Wednesday, September 3, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. | Jordan Hall
Program Order
Welcome
Student Welcome & Introduction of Student Speaker
Student Speaker’s Remarks
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Introduction of New Staff
Introduction of New Faculty
Panel Discussion:
Creative Exploration
President’s Remarks
Arr. Johnbern Thomas (b. 1986)
Andrea Kalyn, President
Richard Giarusso, Dean & Chief Academic Officer
Michael Fisher ’25, ’27 MM
IV. Final: Animé, Piano Trio in A minor, M.67
Trio Eris
K.J. McDonald ’25 GD, ’26 MM, Violin
Annie SeEun Hyung ’26 MM, Cello
Andrew Jun Chen ’24 MM, ’26 GD, Piano
Jennifer Hecht, Chief Human Resources Officer
Richard Giarusso, Dean & Chief Academic Officer
With Trio Eris & members of the CMA ensemble
Moderated by
Richard Giarusso, Dean & Chief Academic Officer
Hank Mou , Dean & Chief Artistic Officer
Andrea Kalyn, President
Traditional Haitian: Soufle Van (The Wind Blows)*
Pitiki Aliakai ’27, voice
Rosario Rivas ’27, voice
Stella Sokolowski ’26 MM , voice
Woody Pierre ’27, trumpet
Bug Jaffe ’28 , bass guitar
Sam Saomek Srithongkum ’26 MM , piano/controller
Victor Giraldez ’28 , percussion
Paul July Joseph ’28 , drums
* The message of “Souffle Van” is that people are the wind of hope and, by improving ourselves, we can all have better lives where our minds can be truly free. We need to be mentally strong so that we are not afraid of difficulties. Making change requires a deep belief in ourselves. In order to do all that we need to do, people need to act on what they know needs to be done and, as a result of that, will inspire all of humanity.
Meet Our New Faculty
Juliano Dutra Aniceto
A rising star in his generation of LatinAmerican conductors, Juliano Aniceto is known for his versatile musical depth and passionate stage presence. He is Director of Orchestras at New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School, Conductor of NEC’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and Artistin-Residence at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where he is a doctoral candidate under the mentorship of conductor Marin Alsop. Aniceto also serves as assistant/cover conductor for the Ravinia Festival, the summer residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared as a guest conductor with such notable ensembles as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, São Paulo State Youth Orchestra, São Pedro Opera House, Peabody Symphony, Peabody Concert Orchestra, and East Carolina University Symphony Orchestra, among others. Aniceto embraces projects that foster collaborations between people of diverse backgrounds and that re-envision symphonic works through novel programming. Born in Brazil, Aniceto earned his undergraduate degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and his Master of Music degree from East Carolina University.
Stefan Asbury
A frequent conductor of leading orchestras, Stefan Asbury has formed strong musical relationships throughout the world. He has served as Chief Conductor of the North Netherlands Orchestra and Musician-inResidence of the Tapiola Sinfonietta, and has led such celebrated ensembles as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Copenhagen Philharmonic, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Philharmonia (Tokyo), NHK Orchestra, and China National Symphony Orchestra. He has also led opera and musical-theater productions at the Spoleto Festival, Barbican (London), Tanglewood Music Center, Perth International Arts Festival, Wiener Festwochen, Lyon Opera, and the opera of La Monnaie (Brussels). An experienced educator, Asbury served on the faculty of the Tanglewood Music Center for three decades and was Head of Conducting from 2005 to 2024. He has given master classes at the Hochschule der Künste (Zürich), Venice and Geneva conservatories, Mendelssohn Academy of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and New World Symphony. He has also been a guest artist at Boston University and the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.
Wenting Kang
Described by The New York Times as an “excellent violist” with a “dark glowing sound,” and praised by The Strad as “a standout player and brilliant arranger,” Wenting Kang continues to impress on the world stage. A prizewinner at top international competitions, she brings depth, elegance, and expressive clarity to performances across major festivals and concert halls worldwide. Her debut recording with pianist Sergei Kvitko, Mosaic, received a rave review from Gramophone, which said, “Part of the allure is her golden and glowing tone but the subtlety of her shading is just as transfixing.” Kang has appeared as a soloist with such major ensembles as the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, and Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra. She has served as assistant professor at the Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid and has taught master classes and chamber music at such prestigious institutions such as the University Mozarteum, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Kunst-Universität Graz, Accademia Stauffer in Cremona, and Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. She joined New England Conservatory faculty in 2024.
Ricardo L. Lugo
A native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, Ricardo L. Lugo has been praised by Opera News for his “resonant, full-voiced basso.” He is a versatile international artist who is in demand on the operatic and concert scene, having performed with the San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Virginia Opera, Hawaii Opera, North Carolina Opera, and Opera Memphis, among other companies. Lugo made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Un Barnabotto in La Gioconda and has since appeared in multiple Met Opera productions, including The Nose, Pelléas et Mélisande, Otello, Tannhäuser, Tosca, Turandot, Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Ariadne auf Naxos, Khovanshchina, Billy Budd, La Fanciulla del West, Adriana Lecouvreur, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, The Gambler, Die Zauberflöte, and Salome. He has collaborated with such distinguished conductors as Christian Badea, Beltran de Billy, Leon Botstein, Alan Gilbert, Valery Gergiev, James Levine, Nicola Luisotti, Donald Runnicles, and Robert Tweten. Lugo earned his bachelor’s degree from the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and his master’s degree from The Juilliard School. Before joining the faculty at New England Conservatory, he was Professor of Voice at Cornell University.
Mischa Santora
As Music Director of the Boston Ballet since 2018, Mischa Santora conducts the Boston Ballet Orchestra in performances of repertoire ranging from 19th-century ballets to contemporary productions. He recently made his debut at the New York City Ballet in performances of Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and, on tour with Boston Ballet, led the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra in performances of Swan Lake. Santora has appeared with such ensembles as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, Taiwan National Symphony, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, Hungarian National Philharmonic, West Australian Symphony, and Israel Chamber Orchestra. As a composer, he has created works for such renowned artists as William Forsythe, Shantell Martin, and Nanine Linning, and premiered his work TOCCATA for Orchestra and Live Electronics with Boston Ballet in 2024 in collaboration with choreographer Ken Ossola and electronic-music artist Michael Cain. He is currently preparing an orchestral score for its premiere this season in collaboration with guitarist Reeves Gabrels (The Cure, David Bowie) and choreographer My’kal Stromile. Santora will join New England Conservatory’s faculty in fall 2025.
Meet Our New Staff
John Amaral Director of Financial Planning & Analysis, Finance
Violet Blitz Audio Video Engineer, Recording & Performance Technology
Odair Cardoso General Maintenance Technician, Facilities
David An Entrepreneurial Musicianship Coordinator, Community Outreach & Partnerships
David Brensilver Marketing Writer, Marketing
Kathleen H. Donahue Associate Vice President of Finance & Controller, Finance
Emma Biggert Assistant Director of Artistic Operations, Artistic Administration & Business Relations
Ciya Bresilla Coordinator for Health & Wellness, Counseling
Jennifer Hecht Chief Human Resources Officer, Human Resources
Emma Jenks Program Manager, Expanded Education
De’Ron McDaniel Major Gifts Officer, Advancement
Gregory Smith Assistant Director of Facilities & Project Manager, Facilities
Kelly Knox Teaching Artistry & CEPS Coordinator, Community Outreach and Partnerships
Hank Mou Dean and Chief Artistic Officer, Artistic Administration & Business Relations
Elizabeth St. Brice Administrative Manager for Facilities, Facilities
Jacqueline Legutko Office Coordinator, Academic & Student Affairs
Evan Rizvi Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives, Strategy
Jacob Steingart Audio Engineer— Classical Recording Specialist, Recording & Performance Technology
Magen Tracy Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, Marketing
Peter (Tianguang) Xu Program Manager, Large Ensembles, Expanded Education
Rod Vester
Associate Dean for Student & Academic Affairs, Academic & Student Affairs
Adriana Zuñiga-Acevedo Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications, Marketing
Rachel Webb Special Assistant to the Dean for Academic Planning & Administration, Academic & Student Affairs
The Presser Awards
The Presser Foundation was formally established in 1939 under various deeds of trust of Theodore Presser, founder of the oldest continuing music publisher in the United States and an NEC alumnus. The Foundation’s purposes are primarily set forth to promote the cause of music education and music philanthropy, including providing scholarships to promising students. The foundation annually gives two awards to NEC students, one for a returning graduate student and one for a fourthyear undergraduate.
The Graduate Music Award program is designed to encourage and support in a special way the advanced education and career of truly exceptional graduate music students who have the potential to make a distinguished contribution to the field of music. The Undergraduate Scholar Award is given to a student in their senior year on the basis of merit and achievement.
Graduate Music Award
Letian Cheng, DMA 3
Undergraduate Scholar Award Anna Poltronieri-Tang, ’25
The Presidential Scholarship Awards
Dorothy Hinton Congleton Memorial Presidential Scholarship
Seokyoung Hong ’29, Piano Performance
The Dorothy Hinton Congleton Memorial Presidential Scholarship was established in 1976, and elevated to a Presidential Scholarship in 2007 through the generous support of NEC President’s Council member
William H. Congleton and his wife, Margaret A. Congleton. The scholarship is named in memory of Mr. Congleton’s mother, an accomplished musician and teacher.
Edward Hyde Cox Presidential Scholarship
Daniel Wood ’28 BM, French Horn Performance
The trustees of Mr. Cox’s estate established the Edward Hyde Cox Presidential Scholarship in 2001. An amateur pianist and longtime friend of poet Robert Frost, Mr. Cox requested that the gift be used to support an outstanding student pursuing the study of classical music.
Friedlaender Family Presidential Scholarship Fund
Richard Taylor ’28 BM, Trumpet Performance
The Friedlaender family has been ardent supporters of NEC for over 40 years. Clara May Friedlaender served on the Board of Trustees for close to three decades, and was followed by her son, Stephen, to continue the family’s volunteer service. Stephen served as a Life Trustee and was instrumental in the planning and building of NEC’s Student Life and Performance Center. The family’s passion for music and education led them to create a classical music scholarship in 1986, which was elevated to the Presidential level in 2018.
Francis W. Hatch, Sr. Presidential Scholarship Fund
William Sotiriou ’27 MM, Viola Performance
The Francis W. Hatch, Sr. Presidential Scholarship Fund was established in 1983, and elevated to a Presidential Scholarship in 2005 through a gift from the late Life Trustee Francis W. Hatch and his wife, Serena. The fund, named in memory of Frank’s father, provides full tuition support to a deserving musician.
Helena Foundation Presidential Scholarship Fund
Cosmo Lieberman ’28 BM, Jazz Saxophone Performance
The Helena Foundation Presidential Scholarship Fund was established in 1999, and elevated to a Presidential Scholarship in 2006 through the additional generosity of James A. Earl and his son, Jimmy C. Earl. The Scholarship is named in memory of James Earl’s mother, Margaret Helena Earl, and represents NEC’s first Presidential Scholarship awarded to a jazz student.
Donna Hieken Flute Presidential Scholarship Fund
Shengyu Cui ’26 GC, Flute Performance
Charles and Donna Hieken were steadfast supporters of NEC, establishing the Donna Hieken Flute Chair in 2005 to honor Mrs. Hieken and her career as an instructor and flautist. The Hiekens’ passion for education and lifelong love for music led to the endowment of the Donna Hieken Flute Scholarship in 2015 to memorialize Mrs. Hieken. It was elevated to a Presidential Scholarship in 2017 through the generosity of Charles and his son, Seth Hieken.
Carol T. and Robert P. Henderson Presidential Scholarship
Hyun-Gyu Ji ’26 MM, Piano Performance
Life Trustee Carol Henderson and her husband, Robert, established the Carol T. and Robert P. Henderson Presidential Scholarship in 2002 in recognition of NEC’s ongoing priority to provide increased financial aid for its students.
Laurence Lesser Presidential Scholarship Fund
Ethan Murphy ’27 BM, Cello Performance
Former Trustee Edward Phillips and his wife, Margaret, along with The New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, established the Laurence Lesser Presidential Scholarship in recognition of the artistry and leadership of President Emeritus Lesser.
John Moriarty Presidential Scholarship Fund
Suowei Wu ‘27 GD, Vocal Performance
Interested in the career development of young professionals, NEC Life Trustee and longtime supporter Lee Day Gillespie established the John Moriarty Presidential Scholarship to honor John Moriarty’s many years of work with young artists and his contribution to the training of young singers at NEC.
Charlotte F. Rabb Presidential Scholarship Fund
Hannah Marks ’26 MM, Jazz Bass Performance
This fund was established in 1989 by Irving Rabb in honor of his wife, Charlotte, “Dolly,” on their 50th wedding anniversary. Mrs. Rabb was a Trustee, President’s Council member, and supporter of NEC’s students through financial aid and countless hours as a dedicated volunteer from 1970 until her passing in 2000.
Edward P. and Margaret Richardson Presidential Scholarship
Dillon Akerman ’27 MM, Percussion Performance
Margaret Eustis Richardson and her late husband, former NEC Trustee and President’s Council member Dr. Edward Peirson Richardson, established the Edward P. and Margaret Richardson Presidential Scholarship in 1989 after many years of family involvement.
Wendy Shattuck ’75 Presidential Scholarship Fund for Vocal Studies
Valentine Umeh ’27 BM, Vocal Performance
The Wendy Shattuck ’75 Presidential Scholarship Fund for Vocal Studies was established in 2004 by Life Trustee Wendy Shattuck and her husband, Sam Plimpton. Ms. Shattuck graduated from NEC in 1975 with a degree in vocal performance, and both Wendy and Sam have been active and generous members of NEC’s Board committees and events.
Abraham Skernick Memorial Presidential Scholarship
Seeun Hyung ’26 MM, Cello Performance
The late Dr. Marjorie McDonald endowed this scholarship in 2001 on the occasion of her 75th birthday. A retired psychiatrist and former violist with the Boston Philharmonic, Dr. McDonald served on NEC’s President’s Council. She established this scholarship to honor the skill and talent of her teacher, violinist Abraham Skernick, principal violist of the Cleveland Orchestra for 27 years.
Helen Haxton Stare Presidential Scholarship in Voice
Nicholas Ottersberg Enriquez ’27 MM, Vocal Performance
The Helen Haxton Stare Voice Scholarship was established in 1980 by NEC Life President’s Council member, the late Dr. Frederick Stare and Mrs. Irene M. Stare, to honor Dr. Stare’s late wife and NEC Trustee, Helen Haxton Stare. Following the passing of Dr. Stare, violinist Irene Stare elevated this endowed fund to a Presidential Scholarship in 2007.
Irene M. Stare Presidential Scholarship in Violin
Yixiang Wang ’26 GD, Violin Performance
This scholarship was established in 1986 as the Irene M. Stare Violin Scholarship Fund by the late violinist Mrs. Irene M. Stare and NEC Life President’s Council member Dr. Frederick Stare. It was elevated to a Presidential Scholarship in 2007 through a generous gift from Mrs. Stare.
Joan and Henry Wheeler Presidential Scholarship
Ricky Owens ’26 GD, Vocal Performance
Former Board member and longtime friends of NEC, the late Joan and Henry Wheeler endowed the Joan and Henry Wheeler Presidential Scholarship in 2001. The fund, established in honor of NEC’s Opera Program, provides financial aid for talented students that apply to study in the program.
2025 Staff Service Awards
President’s Service Award
Maryalice Perrin-Mohr, Archivist and Records Manager
In 2005 NEC established the President’s Service Award to further recognize the contributions of NEC staff employees. This award recognizes superior service in support of NEC’s daily operations; a willingness to go “above and beyond” in the performance of responsibilities; a collegial spirit and respect for members of the NEC Community; and at least five years of demonstrated dedication to NEC in a staff position.
Rachdorf Award
Christine Cestari, Senior Director of Enrollment & Program Operations for Expanded Education
NEC established a staff award to honor Robert Rachdorf, Head of Building Operations, who passed away in 1998 after thirty-two years of dedicated service to NEC. The terms of the Rachdorf Award are: a sense of responsibility for, and demonstrated dedication to, making NEC the best place possible for its different constituencies, including students, faculty, and staff; an ability to use resources wisely and with great creativity; humility and selflessness in service to the NEC community; and at least five years of service to NEC as a full-time staff member.
