University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts
Alain Frogley, Interim Dean
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
Rodney Rock, Director presents
Outreach for Youth
Sunday, June 2 – 4:30PM
Monday, June 3 – 7:00PM
JOY!
Recital 2024
Conservatory
Jorgensen
Outreach for Youth JJorgensenOY!
SUNDAY, JUNE 2 | PROGRAM
Prelude and Fugue in B flat, BWV 866 (from The Well
Tempered Clavier)
J.S. Bach
Avin Perera, piano
En prière
Gabriel Faure
Andrew Grzywacz, baritone
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Partita II BWV 1004
J.S. Bach
PJ White, violin
Un Sospiro
Franz Liszt
Matt Mardales, piano
Berceuse
Gabriel Fauré
Soraya Barnett, violin
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Aria
J.S. Bach
Alyssa Wilson, trumpet
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Concerto No. 3 in G minor,
Op. 12, Movement I
Friedrich Seitz
Selena Antwi, violin
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Étude in D-sharp minor,
Op. 8, No. 12
Alexander Scriabin
Sebastian Mardales, piano
Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: VI. Bourrée
J.S. Bach
Matthew Sandoval, violin
Playera, Spanish Dance
Op. 23, No. 5
Pablo de Sarasate
Samantha Vaughn, violin
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Fantasiestücke, Op. 12Aufschwung (No. 2)
Robert Schumann
Sasha Dausey, piano
Cello Suite 1, Courante
J.S. Bach
Rashad Watt, cello
Recorda Me
Joe Henderson
Nigel Bello, trombone
Dr. Ryan Burns, piano
Waltz in E Minor, Op. Posth
Frederick Chopin
Shawn Zhang, piano
MONDAY, JUNE 3 | PROGRAM
Già il sole dal Gange
Alessandro Scarlatti
Emma Banton, voice
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Partita No. 2 in D Minor – Gigue
J. S. Bach
Jason Cao, violin
Arabesque No.1
Claude Debussy
Shloka Nathan, piano
Nel cor piú non mi sento
Giovanni Paisiello
Sadie Wood, mezzo-soprano
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
The 3 G's
Kenji Bunch
Lila Gillon, viola
Felicidade
A. C. Jobim,
arr. by Roland Dyens
Aleksandra Popovic, guitar
If I Loved You
Oscar Hammerstein ll
Leah Pallis, soprano
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Symphonie Espagnole
Édouard Lalo
Jerry Zhu, violin
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Asturiana and Nana
Manuel de Falla
Savannah Bryer, mezzo-soprano
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Malagueña
Sarasate
Ejon Chen, violin
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Se tu m'ami, se sospiri
Giovanni B. Pergolesi
Emma Ferraro, soprano
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Concerto in A minor, Op. 3, No. 6, Movement I
Vivaldi/arr. T. Nachéz
Nika Onsori, violin
Dr. Laura Hibbard, piano
Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV
1002 - 4. Double (Presto)
J.S. Bach
Nikki Hang, violin
A Cellist's Garden of Verses, V. Windy Nights
Elaine Fine
Anya Gilchenok, viola
2023 – 2024
JOY! CONSERVATORY PARTICIPANTS
SELENA ANTWI is a sophomore at Manchester High school where she is involved in the orchestra, chamber orchestra, and Tri-M music honors society. She also frequently visits Illing Middle School during the week to tutor younger violinists. This is Selena’s first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program, and she is a student of Kelly Gembara.
EMMA BANTON is a homeschooled senior in high school from Columbia, CT. She has won second place in the NATS competition's high school category two years in a row and sings with UConn’s community choir for the full school year. This is her third year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Meredith Ziegler.
SORAYA BARNETT is a junior at Manchester High School where she's a member of the orchestra and chamber orchestra. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Bobby Luan.
NIGEL BELLO is a senior at East Hartford High School. He has played trombone with the New Jersey Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra in France and has opened at the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Festival in Downtown Hartford. This is his third year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. He has studied with Sean Nelson, Steve Davis, and Papo Vazquez.
SAVANNAH BRYER is a senior at ACT Magnet High School where she is a member of both the music pathway and Advanced Choir. This is Savannah’s first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Emily Zornado.
JASON CAO is a sophomore at E.O. Smith High School where he is a member of the select Chamber Orchestra. This is his second year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. He is a student of Samantha Drake.
EJON CHEN is an eighth-grade student at Mansfield Middle School, where she is a member of the school orchestra. She participates in the Opus 89 Orchestra and chamber groups at Hartt. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Wendy Sharp.
SASHA DAUSEY is a junior at Kingswood Oxford School. She has studied piano with Sima Brodsky at the Hartt School of Music Community Division for many years. This is her third year in the JOY! Conservatory Program.
EMMA FERRARO is a sophomore at Ellington High School where she is a member of the Vocal Ensemble and Chorale. She participates in multiple music festivals such as CMEA and NEMFA. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Dr. Caroline O'Dwyer.
ANYA GILCHENOK is a 14-year-old violist. She is principal of the Opus orchestra at the Hartt Community Division. Anya has played in masterclasses for Molly Carr of the Juilliard String Quartet and Emma Frucht of the Aizuri Quartet. In June 2024, Anya will be playing as a finalist in the American Viola Society Solo Competition, Junior Division at the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles. She studies viola with Steve Larson.
LILA GILLON is a senior at E.O. Smith High School studying viola with Lindsey Clark. She enjoys exploring nonclassical styles of music in addition to traditional repertoire and she is active in her school's chamber orchestra and fiddle band as well as the Willimantic Orchestra. This is her second year in the JOY! Conservatory Program.
ANDREW GRZYWACZ is a junior at ACT where he is a member of both the Acapella and Select Acapella choirs. This is his second year in JOY! Conservatory Program. He is a student of Carolyn Fisher.
NIKKI HANG is a freshman at Tolland High School. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Lu Friedman.
MATT MARDALES is an eighth-grade student at Sunset Ridge School. He is a member of the school band where he plays the flute and saxophone. He is also a member of the jazz band where he plays the piano. This is his first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. He is a student of Homan Cheung.
SEBASTIAN MARDALES is a junior at the Connecticut IB Academy, where he is a member of the high school orchestra and the Tri-M music honor society. He also plays in the youth chamber program at the Hartt School Community Division. This is his first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. He is a student of Homan Cheung.
SHLOKA NATHAN is a junior at Ellington High School where she serves as a class officer, actively contributing to fostering a positive school community. Alongside her leadership role, she finds joy in playing the piano and has been playing for the past nine years. This marks her third year as a member of the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Dr. Mo Tian.
NIKA ONSORI is a freshman at E.O. Smith High School where she is a member of both the Chorus and Orchestra. She is also a member of the Willimantic Orchestra. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Emily Deguzis.
LEAH PALLIS is a senior at Tolland High School. She also attends the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Half Day Program where she takes classes in dance, acting, and voice. This is her second year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Meredith Ziegler.
AVIN PERERA started learning piano at age 5 with Dr. Priyeshni Perera (mother), and currently studies with Dr. Angelina Gadeliya
in his first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. He has achieved distinctions in piano from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music UK. He won the award for excellence in piano performance at the Windham Regional Arts Competition in CT.
ALEKSANDRA POPOVIC is a junior at ACT Magnet High School, where she is a section leader, a member of their Select Choir, and a member of National Honors Student Society. This is her third year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She has been playing guitar for ten years and is a student of Jaclyn Jones at the Hartt School of Music.
MATTHEW SANDOVAL is a sophomore at Manchester High School. He has been playing violin for two years and has been enjoying it ever since. This is his first year in JOY! Conservatory Program. He is a student of Bobby Luan.
SAM VAUGHN is a senior at Manchester High School. She is part of the Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra where she is coconcertmaster. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Kelly Gembara.
RASHAD WATT is a senior at Manchester High School where he is a member of both the Orchestra and Concert Band, as well as the Chamber Orchestra. This is his second year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. He is a student of Peter Scaar.
ALYSSA WILSON is an eighth-grade student at Illing Middle School where she is a member of the Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Select Jazz One Band conducted and taught by Meg Clough. She was selected this year to play in the Eastern Region Middle School Music Festival. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Nancy Brown.
PJ WHITE is a senior at Manchester High School where she's a member of the High School Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. This is her second year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Bobby Luan.
SADIE WOOD is a sophomore at the Woodstock Academy, and is involved in band, chorus, and the theatre department. She is also a member of WA’s chamber group, the Hill Singers. This is her first year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Meredith Ziegler.
SHAWN ZHANG is a junior at the O’Bryant School of Math and Science and a student of AJ Collins. He placed 1st place with Special Honors in the XIII Sonatina and Sonata International Youth Competition and was invited to play at Carnegie Hall. Later, he also attended the Texas International Piano Festival and passed the ABRSM Theory test with distinction. This is his second year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. Outside of piano, he spends his time fencing and studying to become a physician.
MINDY ZHAO is a junior at Hall High School where she is a member of I Giovani Solisti. This is her third year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. She is a student of Teri Einfeldt.
JERRY ZHU is a sophomore at South Windsor High School where he is a member of the Chamber Orchestra. This is his second year in the JOY! Conservatory Program. He is a student of Eric Chen.
~
~ ~
DR. RYAN BURNS was the National Winner of The American Prize in Vocal Performance — The Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award in the professional opera division for 20172018, and a National Finalist of The American Prize in Vocal Performance - Art Song Division for 2016 - 2017. He graduated with a doctor of musical arts from the University of Connecticut in 2017 under the direction of Dr. Constance Rock, where he was a former Concerto Competition winner. While there, he served as an adjunct instructor of Opera Studio, directing the voice area’s opera outreach program. This past April, he performed as part of the MATI Concert Series at the Ukrainian Insitute of America in New York City.
Dr. Burns serves as director of music at The Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut, and program coordinator for the JOY! Conservatory Scholarship Program at UConn. This past February, he conducted Pomfret Theater’s production of the musical, Into the Woods.
An avid and passionate supporter of arts education, he believes that creativity is fundamental to the human experience and that all of us are artists.
DR. LAURA HIBBARD, a native of Canada, holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the Juilliard School, where she was a student of Jacob Lateiner. The New York Daily News has called her “…America’s answer to Alicia de Larrocha.” She earned her Ph.D. in Theory and History from UConn in December. Her research interests include the 12-tone music of Roger Sessions, the subject of her dissertation, and Performance and Analysis. She is the Music Director at Park Congregational Church in Norwich, where she runs the Sundays in the Parlor chamber music series. Laura has performed as a recitalist, soloist with orchestra, and chamber musician throughout the United States and Canada. Before coming to UConn, she was a part-time faculty member and collaborative pianist in the music department at the University of Rhode Island.
JJorgensenOY!
Outreach for Youth
The University of Connecticut and Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts wishes to thank our generous sponsors for supporting the JOY! Conservatory Program for the 2024-2025 season.
Corporate / Foundation Sponsors
SBM Charitable Foundation
Diamond / $1000+
Honey & Harry Birkenruth
Harry & Lynn Johnson
James Knox
Jean & John Lenard
Nancy & John Silander
Mrs. Nora Stevens
Ruby / $300+
Becky & Scott Lehmann
The University of Connecticut League, Inc
Sapphire / $100+
Ms. Margaret Dillon & Dr. Larry Bowman
Maryellen Donnelly & James Krall
Jan Huber
Carol & David Jordan
Craig Knox In memory of Jane L. Knox
The McChesney Family In honor of James Knox
Pearl / up to $99
Sabrina & Daniel Bowersett
Paul D'Italia
Karen Jason
Robin Lubatkin
Bonnie Ryan
Thank you to everyone who donated to JOY! during UConn Gives this past April!
2024 Donors
Anonymous Donors
Terrence Abney & Velda Alfred-Abney
Paul Aho & Elena Sevilla
Miss Kimberly Allen
Timothy Alstrum
Mrs. Sarah Arruda
Bill Baronas
Nancy Bauer
Carina & Michael Bies
Mr. & Mrs. Kent & Maria Boudreau
Colleen Bridgeman
Dr. Ryan Burns
Mr. Ryan Casey
Anne D'Alleva
Mrs. & Mr. Kimberly & John DeBaise
Diane Dunlap
Susannah Everett
Annie Feather
Beth Feather
Mr. & Mrs. Harris Friedlander
Dr. Alain Frogley
Ray Gomes
Cynthia Herlihy
Arielle Hill-Moses
Dr. Solomiya Ivakhiv
In honor of Prof. Anne D'Alleva
Ms. Cathy Jameson & Ms. Renee Fournier
Rachel Katz
Jacqueline Kennedy
Diane Kivney
Lin & Waldo Klein
James Knox
Timothy & Ellen Kocher
Dr. Diane Lillo-Martin & Mr. Stephen Martin
Gracie Martin
Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth & Erika McNeil
Ms. Emily Murray
Ms. Julia Olson
Mr. & Mrs. Jay & Laura Pawlyk
Michelle Polgar
Michael Polo & Arlette de Koning
Lauren Prause
Rodney & Constance Rock
Viga Rood
Leann Sanders
Ms. Beverly Sims
Jennifer & Michael Stassen
Ms. Annie Suite
Mr. Donald Swinton
In honor of Jayda McKerleyHappy Graduation 2024!
Miss Julie Wood
Applications are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 JOY! Conservatory Program!
The deadline to apply is FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2024.
