Richie Hawley ranks among the most distinguished clarinetists of his generation. As principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), he impressed audiences around the world with his virtuosity and the velvety, sonorous tone that has become his trademark. The Cincinnati Enquirer has praised him for the “seamless flowing tone so many clarinetists long for and few can achieve.”

In 2011, Mr. Hawley left the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and moved to Houston, Texas to become the Professor of Clarinet at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. Mr. Hawley appears on stages around the world regularly as a soloist, chamber musician and recitalist. During the summer he is in residence as the clarinet teaching and performing artists at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara. Highlights of this year’s season include the premiere of Georgina Derbez’s Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra with the UNAM orchestra of Mexico and the debut duo album with Conor Hanick featuring the music of Higdon, Copland, Tower and Jalbert. Mr. Hawley made his debut at the Marlboro Music Festival in 1999 and toured with the legendary “Musicians from Marlboro” for the 50th anniversary performance at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Hawley has garnered awards as both performer and educator. He won the Coleman-Barstow prize at the Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition in 1988 with Trio con Brio, and that same year was one of five musicians to receive the Gold Medal as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts from Ronald Reagan in a ceremony at the White House. He has received the Léni Fé Bland Foundation Career Grant twice, and was awarded the 2009 Glover Award for outstanding teaching at University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

Originally from Los Angeles, Mr. Hawley began his clarinet studies with Yehuda Gilad at the Colburn School of Performing Arts at age 9. He made his orchestral solo debut at age 13 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and at age 14 performed as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic. While a student of Donald Montanaro at the Curtis Institute of Music, Mr. Hawley appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

As a D’Addario performing artist, Mr. Hawley performs exclusively on a reeds and mouthpieces that he helped to develop. He is also an artist for Buffet Crampon and performs on the Tosca model of clarinet.

He has been a member of the Music Academy faculty since 2005.

Billy R. Hunter, Jr., a native of Austin, Texas, has been the Principal Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 2004. With a versatile career encompassing orchestral, chamber, and solo performances nationwide, he is also a sought-after teacher and brass coach who recently rejoined the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music.

In addition to his work with the MET, Mr. Hunter has served as Guest Principal Trumpet with distinguished ensembles such as The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Malaysian Philharmonic, and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. His impressive performance history includes collaborations with the New York Philharmonic, Saint Louis Symphony, Dallas Symphony, and Boston Symphony, as well as various trumpet positions with the New World, Baltimore, and Grant Park Symphony orchestras.

As a chamber musician, he has partnered with numerous ensembles across the United States, including the Gateways Chamber Ensemble and the MET Chamber Ensemble, and has performed at prestigious festivals such as the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival.

As a soloist, Mr. Hunter has appeared with orchestras including the Classical Tahoe Orchestra, York Symphony, and Chattanooga Symphony, and has given recitals and masterclasses in the U.S., Europe, Africa, and Asia. His accolades include the Roger Voisin Outstanding Trumpeter Prize from the Tanglewood Music Center, first prize in the Kingsville International Solo Competition Brass Division, and multiple Grammy Awards as part of the MET Orchestra. In 2010, he received the University of Texas Outstanding Young Texas-Exes Award, one of the highest honors for alumni.

Mr. Hunter is an esteemed educator, conducting masterclasses and lessons at prestigious institutions such as the Cleveland Institute of Music, Juilliard, and Yale. He frequently coaches the New York Youth Symphony, the New World Symphony in Miami, and the National Youth Orchestra. His previous faculty positions include the Peabody Conservatory, Aspen Music Festival, NJCU, and the University of Texas at Austin. His teachers include legendary trumpeters Raymond Crisara, Raymond Mase, Mark Gould, and hornist Harry Shapiro.

A prominent leader, performer, and educator in classical music, Weston Sprott is Dean and Director of the Preparatory Division at The Juilliard School, a Co-Founder of the Black Orchestral Network, and a trombonist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Weston Sprott’s work is based on mission-driven values developed over a twenty-year career in the arts. His approach to all elements of his career is steeped in basic principles—a commitment to excellence and fairness, an abiding sense of kindness and compassion towards others, and an unwavering sense of optimism that is not naive. Sprott grew up in Spring, TX, immersed in the fabric of sports, marching bands, soul and R&B music, hip-hop culture, and the Pentecostal church. From an early age, his parents raised him to take pride in his identity, cultivate an industrious spirit, and embrace the heritage of leaders in arts and culture who speak truth to power and understand the implications of being Black in America. In a visit to his office, one will find photos of several individuals he views as inspirations, like Muhammad Ali, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Wynton Marsalis, and Malcolm X.

Following studies at Indiana University and the Curtis Institute of Music, Sprott began a robust performance career that includes orchestral, chamber, and solo performances. Hailed as “an excellent trombonist” with a “sense of style and phrasing [that] takes a backseat to no one,” he has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and South Africa. In addition to being a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, since 2005, he has held positions with the Zurich Opera and Philharmonia, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Delaware Symphony. He has performed with several of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, and the Oslo Philharmonic. He can be heard on numerous solo, chamber, symphonic, opera, and film recordings, from “Live from Lincoln Center” broadcasts to the recent “Lion King” live-action movie. His chamber music and festival engagements include Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Gateways Chamber Players, Classical Tahoe, Festival Napa Valley, Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival, PRIZM Ensemble, and numerous others.

Growing up in a home of educators, the value and importance of teaching was reinforced from an early age and informs Sprott’s approach to his work. His commitment to working with young people is evidenced by his prolific teaching career. Sprott’s former students hold positions in leading ensembles across the world as well as others who have forged successful careers in other fields. He holds faculty positions at Juilliard, Bard College, and Music Academy of the West. He frequently appears as a guest teacher for the New World Symphony and The Orchestra Now, and has presented over a hundred masterclasses at conservatories and colleges around the world. Previous faculty positions include Mannes College, Rutgers University, Purchase College, Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program (MAP), PRIZM, Curtis Institute of Music’s Young Artist Summer Program, National Youth Orchestra-USA (NYO-USA and NYO2), Aspen Music Festival and School, and Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF).

The inclusion of arts administration into his career was inspired by a pivotal conversation with mentor Wynton Marsalis, who encouraged Sprott to "switch from the me agenda to the we agenda.” In 2019, Sprott was named Dean of the Preparatory Division at The Juilliard School—comprising the Pre-College and Music Advancement Program (MAP)—becoming the first Black dean in the institution’s history. During his tenure as Dean and Director, Sprott has played a central role in securing multiple transformative gifts for both the Pre-College and MAP, including permanent endowment and episodic funding to increase access to music education and build a more inclusive repertoire for young musicians. With this support, Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, which actively seeks students historically underrepresented and underserved in classical music, now serves over 50% more students and provides full-tuition scholarships to all students in perpetuity. The Preparatory Division has contributed substantially to the creation of new work, having commissioned over 50 new works and counting—including etudes, solos, chamber, choral, wind ensemble, and orchestral works—with a focus on increasing the diversity of composers introduced to young musicians, creating a more inclusive future, and meaningfully elevating the work of talented creators from every walk of life. In 2020, upon receiving the Sphinx Medal of Excellence—the highest honor bestowed by the organization—and recognizing the importance of year-round educational opportunities, he established the “Weston Sprott and Anthony McGill MAP Summer Scholarship Fund'' in partnership with MAP Artistic Director, Anthony McGill. In 2021, he was awarded the Sphinx Venture Fund for “Composing Inclusion,” a partnership between Juilliard, the New York Philharmonic, and American Composers Forum that commissioned and premiered nine new works with flexible orchestration by Black and Latinx composers, performed side-by-side by Preparatory Division students and the New York Philharmonic.

In 2021, Sprott co-founded the Black Orchestral Network (BON), an organization that supports Black orchestral musicians whose mission is “cultivating community, lifting our voices, and telling our stories.” Since its inception, BON has released multiple open letters to the field shedding light on inequitable practices and policies affecting Black musicians in the industry and created the podcast Black Music Seen to capture the stories of important Black figures in classical music. Sprott’s advocacy efforts have also led to the creation of the National Alliance for Audition Support, Sphinx Orchestral Partners Auditions Excerpt Competition, and Classical Tahoe Academy, as well as numerous other initiatives that are shifting the landscape of the industry.

Regularly sought after as a speaker and panelist, Sprott recently delivered the keynote address for SphinxConnect and the alumni commencement address at his alma mater, the Curtis Institute of Music. He has consulted for various organizations, authored several articles in publications including Local 802’s Allegro, and been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on the cover of the International Musician, the national publication of the American Federation of Musicians. Sprott has been the recipient of the Atlanta Symphony’s Aspire Award and the Community Music Center of Boston’s John Kleshinski Award.

Sprott is the Board Chair of the Friends of Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, a member of the Sphinx National Advisory Board, and the Avery Fisher Artist Program's Recommendation Board. He has served as an advisory board member for Project STEP, the Community Music Center of Boston, and the Bronx Arts Ensemble. As an artist and clinician for the Antoine Courtois Instrument Company, Sprott performs exclusively on the Creation New York trombone, an instrument he designed.

Pianist Conor Hanick is regarded as one of his generation’s most inquisitive interpreters of music new and old. A fierce advocate for the music of today, Hanick has premiered over 200 pieces and collaborated with composers ranging from Pierre Boulez, Kaija Saariaho, and Steve Reich, to the leading artists of his generation. He has performed with many of America's preeminent conductors and ensembles and in 2023 premiered Samuel Carl Adams' No Such Spring with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony. This season, Hanick presents solo and chamber recitals in the US and Europe, including concerts at The Wallis, Hancher Auditorium, Cal Performances, Segerstrom Center, Stanford Live, Guild Hall, Musikverein, and elsewhere. He appears with the Phoenix and Alabama Symphonies in works by Stravinsky, Gershwin, and a new piano concerto by Carlos Izcaray, one of a handful of premieres this year that also includes pieces by Matthew Aucoin, Nico Muhly, Tania León, and Mathew Rosenblum. A committed collaborative player, Hanick joins Julia Bullock, Seth Parker Woods, Timo Andres, the JACK Quartet, and AMOC* (The American Modern Opera Company) in projects ranging from a US tour of HARAWI to performances of Sufjan Stevens’ two piano ballet Reflections. Hanick teaches at the CUNY Graduate Center, Mannes College, Music Academy of the West, and The Juilliard School.

Pianist Margaret McDonald, a native of Minnesota, is an Associate Professor of Collaborative Piano at the University of Colorado Boulder.  She joined the College of Music keyboard faculty in the fall of 2004. She helped to develop the College’s graduate degree program in Collaborative Piano and the undergraduate collaborative curriculum. Praised for her poetic style and versatility, Dr. McDonald enjoys a very active performing career and has partnered many distinguished artists including the Takács Quartet, Kathleen Winkler, Zuill Bailey, Paula Robison, Carol Wincenc, Ben Kamins, David Shifrin, David Jolley, Ian Bousfield, Joseph Alessi, Steven Mead, and Velvet Brown.  She has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Dr. McDonald received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano from the University of California – Santa Barbara.  Her principal teachers include Lydia Artymiw and Anne Epperson.  She received fellowships to study at both the Music Academy of the West and the Tanglewood Music Center where she worked closely with Dawn Upshaw, Robert Spano, and Osvaldo Golijov.

Dr. McDonald is active throughout the country giving master classes at institutions including The Juilliard School, Indiana University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Arizona State University, University of California - Santa Barbara, and Louisiana State University.  She has released recordings with Velvet Brown, tuba, Aaron Tindall, tuba, and Erika Eckert, viola for Potenza Records and Meridian Records.

Dr. McDonald has been a staff accompanist at the Meadowmount School for Strings in New York and an official accompanist at the Music Teachers National Association competition and the National Flute Association annual convention. McDonald is an alumna of the Music Academy of the West and has been a member of the Music Academy faculty since 2005.

Before joining the Seattle Symphony as Principal Percussionist in the fall of 2009, Michael Werner was a percussionist with the Metropolitan Opera for 13 years, and Principal Percussionist for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for two years.

Mr. Werner is currently the Principal Percussionist at the Seattle Symphony, and was also acting Principal for the 2014-2015 season at the LA Philharmonic, including the 2015 Asia Tour. In the spring of 2016 he was invited to perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as a Percussion Teacher and Guest Artist. In 2014, Michael was the featured soloist at The Seattle Symphony Orchestra where he performed F. Gruber’s “Rough Music Concerto”. Michael has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonic, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, The Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Chamber Music Society, Canadian Brass and Empire Brass Ensembles, and at the Santa Barbara International Percussion Festival.

Mr. Werner has been a faculty member at The Mannes School of Music in New York since 2002. He has served as a Clinician and Instructor at the New World Symphony, the University of Toronto, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Percussive Arts Society, Oberlin Percussion Institute, Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, The Cleveland Institute of Music, and The New England Conservatory. He also serves as an Artist and Clinician for Pearl Percussion, Zildjian Symbols, and Freer Percussion.

Michael started his secondary studies at the Eastman School of Music, under John Beck. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Richard Wiener. Michael also studied with Tom Freer at Cleveland State University.

An alum of the Music Academy of the West (1990), Mr. Werner has been a faculty member since 2005.

DREW PATTERSON 23, born in Hesperia, California, is earning his bachelor's degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Kevin Rivard. He has performed as assistant principal horn with San Francisco Opera in The Handmaid's Tale under Karen Kamensek, and as Fourth Horn with San Francisco Ballet in The Nutcracker under Martin West.

MARK MORRIS 26, born in Temple, Texas, earned his master's degree at Northwestern University and studies with Gail Williams. He has been a regular member with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago since 2023. He has appeared with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, and Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Philharmonic.

BEN J D'HAITI ('22) 22, born in Newport, Rhode Island, has recently completed his bachelor's degree at Rice University Shepherd School of Music, studying with Barbara Butler. The returning Music Academy alum is affiliated with the Magnolia City Brass Band and currently resides in Washington, District of Columbia.

KIMBERLY JOY NELSON 21, born in Grapevine, Texas, is earning her bachelor's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Joseph Alessi. She was a Marsteller Competition Finalist in 2024 and 2025. She has performed as a soloist with the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra and in the trombone section of the Juilliard Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

CHARLEY POLLARD 23, born in Santa Monica, California, is earning his master’s degree at Colburn Community School of Performing Arts, studying with Aaron Tindall. He won the Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Festival in 2023, performed as principal tuba with the Colburn Orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 2, and is a substitute musician for the Naples Philharmonic.

ARNOR CHU 24, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, has completed his master's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Daniel Druckman. He won 1st Prize at the 2024 Great Plains International Marimba Competition and the 2019 Percussive Arts Society International Composition Contest. He performed in by Boulez's Sur Incises with the New York Philharmonic.

AUGUST BAIK 19, born in Seattle, Washington, is earning his bachelor's degree at New England Conservatory (NEC), studying with Stephen Drury. He won the NEC Piano Honors Competition in 2024 and The Sherer International Violin and Piano Competition in 2022. He recently participated in the Honens International Piano Competition Quarterfinals.

SIMON GREGORY BAKOS 23, born in Mason, Ohio, is earning his master's degree at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, studying with Yehuda Gilad, Anthony McGill, and YaoGuang Zhai. He won the Cincinnati Arts Association Overture Awards in 2019, performed at the Leipzig Shostakovich Festival, and was a 2025 Tanglewood fellow.

HIRO YOSHIMURA 19, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is earning his bachelor's degree at Columbia University, studying with Masao Kawasaki. He won the 2024 YoungArts National Arts and the 2023 San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra Annual Concerto competitions. He has performed with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony.

CHENGRONG LI 25, born in Shanghai, China, is earning his master's degree at Rice University, studying with Ivo-Jan van der Werff, Mai Motobuchi, and Li Sheng. He placed 5th at the 6th Hong Kong Violin Competition in 2016, and has performed with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra under conductors Christopher James Lees and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

ESTHER CHAE 23, born in Miami, Florida, is earning her master's degree at The Juilliard School, studying with Astrid Schween and Clara Minhye Kim. She won the LISMA International Competition in 2023, performed as a soloist at Zankel Hall in November 2024, and holds the Morse Teaching and GLUCK Community Service Engagement Fellowships. She also teaches privately.

MIN JOO YI 31, born in Daegu, Korea, is earning her Doctor of Musical Arts at Peabody Conservatory of Music, studying with Yong-Hi Moon. She won the Jury Discretionary Prize at the 2024 Gurwitz International Piano Competition. She has performed with the University of Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre Mélo'dix de l'Université Paris Nanterre.

CASH LANGI 23, born in Upland, California, studies with Matthew Howard of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He serves as Principal Percussion with the Civic Orchestra of Los Angeles under Anthony Parnther, and has played in Puccini's Turandot with Los Angeles Opera under James Conlon. Cash serves as Percussion Director at Diamond Bar High School.

SHINTARO TANEDA 24, born in Chiba, Japan, has recently completed his master's degree in chamber music at San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), studying with Nancy Zhou. He won the 2024 SFCM Honor Chamber Ensemble Competition with the Ethea Trio and has performed with artists including Kim Kashkashian, Stefan Jackiw, and the Parker Quartet.

MARIA CHERKASSOVA 25, born in Vladivostok, Russia, is earning her bachelor's degree at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, studying with Grigory Kalinovsky. There she won the 2022 Concerto Competition and performed as a soloist with the University Orchestra. Maria is also a violinist with the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic.

YU-HENG WANG 20, born in Tainan City, Taiwan, is earning his bachelor's degree at New England Conservatory, studying with Nicholas Cords and Brian Hong, and where he has served as Principal Viola. He won first prize in the 2023 Empire State Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition and second prize in the 2024 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition.

MELANIE CHEN 21, born in Boston, Massachusetts, recently completed her bachelor's degree at Vanderbilt University, Blair School of Music, studying with Felix Wang. In 2023 she won both the Stulberg International String and the MTNA Young Artist Performance competitions, and serves as a substitute cellist with the Nashville Symphony.

NICHOLAS BOETTCHER 21, born in Naperville, Illinois, is currently earning both his bachelor's degree in cognitive science and master's degree in double bass at Yale University, studying with Donald Palma. He won the 2023 Stulberg International String Competition. Nicholas served as a Civic Orchestra of Chicago Associate Member from 2020 to 2023.