Meet the musicians of Concert for the Philippines! They are all my friends and colleagues.
Melanie Sasaki was born in Germany and started violin lessons at the age of 4 after moving to Japan. She began studying the Suzuki Method under the guidance of her mother, Heidi Sasaki-Born, an accomplished violist/violinist. She continued with the Suzuki Method after moving to the United States at age 6 until enrolling in the Westchester Conservatory in New York at the age of 7. Additional moves have provided her opportunities to study in Chicago and Switzerland as well.
Ms. Sasaki earned her Bachelors of Music degree studying under Albert Markov at the Manhattan School of Music and Laurie Smuckler at the State University at Purchase.
Ms. Sasaki has performed in orchestras in New York, Chicago, Switzerland, Germany, Venezuela and numerous tri-state ensembles, including the Ridgefield Symphony. She maintains an active studio at the Riverside School of Music in Greenwich, CT as well as teaching at The Stanwich School in Greenwich, CT.
Ms. Sasaki earned her Bachelors of Music degree studying under Albert Markov at the Manhattan School of Music and Laurie Smuckler at the State University at Purchase.
Ms. Sasaki has performed in orchestras in New York, Chicago, Switzerland, Germany, Venezuela and numerous tri-state ensembles, including the Ridgefield Symphony. She maintains an active studio at the Riverside School of Music in Greenwich, CT as well as teaching at The Stanwich School in Greenwich, CT.
A sought-after violinist, Chie Yoshinaka has been pursuing an international musical career. The highlight of recent seasons includes solo and chamber music recitals in the States and Japan, Brahms' Double Concerto with Micha Haran (the former principal cello of the Israel Philharmonic) and the ABS-CBN Philharmonic in Quezon City, Philippines, and Baroque concerti with St. Paul's Episcopal Church's chamber orchestra in Connecticut. A winner of the Lillian Fuchs Memorial Chamber Music Competition, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Centre, the United Nations among other venues in the New York area. She has served as a guest concertmaster in many orchestras in different regions of the United States. She has served on artist-faculty at music schools, festivals (most recently at OPUSFEST 2013 in Antipolo, Philippines) and youth orchestras such as Chicago Youth Symphony. She is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music and New York University. Her major teachers include Neil Weintrob and Peter Winograd.
Lyons Chamber Players’ Concertmaster Sayuri K. Lyons has performed extensively throughout North America and Asia. She has played concertmaster with Fresno Opera, the Osaka Opera Club, the Orchestra of Bronx, Nimbus Ensemble, Opera a la Carte, Guild Opera and the Lyric Opera of Los Angeles. She has performed with the Springfield Symphony, El Paso Opera, Santa Barbara Symphony, Fresno Symphony, Long Beach Symphony and numerous other Orchestras. She has appeared on the Tonight show with Enya and in numerous feature films, TV shows and videos. In addition, Sayuri has credits as an orchestrator and concertmaster for various Hollywood film scores.
A native of the Philippines, Michael Alas has degrees in romance languages/pre-medical studies from Wagner College and viola performance from the Purchase College Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Ira Weller. Performances all over the world from Alaska to New Zealand, from Carnegie Hall to breaking cultural ground and touring all over Asia with the Manhattan Symphonie. Equally at home in the Emergency Room and the concert stage, Michael is currently pursuing medical studies at Columbia University, is a Research Associate at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell, and a pit violist for the Westchester Broadway Theatre's current production of Titanic.
A native of Wisconsin, cellist Kirsten Jermé leads an active musical life as a performer and teacher in New York City. Kirsten completed her M.M. in Cello Performance at the Eastman School of Music, and received her B.A. from Stony Brook University. An avid orchestral player, chamber musician and recitalist, Kirsten has performed extensively throughout the region and in Canada and the UK, at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall and Royal Festival Hall to Le Poisson Rouge and Roulette. Kirsten was involved in community programs at Turtle Bay Music School and the Eastman Community Music School, and helped launch an arts outreach program at Stony Brook. A dedicated educator, Kirsten has taught at P.S. 129 in Harlem for The Harmony Program, modeled on Venezuela's El Sistema, and is currently on faculty at Greenwich House Music School and Larchmont Music Academy, and teaches at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.
Delia Montenegro holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Douglass College of Rutgers University and a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Her teachers include Sherry Sylar, associate principal oboist with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra, Marsha Heller, William Arrowsmith, Virginia Brewer and Marc Fink.
After completing her studies in Wisconsin, Ms. Montenegro joined the National Symphony Orchestra in Colombia, South America. Since her return to the United States, she has performed with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Metropolitan area, including the Spianato Winds and the Radley Woodwind Quintet. She has appeared as soloist with the Chappaqua Orchestra, New Jersey State Orchestra, Plainfield Symphony, New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, and Stretto Chamber Players. She has played principal oboe with the New Jersey State Orchestra, New York Chamber Orchestra, Plainfield Symphony, Virtuosi de Camera, and Suburban Symphony. In 1996 she recorded a CD entitled, “ The Oboe Soloist” for the Music Minus One Company.
Currently she is the Principal Oboist with the Chappaqua Symphony Orchestra. She serves as the High School Band Director of the Briarcliff Manor Public Schools, where she has taught since 1987.
After completing her studies in Wisconsin, Ms. Montenegro joined the National Symphony Orchestra in Colombia, South America. Since her return to the United States, she has performed with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Metropolitan area, including the Spianato Winds and the Radley Woodwind Quintet. She has appeared as soloist with the Chappaqua Orchestra, New Jersey State Orchestra, Plainfield Symphony, New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, and Stretto Chamber Players. She has played principal oboe with the New Jersey State Orchestra, New York Chamber Orchestra, Plainfield Symphony, Virtuosi de Camera, and Suburban Symphony. In 1996 she recorded a CD entitled, “ The Oboe Soloist” for the Music Minus One Company.
Currently she is the Principal Oboist with the Chappaqua Symphony Orchestra. She serves as the High School Band Director of the Briarcliff Manor Public Schools, where she has taught since 1987.
Melanie and I were stand partners (we share a music stand in orchestra, sit side by side) at Manhattan School of Music many years ago. And our mothers played in a string quartet together. Sayuri and I met at the Orchestra of the Bronx, maybe 10 years ago. We occasionally play in orchestras together. Michael and I played in the Garden State Philharmonic right after Typhoon Haiyan and that's when we started talking about this benefit concert. Kirsten and I taught at Larchmont Music Academy and Camp Encore/Coda at the same time. We have performed some duos and decided to play the first movement of Duo No.1 by Martinu for this concert. Delia and I played Quintet by Prokofiev in Chappaqua chamber music series in 2012.
There is another cellist, Paul Swensen. I have not met him but he graciously took part in this project. He will be playing London Trio by Haydn with Delia and Melanie.
Last but not least I would like to introduce David Johnson, the music director of St.Paul's Episcopal Church, who will join us on organ and piano. This concert was not possible without him and we all really appreciate his help! I met him about 10 years ago when I first play in the pit orchestra of "the Carousel" in Greenwich and since then I have been playing at St.Paul's every Christmas Eve. And that's where I have gotten to play solo on Vivaldi's Winter concerto and recently, Brandenburg No.4 and Concerto for Oboe and Violin by Bach.
So you see all my connection with those amazing musicians. Come see us make music together!
