Chamber Music Collective & Chamber Orchestra
About the Musicians
2025–2026 Season
alphabetical by last name
Kevin Anderson, piano/harpsichord/organ, is the Cantor and Parish Administrator at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Santa Monica and has performance degrees from Florida State University and The University of Texas at Austin. For over a decade, Mr. Anderson was the Associate Director for Worship and Music for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He was previously adjunct music faculty at CSU Chico and pianist for the North State Symphony.
Cecille Asuncion, viola, is a civil servant. In her spare time, she loves to play viola and take classes with Mick Wetzel of the LA Phil. For her main job, she works at the County of Los Angeles Office Emergency Management, alongside first response agencies, non-profits, private agencies and government partners regarding the January Wildfires. Cecille also serves as President of the Southern California Viola Society, a non-profit organization.
Jason Beaumont, French horn, is a freelance musician based in Los Angeles. He serves as principal horn with the Santa Monica Symphony and Westside Chamber Orchestra, and performs with the Deadline Hollywood Orchestra alongside top film composers including Bear McCreary and Michael Giacchino. Jason is also a member of the San Luis Obispo Symphony and Opera SLO Grand Orchestra. He holds a BM from Missouri State University and MM from California State University, Northridge.
Finn Bordal, violin, a Santa Monica native and Oberlin College graduate, teaches strings at the SMMUSD schools he attended as a student; coaches ensembles through local nonprofit Elemental Music; and maintains a private studio. Finn performs regularly with Passacaglia and with the Westside Chamber Orchestra, and gigs locally in other capacities. In his spare time, you’ll probably find Finn at a local climbing gym, or better yet, climbing outdoors on the lovely rocks that Southern California has to offer.
Nancy Carr, clarinet, is a freelance musician and educator in Los Angeles, playing with many groups, including the Westside Chamber Orchestra, Whittier Regional Symphony and the Beach Cities Symphony. She received her BA from UC Santa Barbara and MM from the USC Thorton School of Music. Nancy maintains a private studio, teaching both school age and adult students. She is a frequent adjudicator and loves listening to young musicians perform solos and chamber music.
Zack Borowiec, oboe, originally from New York City, is a freelance musician and educator in Los Angeles. He is currently playing principal oboe with Orchestra Santa Monica and the Westside Chamber Orchestra. He previously held the position of principal oboe in the Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río in Veracruz, Mexico. He holds a BM from Northwestern University and a MM from the University of Southern California. His professors include Allan Vogel and Toyin Spellman-Diaz.
Arlette Cárdenes, cello/conductor, began her cello studies at the age of 10. At age 17, she auditioned and was accepted into American Youth Symphony under the tutelage of Mr. Mehli Mehta. She graduated from CSUN with a Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance and was later accepted on a full scholarship to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she received her MM. Ms. Cárdenes is the Co-Founder and Music Director of the Culver City Chamber Orchestra.
Alyssa French, piano/percussion, has performed internationally in Acqui Terme, Italy, and Beijing, China, as well as at Weill Hall in New York. She earned a BM in Piano Performance from CSUN and is currently pursuing an MM in Collaborative Piano with Dr. Tali Tadmor. Ms. French has served as Assistant Music Director for several CSUN opera productions. An experienced music director for musical theater, she is passionate about vocal collaboration and opera, striving to bring expressive performances to the stage.
Alec Glass, cello, holds an MM with Distinction in Cello Performance from CSUN. A faculty member at CSU Channel Islands, he also runs a private teaching studio and coaches cello at local schools. As a performer, he appears regularly as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player, holding a position in the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra. Passionate about both performance and pedagogy, Mr. Glass strives to inspire students and audiences through his artistry and dedication to musical excellence.
Martin Glicklich, flute/piccolo, is an educator, performer, conductor, arranger, and director. He earned his DMA from USC and has performed with the LA Phil, LA Opera, and on numerous motion pictures. His students have been accepted to Colburn Conservatory, USC Thornton School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, among others. Dr. Glicklich serves on the faculty at La Sierra University and the Colburn School and was recently appointed Executive & Artistic Director of The Music Guild.
Sean-Paul Gouw, composer/bassist, is an active session, orchestral, and jazz musician. A San Gabriel Valley Symphony bassist, he works with the Symphony and its Jazz counterpart to curate live anime music events. As a composer and arranger, his work spans a variety of genres and styles, and can be heard in numerous media and songwriting projects. He currently serves as Tesoro High School’s Marching Show Composer and Music Director for Lucky’s Butler Lounge.
Hakeem Holloway, double bass, is a native of Los Angeles. His formal classical music education took him to the East Coast, Midwest, home in Los Angeles, and then to Berlin. Mr. Holloway held positions in the Heidelberg Philharmonic, Württembergische Philharmonic of Reutlingen, Neubrandenburg Philharmonic, and Southwestern German Chamber Orchestra of Pforzheim. Since returning to California in 2019, he is active as a recording artist/freelancer for film scoring, popular music, and classical music ensembles across the country.
Deborah H. How, piano/harpsichord/piccolo/flute, graduated from Swarthmore College (BA), UCLA Herb Albert School of Music (MA), USC Thornton School of Music (PhD), and Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (MBA). She is the owner of the Westside Music Conservatory and has national competition winners in piano, flute, and composition. Dr. How is an active chamber musician in Los Angeles/Philadelphia and will appear as both as a piccolo concerto soloist and piano concerto soloist in 2026.
Matthew Ignacio, cello, is a Los Angeles based native who works as a registered nurse by day and freelances by night. Having had a love to care for the health of others both medically and musically, he seeks to encourage others to rejoice in the Lord, who supplies everything needed in life. And if you have time after the concert, he would love to chat about music, life, and anything else.
Debbie Ignacio-Birgean, viola, born in Romania, has a deep love for chamber music, orchestral performance, and teaching. Based in Los Angeles, she is a freelance musician, performing regularly with local ensembles, while also sharing the stage in a string duo with her husband. She is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at Azusa Pacific University and remains dedicated to cultivating the next generation of musicians through her private studio and church-based youth orchestra initiative.
Nathaniel Johnson, countertenor/violin, is based out of Los Angeles. He is a proud graduate of St. Olaf College, holding degrees in both chemistry and violin performance. At St. Olaf, he served as concertmaster for the orchestra and sang alto in the choir. Nathaniel is also a law student at UCLA, studying life-sciences patent litigation. In his limited free time, Nathaniel enjoys coaching Science Olympiad for his hometown high school in Madison, Wisconsin.
Bernard Kane Jr, viola/violin, is a Welsh-born composer for film, television, and the stage—he is a graduate of Yale, Royal College of Music, UBC, and UCLA. Bernard has performed and recorded with Quincy Jones, Natalie Cole, Ricky Martin, Manic Street Preachers, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. He is co-principal viola with The Novello Orchestra and his compositions have been performed on the BBC and at Carnegie Hall.
Josh Kim, violin, began violin studies at age four and has since built a career as a multifaceted musician through solo, chamber, and orchestral performances. A prizewinner in national competitions in South Korea, he has appeared at renowned festivals including the Perlman Music Program and the Music Academy of the West. A BM and MM graduate of Juilliard, he is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Colburn School under the mentorship of Martin Beaver.
Wonsun Keem, cello, received her Bachelor of Music degree from Seoul National University in South Korea and Master of Music from Yale University. Since moving to Los Angeles, she has been a member of Dream Orchestra, Los Angeles Ensemble, and Fernweh Music Foundation Chamber Music Series—performing at numerous venues and events across Southern California. She also believes in giving back through music education and teaches the next generation of musicians throughout LA and Orange County.
Arthur Naito, clarinet, began his musical journey here in the Santa Monica Unified School District at Will Rogers Elementary School, John Adams Middle School, and Santa Monica High School. Deciding to continue with music, Arthur earned a BM with Mitchell Lurie at USC and an MM with Russell Dagon, Clark Brody, and Robert Marcellus at Northwestern University. Arthur also plays with the Westside Chamber Orchestra in Santa Monica.
Sylvie Ollivier, piano, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Stanford University, and a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the USC Thornton School of Music. She attended the Music Academy of the West, where she worked with Jerome Lowenthal and Gabor Rejto. Ms. Ollivier was a member of a winning clarinet trio at the Coleman Chamber Auditions, coached by MitchellLurie. She is the President of MTAC Santa Monica Bay.
Emily Senchuk, flute/alto flute/saxophone, is a versatile woodwind doubler who performs regularly with several ensembles including OSM Woodwind Quintet, Golden State Pops Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Flute Orchestra, which has collaborated with artists such as Ali Ryerson, Jim Walker, and Sarah Jackson. She is also the Director of Operations & Programs for Elemental Music and has been a woodwind coach and private teacher for many years, working in numerous public and private schools in Los Angeles.
Peter Senchuk, composer/trombone/conductor, is originally from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, His concert works have been performed throughout the world and range in scope from solo and chamber works to big band, flute choir and orchestra. The music he composes captures his unique voice which draws on his jazz and classical training to create works filled with rhythmic intensity, fresh harmonic color, and captivating melodic lines. His compositions have received praise from audiences, performers and critics alike.
Yutong Sharp, violin, was born into a music family in Beijing, China, and started violin lessons with her father at age 5. She studied at Beijing Central Conservatory and finished her training with an Artist Diploma at the USC Thornton School of Music with Alice Schoenfeld on full scholarship. Aside from been a tenured member of the Pacific Symphony and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Ms. Sharp is also an active studio musician, chamber musician, and teacher.
Joseph David Spence, saxophone/composer, is based in Glendale, CA. His most recent ventures in media composition include composing for the Worlds Beyond Number podcast and SkyForge Studio’s Rangers On Patrol. In addition to film music, Mr. Spence’s concert music has been performed throughout the United States and internationally by such ensembles as the Donald Sinta Quartet and KC VITAs. He is the tenor saxophonist of the Gold Line Quartet, and his work can be found on YouTube and your favorite streaming platforms.
Jeff Schwartz, double bass, plays classical music with the Santa Monica Symphony and the Vicente Chamber Orchestra, Arabic music with MESTO, jazz with the Soapbox, new music for silent films with the Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble, and experimental/improvised music with Intangible, the Present Quartet, Anna Homler, Andrea Centazzo, and other artists. He has published books on music with Routledge and SUNY Press and articles in Notes, Critical Studies in Improvisation, and other journals.
Brian Stone, conductor, has worked in the opera pit and on the concert stage with professional orchestras in 10 states and four countries, as well as students at 10 colleges to public and institutional acclaim. Brian grew up in Santa Monica and holds degrees from Bennington College and The Peabody Conservatory. He is the conductor of The Westside Chamber Orchestra and regularly conducts at Mission Opera. He is also Artistic Director Laureate of The Santa Clarita Symphony. He entered the profession as an understudy at the National Symphony and as an assistant at Baltimore Opera.
Eriko Tsuji, violin, originally from Kyoto, Japan, is an educator based in Southern California. A former section violinist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, she appears frequently as a chamber musician and guest artist throughout the region. Her students have earned top prizes in regional and national competitions and advanced to leading youth orchestras, summer festivals, and conservatories. Ms. Tsuji serves as Director of the Community Youth Orchestra of Southern California and holds a MM degree in Violin Performance from UCLA.
Brian Tung, jazz piano
Kielor How Tung, violin/viola/conductor, is an MM student in Orchestral Conducting at Bard College Conservatory of Music, under the direction of James Bagwell and Leon Botstein. He previously studied conducting with Miguel Harth-Bedoya and Andrew Hauze and violin with Joel Link (Dover Quartet/The Cleveland Orchestra). Kielor also plays viola, cello, and continuo, and he studied classical voice (bass) with Lara Nie-Slotwiner. Kielor graduated with a BA in music and BS in engineering from Swarthmore College.
Peter Valsamis, jazz percussion
Parker Waechter, jazz guitar
Christin Phelps Webb, bassoon, is a freelance chamber and orchestral musician based in Los Angeles. She is principal bassoon with the Westside Chamber Orchestra and often performs with many of LA’s finest ensembles. A passionate chamber musician, Christin was featured on the critically acclaimed album “Postcards” with Ceora Winds and Jenni Brandon’s album “Dreams of Birds.” In addition to her position teaching bassoon at Pepperdine University, Christin gives masterclasses and maintains a private teaching studio.
Jonathan Wei, violin, was a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He began his musical studies at China’s prestigious Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and later continued his education at the University of Southern California. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition, he has served as concertmaster for numerous community orchestras in Los Angeles.