophone in campuses across Houston.  Nicholas frequently arranges for saxophone; publishing works through Murphy Music Press and through the Rose Street Saxophone Room. Nicholas received his BME from the University of Central Missouri, his MM from the University of Cincinnati, his Performance Certificate from Stephen F. Austin State University, and has received four years of additional instruction from the Frederick L. Hemke Saxophone Institute. https://linktr.ee/rosestreetsaxophoneroom

Sophie Volpe (she/her) is a dedicated trombonist and educator based in Houston, Texas. In addition to her ongoing studies as a master’s student at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Volpe maintains a busy schedule, freelancing and teaching masterclasses and private lessons. Volpe has had the privilege of sharing the stage with renowned orchestras such as the Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Jacksonville Symphony, and Erie Philharmonic. Her journey in music began with a Bachelor of Music degree in Trombone Performance and Music Education from the Eastman School of Music, where she earned a Performer’s Certificate and received the Steve Witzer Award of Excellence. In 2022, Volpe earned Honorable Mention at the International Women’s Brass Conference Mock Audition Competition. Volpe’s commitment to music education led her to establish The Volpe Trombone Studio in 2019, offering ongoing comprehensive online and in-person instruction to students spanning ages 12 to 55 from all corners of the United States. Volpe has conducted masterclasses at institutions such as Interlochen Arts Academy and Arkansas State University, and high schools across the US. Volpe taught for many summers at Interlochen Arts Camp, initially serving as a Brass Teaching Assistant for three consecutive summers. Later, in 2021, she came back to the camp as the Trombone Teaching Fellow, offering private lessons, coaching chamber music, and performing with the Faculty Brass Ensemble.

Terry McKinney is currently the Principal Percussionist with the Baton Rouge Symphony. He has performed with the San Antonio Symphony, Midland Symphony, Abilene Symphony, Houston’s Greenbriar Consortium, Round Top Music Festival, Foundation for Modern Music, Texas Music Festival, Magnolia City Brass Band, ROCO, and Gateways Music Festival. He is also a regular extra/substitute with the Houston Symphony, having played under Hans Graf, Andres Orozco-Estrada, the current music director Juraj Valcuha, and was honored to have been able to perform with the symphony at Carnegie Hall and on their Moscow and European Tours. One of many highlights in his performing career was being able to play alongside Branford Marsalis on John Williams’ Escapades. Terry attended the University of Texas at Austin where he performed in various ensembles including a Brazilian ensemble and an African drum/dance/vocal troupe. Upon graduating from UT Austin, Terry attended Texas A&M University – Commerce where he completed his Master’s Degree and performed in various ensembles including the Northeast Texas Symphony Orchestra and the steel band. While in Commerce, Terry was an adjunct percussion instructor at Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler. Terry’s playing can be heard on the Houston Symphony recording Music of the Americas, and the Grammy nominated recording Weill-Ibert-Berg with the Baton Rouge Symphony Chamber Players. He has also performed in musical theater performances of Sunday in the Park with George, Mean Girls, Wicked, Ain’t Too Proud, and will be performing in the upcoming showing of Tina the Musical at the Hobby Center. Terry currently lives in Houston and enjoys playing the piano, working in the yard, learning languages, and spending time with his wife Cathleen, son Henry, and dog Pretzel.