Meet The Performers!
David Adewumi
David Adewumi is a New Hampshire trumpet player and composer who began his musical journey at age 9. At the New England Conservatory, he studied with Dave Holland, Ralph Alessi, Ran Blake, Frank Carlberg, Jason Moran, John McNeil, and the late Laurie Frink. In 2015, he was accepted to the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program, where he performed his compositions at the Kennedy Center under the guidance of Artistic Director Jason Moran. During his final year at NEC, David had the opportunity to study at Harvard with Vijay Iyer with a sextet comprised of like minded improvisers. In 2017, he was the first jazz musician and trumpet player to receive the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Since then he has made appearances around the world, including the Bern Jazz Festival, International Jazz Day in Adelaide with James Morrison, and Festival of New Trumpet Music with Dave Douglas. As a recent graduate of Juilliard, David continues to develop artistry, and continues to challenge himself musically and intellectually on the New York jazz scene.
Dan Chmielinski
Dan Chmielinski began his love affair with the bass at the young age of three. Now 24, he is an accomplished bassist and composer who has traveled the world and performed/recorded with Joey Alexander, Wynton Marsalis, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Brad Mehldau, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Jon Batiste, Bryan Carter, Marc Cary, Beka Gochiashvili, Antonio Sanchez, Nir Felder, Etienne Charles, Camille Bertault, Mike Moreno, Rodney Green, Eric Harland, and many more. He recently received his master's degree in jazz studies from The Juilliard. Dan also earned his bachelor's degree from Juilliard, studying under the great Ron Carter. Dan is also well studied in composition, prolific in both scoring for film as well as concert music. Recently, Dan was one of eight composers selected to participate in BMI’s “Composing for the Screen” film scoring mentorship, under the guidance of acclaimed media composer Rick Baitz. He has also studied with composers Philip Lasser, Kendall Briggs, and Edward Bilous.
Anneliese Klenetsky
Soprano Anneliese Klenetsky just completed her first year of master’s training at Juilliard under the tutelage of Sanford Sylvan. Her recent opera repertoire includes the Governess in Britten's The Turn of the Screw at The Chautauqua Institute, Amaranta in Juilliard’s production of Haydn’s La fedeltà premiata, and La bergère in Ravel's L’enfant et les sortilèges with the Juilliard Orchestra under Maestro Emmanuel Villaume. She was most recently seen in April performing Jonathan Dawe’s world premiere of Oroborium at Alice Tully Hall with the New Juilliard Ensemble under Joel Sachs. She was also seen this year performing Handel’s Laudate pueri dominum HWV 237 with Juilliard415 and Vox Luminis. Numerous world premieres include Theo Chandler's Songs for Brooches with the Juilliard Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall, Jake Landau’s Les danseuses de Pigalle at New York Live Arts, and his song cycle Streetlight with text by Joni Mitchell. Anneliese received her BM at Juilliard in 2017.
Douglas Marriner
Douglas Marriner is a third-generation musician, and a jazz drummer, composer and educator currently based in New York City. Born in London, he was immersed in a musical environment, growing up with the musical guidance of both his grandfather, Sir Neville Marriner (founder and conductor of the Academy of St Martin-In-The-Fields, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Amadeus), and also his father, Andrew Marriner, Principal Clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra. After his Master’s graduation, Douglas was awarded the drum chair for Juilliard’s Artist Diploma Ensemble (2015-17), where his sextet was coached by Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Barron, and Ben Wolfe, touring Europe, South America, and Japan. Douglas is a passionate educator, and was the Director of Juilliard’s MAP Percussion Ensemble, in addition to teaching private percussion lessons and mentoring their orchestral musicians. He has also taught for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s education programs and summer schools. As a performer, Douglas has worked with artists such as Shai Maestro, Beka Gochiashvili, Doug Wamble, Rodney Jones, Vincent Herring, Nate Sparks Big Band, and Cecile McLorin Salvant.
Zoe Obadia
Zoe Obadia is an alto saxophonist from Glen Ridge, NJ. She is currently studying at Juilliard with saxophonists Dan Block and Ted Nash. She began playing the saxophone at age nine and became immersed in a community of great jazz musicians and educators based in New Jersey. In high school, she participated in the Essentially Ellington and Mingus festivals with the Jazz House Kids Big Band, and was a 2014 Grammy Jazz Band member, a 2014 Young Arts Jazz Finalist, and a Downbeat High School Soloist Winner. Zoe has performed with the Mingus Big Band, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Antonio Hart, James Carter, and Victor Lewis. She also performed at the Pittsfield Jazz Festival in 2014 as the featured young artist, and the Caramoor Jazz Festival with her own group. She is a teaching assistant at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Middle School Jazz Academy and the Jazz House Kids Summer Workshop and Chica Power program.
Ruaridh Pattison
Saxophonist Ruaridh Pattison was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. His favourite record as a child was Echo Beach by the Canadian new wave band Martha & The Muffins. Inspired by the saxophone solo, he began learning the instrument age 11. He soon discovered jazz and was drawn to the freedom of expression. In 2011, Ruaridh became the fifth Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year. Following this success, he was endorsed by D’addario Woodwinds, played Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London jazz festivals under his own name, and was a featured soloist at the 16th World Saxophone Congress in St. Andrews, Scotland. In late 2012, he joined the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, where he would lead the saxophone section for one and half years. Ruaridh left his chair when he moved to New York City. He is a recent graduate of Juilliard, where he studied under Joe Temperely, Steve Wilson, and Joe Magnarelli.
Mathis “Jaona Jolan” Picard
Mathis “Jaona Jolan” Picard is a French-Malagasy pianist, composer, educator, producer, arranger, and bandleader from the town of Grenoble, France. A member of the Montreux Jazz Foundation, Mathis has had the wonderful opportunity to work with Patti Smith, Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jason Moran, Lee Ritenour, Yaron Herman, and DJ Kindness & Jazz At Lincoln Center. A recent graduate of Juilliard, where he studied with Kenny Barron, he’s received an Excellence in Musicianship and Leadership Award and now plays and educates with the Bria Skonberg Quintet, the Braxton Cook Quintet, CROWN, ‘Jazz For Young People’ Program, and Michael Mwenso and the Shakes. Mathis has also led his own band in venues such as Dizzy’s Coca-Cola Club, The Appel Room, National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and has been a featured pianist for The Self Portrait NY Fashion Show 2017. He has recently performed on the West End in London on a show produced by Hoagy B. Carmichael, and as a pianist for Wynton Marsalis' 'Young Stars Of Jazz' concert in Marciac, France. You can now catch Mathis and his band The Mathis Sound Orchestra playing all over New York City.
Cameron Richardson-Eames
Born in the UK in 1992, Cameron Richardson-Eames is a graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge University, and the Royal Academy of Music, London. He is currently a Fulbright Scholar at Juilliard, studying collaborative piano under Brian Zeger, Margo Garrett, and JJ Penna, where he is supported by the Arthur Gold, Robert Fizdale, and George H Gangwere Scholarships. Recent engagements include broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, and WQXR in the US, including live at the launch night of the BBC Proms, and performances in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Estonia, Malta, and in New York at Alice Tully Hall, and Marilyn Horne’s ‘The Song Continues’ series, also at Carnegie Hall. Forthcoming engagements include recitals in the UK (Wigmore Hall, St. James’ Piccadilly, Ryedale Festival), Copenhagen, and Paris. He is also a member of the piano staff at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute in Chicago. Cameron is also a singer and has performed with the Grammy-nominated choirs Polyphony and The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, with whom he recorded thirteen CDs for the Hyperion record label. His extremely varied career includes playing for the Brit Award-winning crossover band, BLAKE, whose recent album is currently at number one in the UK Classical Charts. He is a Park Lane Group Young Artist and a Fellow of Trinity College London in piano performance.
Isaiah Thompson
Isaiah Thompson is a jazz pianist in his third undergraduate year at Juilliard. He began studying classical piano at the age of five and quickly branched out to other styles. He has performed with major artists, including Christian McBride, Terell Stafford, and Rodney Whitaker, and he recently recorded Handful of Keys with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Isaiah believes that artistry is a direct channel into the mind and soul of an artist, and as such, feels that it is important to not lose sight of the importance of one’s individuality or that of others. This had led to his ardent advocacy both in and outside of his field. As a performer, he tries to emit a feeling of joy and convey his personal experiences through music, and his through his continued learning about jazz.
Can Wang
Can Wang is a dancer, choreographer, and collaborator. She is of Chinese origin and has performed works by Roy Assaf, Andrea Miller, Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Helen Simoneau, Nacho Duato, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Janis Brenner, Jose Limon, Martha Graham, and Merce Cunningham among others. She was a prizewinner in 2012 Chinese Lotus Dance Competition and has performed with the National Ballet of China. She also studied Chinese traditional dance and Tai Chi. She is a collaborator with internationally-acclaimed visual artists, and her own choreographic works have been performed on international stages in China, South Korea, and the United States. She started her ballet training at the Secondary School of Beijing Dance Academy at the age of 10, going on to study modern dance at Beijing Dance Academy in 2013. She completed training in Contemporary Dance at Unitec Institute of Technology in New Zealand and is entering her fourth year in Juilliard’s Dance Division.
The Zandieh Trio
The Zandieh Trio consists of violinist Cameron Zandieh, cellist Charles Zandieh, and pianist Christopher Zandieh. All three brothers began their music studies at age four and are products of Juilliard’s Pre-College Division. Cameron studied with Dr. Ann Setzer for five years before graduating in 2017 and moving on to the University of Michigan. Charlie (11th grade) is in his sixth year at Juilliard as a student of Clara Minhye Kim, and Christopher (8th grade) has been a student of Ernest Barretta for the past three years. Cameron and Charlie have been active members of the Pre-College Orchestra and Symphony, and have sat as concertmaster and principal, respectively, during previous seasons. They have all won Pre-College concerto competitions and performed solo with orchestra here at Juilliard, and are recipients of numerous other awards and accolades around the Tri-State area. They have performed frequently as soloists, guest artists, principals, and, of course, together, at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Bruno Walter Theatre, Long Island’s Tilles Center, all of Juilliard’s concert halls, and multiple other venues.