Resident lecturer and director of family concerts for CMS since 1992, Bruce Adolphe is a composer of international renown, much of whose output addresses science, history, and the struggle for human rights.

Resident lecturer and director of family concerts for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1992, Bruce Adolphe is a composer of international renown, much of whose output addresses science, history, and the struggle for human rights. His works are frequently performed by major artists, including Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Fabio Luisi, Joshua Bell, Daniel Hope, Angel Blue, the Brentano String Quartet, the Washington National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, the Human Rights Orchestra of Europe, and over 60 orchestras worldwide. Among his most performed works are the violin concerto I Will Not Remain Silent, the violin/piano duo Einstein’s Light, and Tyrannosaurus Sue: A Cretaceous Concerto.  

Burt Mason is an associate musician of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Principal Trombone of the Chamber Orchestra of New York and Principal Trombone and Bass Trombone of Broadway’s Sunset BLVD. He has appeared as guest artist with the NY Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera Brass, the New Jersey Symphony, the Utah Symphony, New York City Ballet, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, American Ballet Theater, The Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center (Formerly the Mostly Mozart Festival) and many others. Mr. Mason made his Carnegie Hall solo
debut in March 2018 performing Albrechtsberger’s Concerto for Alto Trombone in Weill Recital hall with the Chamber Orchestra of New York. He serves on faculty at the Juilliard School’s Preparatory Division, the Mason Gross
School of the Arts at Rutgers University, and the New England Conservatory Summer Orchestral Institute. He has also appeared as soloist with numerous ensembles throughout North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and
Australia.

Mr. Mason has performed under the baton of notable conductors such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Kurt Masur, Alan Gilbert, Mstislav Rostropovich, Esa- Pekka Salonen, Skitch Henderson, Gustavo Dudamel, and Yannick NézetSéguin amongst others in world-renowned venues such as Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Royal Concertgebouw, Radio City Music Hall and the Apollo Theater.

Mr. Mason began playing trombone at age 12 but did not receive any formal lessons until he entered college at the
Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam). Despite this lack of formal training in his early stages, his natural skills as a trombonist placed him as a finalist in the first annual New York Philharmonic Young Performers Audition, selection
for the esteemed NAfME/MENC All-Eastern Band, the NYSSMA All-State Band and Orchestra, as well as winning several local music contests during high school. While in college at the Crane School of Music, Mr. Mason won the
school’s most prestigious performing contest, the annual Crane Concerto Competition, as a freshman. Mr. Mason has been featured as a soloist on a variety of recordings with the New York Staff Band on the Triumphonic label. He
has also completed several recordings with the Chamber Orchestra of New York on the Naxos label. Mr. Mason has recorded on several motion picture soundtracks including A Dog’s Purpose (Amblin Entertainment) and the 2019
Live Action Lion King movie (Disney), Space Jam 2: A New Legacy (Warner Bros) and Salem’s Lot (Warner Bros.), Da Five Bloods (Netflix), The Color Purple (Warner Bros.) and Haunted Mansion (Disney).

As an advocate for Diversity in the Arts, he is founder and director of Ovation Concerts, an organization dedicated to balanced diversity in orchestral music and appeared as a guest on New York ‘s Classical Radio Station WQXR to
discuss the history and future of classical music and diversity in the orchestral field. He is the Low Brass instructor for the LA Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) National Festival, a summer music festival led by
Gustavo Dudamel, which supports social change through music. Mr. Mason performs regularly with the Gateways Music Festival, Chinike!Orchestra, and other organizations with a mission of increasing diversity in the field of orchestral
and classical music.

Mr. Mason holds a BA in Music from the Crane School of Music studying with Mark Hartman, an MBA in Arts Administration from Binghamton University, and an MM in Orchestral Performance from the Manhattan School of Music studying with David Finlayson. He has had additional studies with Joseph Alessi and Weston Sprott.

Mr. Mason is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Clinician.

Canadian violinist Gabrielle Després has garnered numerous awards, including first prizes in the Irving M. Klein International String Competition and the Juilliard Concerto Competition. She also earned top prizes in the Michael Hill, Elmar Oliveira and Washington International Violin Competitions, as well as awards at the Schiermonnikoog Festival and Verbier Festival Academy. In 2024, she was a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award, as well as the William Schuman Prize of Juilliard. In 2020, she was included in CBC’s list of 30 Canadian Classical Musicians under 30.  

As a soloist, she has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Edmonton, the Lynn Philharmonia, the Peninsula Symphony, and Kollective366. She has also given recitals through the St. Albert Chamber Music Society, Gualala Chamber Music, the Kelowna Chamber Music Society, the Schiermonnikoog Festival, the Peninsula Symphony’s AllStars@Home series, and the University of Alberta’s Virtual Prism series. She served as Concertmaster of the Juilliard Orchestra for two years, during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, including a performance of Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano.  

An avid chamber musician, Gabrielle recently performed at Music in the Vineyards, Schiermonnikoog Festival, and the Edmonton Summer Solstice Music Festival as well as with the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players and If Music Be the Food NYC. Passionate about expanding the reach of music, Gabrielle spent 2021-2022 performing as a Gluck Community Engagement Fellow, working to create interactive programs that merge music and theatre to share across various hospitals and nursing homes throughout New York City. She also works with Project: Music Heals Us in their “Music for the Future” program, teaching and performing for incarcerated individuals at different detention centers throughout California. 

Gabrielle received a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music at the Juilliard School as a proud recipient of the Kovner Fellowship. She is currently pursuing her Artist Diploma at Juilliard, studying with Catherine Cho. Her past mentors include Donald Weilerstein, Joseph Lin, Masao Kawasaki, Robert Uchida, and James Keene. Gabrielle has won major awards from the province of Alberta, Canada, including the Queen’s Jubilee Award, the Anne Burrows Music Foundation Award, the Ranald and Vera Shean Memorial Scholarship, and the Winspear Fund Scholarship, which have helped support her studies. Gabrielle has spent her summers studying at the Orford Summer Music Academy, Morningside Music Bridge, the Casalmaggiore International Music Festival, the Domaine Forget de Charlevoix International Music Academy, the Aspen Music Festival as a New Horizons Fellow, Kneisel Hall, the Perlman Music Program, and the Verbier Festival Academy. 

Gabrielle currently plays on a violin of Zosimo Bergonzi and a bow of Étienne Pajeot, graciously provided to her by CANIMEX INC., from Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. She gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation in supporting her education and career development. 

Admired for his “marvelous ringing tone” (Joseph Dalton, Albany Times Union) Bixby Kennedy is one of the most versatile clarinetists of his generation.  He has performed concerti with orchestras including the Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and New Haven Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Bixby has performed throughout the US and Europe in venues including  Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, The Kennedy Center, Marlboro Music Festival, and is the clarinetist for the “explosive” New York City based chamber ensemble Frisson. He has appeared as a guest artist with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and The Knights. As an orchestral musician, Bixby has performed with the MET Opera and NY Philharmonic. On period instruments, Bixby has performed classical repertoire on original and replica instruments throughout the US with Grand Harmonie Orchestra.  He is a former member of Ensemble Connect and works as a teaching artist throughout the US. As an arranger, his works have been performed by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Schumann, Frisson, Ensemble Connect, and Symphony in C. He loves traveling, trying new foods, laughing, hiking, and playing tennis. 

Bixby performs exclusively on Backun instruments. 

A passionate and creative performer, Kate Amrine is a trumpet player balancing a multifaceted career from developing new repertoire and curating concerts to freelancing with many different groups in the New York City area. Kate enjoys a varied career freelancing with ensembles such as Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Little Orchestra Society, Wordless Music Orchestra, Experiential Orchestra, Broadway Sinfonietta, Contemporaneous, Protestra, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, and her chamber groups eGALitarian Brass and Spark Duo.  

Kate is very dedicated to commissioning and performing new music, premiering over 30 pieces both as a soloist and a chamber musician. Kate is one of the founding members of eGALitarian Brass, a chamber group dedicated to breaking the boundaries of brass chamber music today with new music by diverse composers and unique concert experiences. eGALitarian Brass has performed throughout New York City as well as at Newport Classical, Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, International Women's Brass Conference, and universities across the tristate area. Kate’s second album This is My Letter to the World was released in 2020 on the Innova record label. The music is inspired by politics and social concepts that addresses issues including gun violence, identity and feminism, meditation, climate change, and immigration. Her first album As I Am features new music by women composers and was released in 2017. Kate has presented solo recitals at various festivals across the world including the International Women’s Brass Conference (in 2019 and 2017), the Music by Women festival (in 2021 and 2018) and the Women Composer’s Festival of Hartford. Kate has also performed several concertos and solos with orchestras across Japan in multiple cities, as well as in her hometown Bethesda, Maryland, and in New York City. Kate has also performed offstage solos at both Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall. 

Kate most recently played lead trumpet in the International tour of Annie in Macau China, and will be performing in Annie again at Madison Square Garden in December 2024. Last summer, Kate played lead trumpet for the International Tour of Chicago the Musical in South Korea for 15 weeks. She recently completed a fall 2023 tour with the Broadway Sinfonietta performing Spiderman Into the Spiderverse Live across the US. Kate has held the trumpet chair on four off Broadway shows: Alice by Heart, Whisper House, Audrey the New Musical, and The Jerusalem Syndrome. Kate also held the trumpet/tambourine chair for a streaming production of Beehive the 60's musical at Papermill Playhouse. Other theater highlights include substitute appearances in Wicked on Broadway, How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Madison Square Garden, Annie - National tour, and performing in Ragtime on Ellis Island.  

As a recording artist, Kate recorded for The Jerusalem Syndrome cast album, Alice by Heart cast album (Ghostlight Records), Kalevala the Musical concept album, She is Risen (Jesus Christ Superstar: All-Female Studio Cast Recording), Carols for the Cure with members from Wicked, and both Canard, Canard and In the Footprint by Michael Friedman with The Civilians. Kate also performed in the orchestra and recorded the album of Stinney: An American Execution for Prototype Festival. Kate has also joined the band for various cabarets and galas with Drunk Musicals, Green Room 42 shows, and more. Outside of the musical theater world, Kate has performed and recorded with many artists, bands, and organizations including Norah Jones, Evanescence, Lenny Pickett, Sleigh Bells on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Our Cartoon President, TOP Queens, Mariachi Flor de Toloache, Melt, Dopico, Elektragaaz, and Fox Indigo.  

Kate’s primary teachers have included Laurie Frink, Thomas Hoyt, Phil Snedecor, Joe Burgstaller, Raymond Mase, and Kevin Cobb. Prior to college, Kate was fortunate to study with many inspiring musicians from the DC military bands including Christopher Sala, Michelle Rakers, and Gunnar Bruning. Kate received a DMA from Stony Brook University, a Master’s degree from Peabody Conservatory, and a Bachelor’s degree in Trumpet Performance and Psychology from New York University. 

Harrison Honor is a Percussionist based in New York City. He performs regularly with the Boston Symphony and Metropolitan Opera, and has also played with the New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops, and the Dallas Symphony. Harrison has curated multiple recitals in New York and Boston, where he has premiered solo percussion works by young composers, and interpreted modern classics for percussion and instrumental duos. 

Harrison was the first Percussionist to receive an Artist Diploma from the Juilliard School, from which he also holds a Masters Degree. He was a Tanglewood Music Center Fellow for two summers, and completed undergraduate studies at the New England Conservatory of Music.