Aleia González Gulino hails from Asunción, Paraguay where she began guitar studies at the age of 8. She is a graduate of the Clave de Sol Conservatory in Asunción with dilpomas in performance and music education. Her signature repertoire includes Piazolla’s Historia del Tango for Violin and Guitar and Vivaldi’s Concerto in C-major for Guitar and string orchestra. Aleia has been featured in masterclasses with artists, such as Christopher Kells, Tom Harder, Federico Raul Núñez, Sebastián Tellado, and the Siqueira-Lima guitar duo.
González Gulino has twice been a finalist in the Momento Musical competition in 2010 and 2011, receiving an honorable mention in the chamber music category, and a second place in the solo classical guitar category. She is also a member of Ensemble “Pu Rory” under the direction and coaching of the classical guitarist Berta Rojas.
Collaborating artists
A guitarist since the age of six, Brad DeRoche has explored a wide variety of musical styles ranging from rock and jazz fusion to classical genres spanning from Renaissance lute music to modern works by living composers. He is an active concert artist, appearing as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral soloist in North and South America, and has also appeared on public radio and television programs. Several composers have written works for him including a solo composition by Prix de Rome prizewinner Vincent Frohne. He is chair of the music department at Delta College and directs the guitar programs at Central Michigan University and Saginaw Valley State University. DeRoche has also served as the director of classical guitar studies at the Interlochen Arts Academy, the Interlochen Arts Camp and the Interlochen Classical Guitar Workshop. He currently directs a concert series
at Delta College called the “Allegro Series” which has presented some of the worlds finest musicians in it’s 17 year history and is the artistic director of the Interlochen Classical Guitar Workshop.
Jamie Fiste is an active recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral player and teacher. Solo performances include recitals at the Academy of Sciences in Budapest, Hungary, the Plymouth Chamber Music Festival in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Wisconsin Lutheran College recital series in Milwaukee, Notre Dame Alumni Series, Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan and the Ashmont Hill Chamber Music Series in Boston, Massachusetts. Chamber music performances include performances in the Maison Danoise in Paris, France and the Museu d’Història de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Fiste has performed with the Plymouth Chamber Music Festival in Massachusetts, Fontana Music Festival in Shelbyville, Michigan, the Ashmont Hill Chamber Music Series in Boston and performances at Tennessee Technological University and Michigan State University having
also appeared in recital throughout New England. He has performed chamber music with musicians from the Boston and Dallas Symphonies, Chicago String Quartet, faculty from the University of Illinois and other distinguished musicians at the Music Festival of Arkansas and Hot Springs Music Festival. Jamie is co-artistic director for the Plymouth Chamber Music Festival in Plymouth, MA and a founding member of the Stonehill Trio, trio in residence at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. Dr. Fiste has been a prizewinner in the Rolland Competition, Cello Society Competition and the University of Illinois Concerto Competition. He has also been a member of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra in Providence.Dr. Fiste has studied under Laurien Laufman and Karen Buranskas and has participated in master classes with Janos Starker and Fritz Magg.
Jason Aylward is an in-demand freelance musician and clinician throughout the Midwest. He has performed with the Pierre Monteux Festival Orchestra, the Detroit Chamber Winds, the Midland Symphony Orchestra and brass ensembles at the Domaine Forget festival, and was regularly featured with the Central Michigan University Faculty Brass Quintet. He is currently the Conductor and Artistic Director of the Chippewa River Chamber Orchestra, a position he previously held with Vintage Strings. At Central Michigan University, he has served as assistant conductor for the CMU Symphony Orchestra. As a composer, his works have ben premiered by the Fredericksburg Brass Festival, A-Stage Theatre in Minneapolis, CMU Symphony Orchestra, CMU Chamber Singers, and the Fargo Monday Night Big Band. Jason has studied trumpet with Neil Mueller, and Peter Knudsvig, and orchestral
conducting with José-Luis Maúrtua. He holds masters degrees in Trumpet Performance, and Orchestral Conducting from Central Michigan University, and a bachelor's in Trumpet Performance from Concordia College, in Moorhead, MN. This fall Jason will begin his DMA studies in trumpet with Joe Burgstaller at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD.
Benjamin Yats is an active percussionist originally from the Mid-Michigan area where he has been featured with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Tuba Bach of Big Rapids and Due North Percussion Quartet. While his repertoire encompasses everything from orchestral music to jazz, Benjamin's research interests include music of India, Latin America and the African continent. Yats has pursued studies with Andrew Spencer, David Hall, Mike List and Tim Mocney. He holds degrees in performance from Central Michigan University and is relocating to Tempe, Arizona, in the Fall of 2017 to continue his performance studies with Prof. J. B. Smith at Arizona State University.
Storm Benjamin is an ambitious percussionist and music educator from the Pacific Northwest. He is actively involved in performing solo, chamber, and multi-disciplinary performances in the Seattle area. After receiving his masters degree in percussion performance, he is dedicated to sharing the art of percussion with his community. As an artist, Storm strives to inspire meaningful change in the world by connecting his performance with current problems that we face in our society. He spends his days as a music teacher, percussion instructor, and administrator for Illumination Learning Studio.
Jordan Lester Jordan grew up in a small town in Michigan's rural Upper Penninsula called Garden. After graduating high school, he went to a local community college called Bay de Noc Community College where he got his Associates Degree in Liberal Arts. While pursing his degree at Bay, he discovered his hobby for theatre was more of a passion. He took part in a few musicals there, playing such roles as Amos Hart in Chicago and Rod in Avenue Q. He also took part in his first Shakespeare role as Don John in Much Ado About Nothing. After completing his degree, he took a few years off from his college education. Ultimately, he decided that he wanted to go back to school and pursue a degree in Acting. He chose Central Michigan University, which offered him an incredible and invaluable theatre experience. There he played the role of Ali Hakim in their fall 2015 production of Oklahoma!
He also received roles in many of CMU's main stage productions including Reed in Shooting Star, Lysimichus in Shakespeare's Pericles, Doc in One Slight Hitch and most recently Father Brendan Flynn in Doubt. He was fortunate enough to also receive the role as Brick in Midland Center for the Arts' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. In May of 2017, Jordan completed his Bachelor of Applied Arts at CMU, earning a degree in Theatre & Interpretation and and a degree in Communication. He plans to move to New York City to pursue a career in professional acting.