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Global MBA Cohort

2018 Cohort

Following a global reviews process involving hundreds of top candidates from around the word, a select Cohort of 35 rising change-makers in music was invited to take part in the 2018 GLI Journey. The 2018 Cohort is comprised of participants from 17 nations representing five continents and includes professional orchestra musicians, project founders, teaching artists, doctoral candidates, and university professors. Participants represent a range of diverse and dynamic institutions from Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra to New York-based investment firm Goldman Sachs, from the founders of innovative performance ensembles in Greece and the United States to the co-founders of music education initiatives in Spain, Denmark, Jamaica, and elsewhere.

Participant Profile: Darren Young (Jamaica)

“With more music programs around the world, violence could quickly become a thing of the past.”

2018 Cohort Mosaic

A native of Israel, Mira Abu El Assal has been a member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, graduated from Hochschule für Musik Hans Eisler (Berlin), and has been principal cellist of the Expat Philharmonic. She teaches at Freie Musick Schule Potsdam.
Israel
Freie-Musikschule Potsdam
Manager
Safira Antzus-Ramos is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), the University of Macedonia, and is completing a Masters at Athens Conservatory. She is an active conductor, and managing member of Flex String Ensemble.
Greece
El Sistema Greece
Artistic Director
Canadian-Dutch cellist Carmen Bruno is a Doctoral Candidate at McGill’s Schulich School of Music with Matt Haimovitz, where she earned her Master’s. She is a graduate of Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and has toured extensively.
Canada
McGill University
Doctoral Fellow
Erin Busch is Adj. Professor of Music at Temple University in Philadelphia, where she earned her Master’s degree. Erin is a founding member of Blue Line Quartet, and performs with orchestras including Symphony in C and the Philly Pops.
USA
Wildflower Composers
Founder & Executive Director
Stacey Chou received a Master’s degree from the Longy School of Music, and a Bachelor’s from the Eastman School of Music, earning the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Artistry. She is co-founder of the In Radiance quintet.
USA
In Radiance
Co-Founder
New Zealand-born flutist Hannah Darroch is completing a Doctorate at McGill’s Schulich School of Music with Timothy Hutchins. She received a Master’s from the University of Colorado, and is featured on The Hobbit among other Naxos & Klavier lab. recordings.
New Zealand
Christchurch Symphony
Principal Flute
A native of Abitibi, Quebec, Émilie Fortin obtained a Bachelor’s at Université de Montréal and completed a Master’s in performance at McGill with Russell DeVuyst. She regularly performs with ensembles including the Griffon Brass Band.
Canada
Orchestre de la Francophonie
Teaching Artist
Colombian-American musician/educator Aron Frank is a graduate of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Aron has been a Teaching Artist at Fundación Batuta and is Music & Digital Arts instructor at the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin, Texas.
USA
Mexican American Cultural Center
Instructor
Danish-Brazilian cellist Gabriella Fuglsig is co-foudner of MusikSak, a string orchestra that brings together children of diverse backgrounds. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, where she is pursuing a Master’s with Henrik Brendstrup.
Denmark
MusikSak
Co-Founder
Rebecca Fuglsig is a Danish-Brazilian cellist and co-founder of MusikSak, based in Aarhus, Denmark. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in cello at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, where she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree.
Denmark
MusikSak
Co-Founder
A native of Colombia, Claudia García holds a BA in Music from Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, and Master’s & Performance Degrees from Longy School of Music at Bard College. Claudia is a Teaching Artist with the Medellín Philharmonic and PianoMóvil.
Colombia
Red de Medellín
Teaching Artist
Sophie Gledhill is a cellist based in London who performs with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, and English Touring Opera. Sophie has a Bachelor’s from the University of Cambridge and a Master’s from the Eastman School of Music.
United Kingdom
English Touring Opera
Artist
Njeri Grevious, an analyst in the Finance Division at Goldman Sachs, graduated from Yale with a degree in applied mathematics. She studied music at Project STEP & the New England Conservatory Prep, and serves on the Board of Winsor Music (Boston).
USA
Microsoft
Senior Product Manager
Iris Jugo
A native of Salamanca, Iris Jugo completed a Bachelor’s in Performance in Holland and a Master’s at the Royal Northern College of Music (UK). Iris fundraises for social projects with ArteLibre.org and is cello professor at Conservatory of Music of Alcorcón, Madrid.
Spain
ECC 2031
Director Cáceres Candidacy
Angela Kratchmer holds degrees from Luther College and Eastman School of Music, serving as principal violist of their symphonic ensembles. She has appeared with the Berkeley, Napa Valley, Merced, Southern Finger Lakes, and Tri-City Opera orchestras.
USA
Eastman School of Music
Teaching Artist
American flautist Maggie Lauer holds degrees from Manhattan School of Music, Université de Montreal, and McGill University. She performs with ensembles ranging from the Montreal Symphony to Il Divo. Maggie teaches at Kuper Academy in Montreal.
USA
Kuper Academy
Instructor
Isabelle Lavoie holds a Bachelor’s from Université de Montréal and an Artist Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She is a member of Monarch Brass, and Principal Trombone of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra in 2016-2017.
Canada
Lakehead University
Lecturer
Based in Hartford, Connecticut, oboist Michael Loveland is graduate of the The Hartt School. Michael received fellowships at the C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival and the Northwest Oboe Seminar, and made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2010.
USA
Reeds Industry
Studio Owner
A native of Brasilia, Pedro Maia earned a Bachelor’s in Performance from University of Southern Mississippi and is currently a teaching assistant at Florida State University. He has won several chamber music competitions, and is often a judge at youth string competitions.
Brazil
Hayes School of Music
Violin Assistant Professor

Cellist of Duo Chordata, author of Duos for Viola and Cello, and Music Professor at Brasília University, Larissa holds a MM & BM in Performance from Minas Gerais University. She also studied at Bologna Conservatoire, and taught at NEOJIBÁ, Baccarelli Institute, and in Haiti.

Brazil
Brasília Federal University
Professor
Venezuelan Norma Nunez Ruch holds a Master’s in Cultural Management from Universidad Carlos III. She has performed with NYO Venezuela and is the first Venezuelan recipient of the Ford International Fellow of the 92nd Street Y. She is Program Director of El Sistema Lehigh Valley.
USA
El Sistema Lehigh Valley
Program Director
LA-based French horn Rachel O’Connor teaches with the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra and UCLA’s Music Outreach Program. She has lectured at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, earned a Bachelor’s from University of Toronto, and a Master’s from UCLA.
Canada
UCLA
Lecturer
The Hague-based Annick Odom teaches at Leerorkest, leads workshops for Rotterdam Phil., plays in local orchestras, and gigs with her band Carly E. She has three Bachelor’s degrees from U. Michigan, and is completing a Master’s at the Royal Conservatory.
Belgium
Leerorkest Amsterdam
Instructor
A native of Colombia, Labib Palis has earned degrees from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Duquesne University. He received a Master’s in performance from the University of Houston and is currently is a violin teacher at the HYS Coda Program in Houston, Texas.
Colombia
HSY Coda Program
Instructor
Pedro Perez is founder of Música Anpil, principal bassoon of Lappeenranta City Orchestra in Finland, and a graduate of Oscar Esplá Conservatory. He was professor at Santa Cruz de Tenerife Conservatory, has a Master’s from Göteborg University, and was bassoonist in the Göteborg Symphony.
Spain
Música Anpil
Founder
Nicholas Reynolds is Adj. Ass. Professor at DePauw University, and teaches at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and Austin Chamber Music Center. Originally from Portland, Reynolds received a DMA and Graduate Certificate in Arts and Cultural Management from The University of Texas at Austin.
USA
Depauw University
Professor
Salvadorian violinist Sandra Rivera has taught in music programs in Colorado, El Salvador, and Guatemala. She has been concertmaster of Colorado Mesa University Symphony, was appointed violin teacher at UTEP, and performs as violinist in the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.
El Salvador
University of Texas
Lead String Professor
Born in Madrid, Alberto Rodríguez is viola instructor at Musikschule Konservatorium in Bern. He holds a Master’s from Hochschule für Musik Felix Mendelssohn in Leipzig, Germany, and has taught at International School of Basel and Superar Suisse orchestral program.
Spain
Musikschule Konserv. Bern
Instructor
Venezuelan violinist María José Romero Ramos is Development Director for MusAid. She is a doctoral candidate at Indiana University and is on Faculty at the Indiana Univ. Pre-College String Academy. María José is Adj. Ass. Professor of Violin at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Venezuela
Vanderbilt Blair School of Music
Director of Historical Performance
Scottish tubist Fraser Russell is a founding member and Artistic Director of the Eigelstein Brass Quintet. He performs with a variety leading European orchestras and ensembles. His project, Tuba Tots, has appeared in the Aberdeen International Youth Arts Festival.
Scotland
Musaik Dresden
Music Director
Daniel Smith earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s from the University of Michigan, and a Doctorate from University of Texas. He has been on faculty at the UT String Project and the Austin Chamber Music Center, and teaches for the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.
USA
Los Angeles Youth Orchestra
Teaching Artist
An accomplished educator & performer, Gabrielle Smith teaches in after-school music programs in Kahnawake, while performing with multiple ensembles. She is completing a Master’s in Music Education at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music.
Canada
Encore! Sistema
Teaching Artist
Rodnei Souza is co-founder of Amigos da Arte, which offers music & dance training to children from underserved neighborhoods of São Paulo. A graduate of University of São Paulo, Rodnei works as a Teaching Artist at St. Paul’s School & São Bento College.
Brazil, violin
São Bento School
Music Instructor
Percussionist David Therrien-Brongo is a coordinator, conductor and on faculty at Ambassadeurs OF in Haiti. He is co-founder of Duo AIRS and Archetype, and a member of ensembles SCRAP and Ensemble Paramirabo. He received a Master’s from Université de Montréal.
Canada
Orchestre de la Francophonie
Engagement Coordinator
Sylvia Wehrs graduated from Cleveland Institute of Music with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Performance & Pedagogy. She teaches at Music Settlement, Laurel School, and maintains studios in Cleveland and Zimbabwe. Sylvia is founder of Cleveland Harare Music Exchange.
USA
The Music Settlement
Suzuki Instructor
Darren Young teaches at Edna Manley College, is conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica and the Edna Manley Community Orchestra, and principal violist of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Jamaica. He graduated from Edna Manley College & Univ. of New York Fredonia.

Jamaica
NYO Jamaica
Music Director

Include country code, e.g., US: +1 202 555 0123

Special Exemption for Career Artists

The Global Arts MBA recognizes that across the sector, many of the highest-level career creatives (music prodigies, professional dancers, and others) have pursued their craft from a young age and therefore may not possess a conventional academic background.

The Admissions Committee acknowledges these exceptional career experiences where relevant as serving in place of the bachelor’s degree otherwise required for admission to The Global Arts MBA.

Candidates with this profile should slect "Other" for Highest Academic Degree.