FACULTY Liam Mansfield violin, Creative Director Liam Mansfield (b. 1996) had always felt an inexplicable attraction to the violin, but he started his musical career playing the piano. That path came to a halt when his strict, elderly piano teacher insisted he wake up at 4 am to practice scales before elementary school. He picked up the violin at Hyde Park Middle School at the age of 11, and from then on has played with an almost obsessive fervor... Read Full Bio FACULTY Shakeh Ghoukasian violin, Executive Director Shakeh Ghoukasian, a renowned violinist and educator, founded The String Connection and The String Connection Virtual Violin Festival in 2021, catering to advanced students. These initiatives, including Chamber Music and Suzuki Talent Education Programs, connect students with top artist teachers. Previously, as executive/artistic director of the Nevada School of the Arts for 13 years, she propelled the school's vision, initiating programs like the Jazz Initiative and Musical Crossroads, and establishing partnerships benefiting students and the Las Vegas community... Read Full Bio FACULTY Scott Jackson violin Scott Jackson is a concert violinist that has performed with symphonies across the nation, including the St. Louis and Pittsburgh Symphonies. He was a fellow with the New World Symphony after completing his doctoral studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory from 2018 until 2022, during which time his modern music ensemble, All of the Above, released an album to critical acclaim featuring the music of two contemporary composers with the title “Double Portrait”. Read Full Bio FACULTY Alex Gonzalez violin Alex Gonzalez, described as a "true virtuoso...that left the audience almost breathless" (Viborg Folkeblad), is a violinist renowned as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. He has performed at venues like Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall, toured internationally with The Knights and Sphinx Virtuosi, and appeared on the 2023 Deutsche Grammophon release Songs of Our Times. Currently Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of Colorado Boulder, Gonzalez teaches at the Sphinx Performance Academy and has collaborated with top orchestras and festivals worldwide. A graduate of Eastman, Rice, and Carnegie Mellon, he plays a 2017 Mario Miralles violin... Read Full Bio FACULTY Omar Shelly viola Omar Shelly is a native of Las Vegas, Nevada and has performed in some of the worlds most famous concert halls as a violist in several international orchestral training programs, including several occasions at Carnegie Hall with The Orchestra Now at Bard College and the New York String Orchestra Seminar, the Benedict Music Tent with the Aspen Chamber Symphony, both the Royal Concertgebouw and Royal Albert Hall with the Britten-Pears Young Artists Programme BBC Proms 2012, Troesh Music Hall of Toronto with the Orchestra of the Americas... Read Full Bio FACULTY Jeremy Russo cello Jeremy Russo is passionate educator and versatile performer who has appeared on stages across the United States, notably Carnegie Hall in NYC, Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the Smith Center in Las Vegas, as well as in Europe and Asia. A native of Las Vegas, he has shared stages as the core string member with world’s all-time favorite pop singers, namely Adele, Andrea Bocelli, and the Eagles... Read Full Bio FACULTY Tyler Gordon Conductor Tyler Gordon is a dynamic musician immersed in the vibrant music scene of Las Vegas, Nevada. His musical journey spans across roles as a bassist, violist, and conductor, where he has become a regular performer in several Nevada ensembles including the Las Vegas Sinfonietta, Las Vegas Philharmonic, and the Reno Philharmonic. Tyler has recently finished guest conducting Vegas City Opera in their production of Prokofiev’s Love for Three Oranges... Read Full Bio Rising Stars Faculty Liam Mansfield, violin
Creative Director Scott Jackson, violin Omar Shelly, viola Jeremy Russo, cello Shakeh Ghoukasian, violin
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