Team

Faculty

San Francisco Conservatory of Music
University of California at Santa Barbara
Founder and Artistic Director of Texas Strings Camp and Festival

“It would be madness on the part of the musical world not to understand he is one of the great violinists of the 21st century.”
– AUGUSTIN DUMAY

Professor of Music Education and Director of the Jacobs Academy at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Professor of Music in Violin at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and Director of the Indiana University String Academy.

Experience in higher education including University of Houston and Loyola University. Tenured member of Houston Grand Opera and performs regularly with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, ROCO and the Grand Teton Music Festival.

University of Michigan, The Julliard School, Aspen Music Festival, San Francisco Conservatory

Original member of Texas Strings Festival’s Board of Directors!

Has been performing professionally on the violin and viola for over 34 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in violin performance from UMKC conservatory of Music and a master’s degree in violin performance from University of Maine.

Megan Yip is a distinguished cellist and educator. She has performed at major venues globally, collaborated with leading artists, and is recognized for her solo and ensemble work, including a Grammy-nominated project. Megan is a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees from Yale School of Music and The Juilliard School

Pianist Chih-Yi Chen has been on the faculty of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music since 2003 and is the Associate Chair of
the Chamber and Collaborative Music Department. She was a recipient of the 2023 Indiana University Trustees Teaching Award and has been on the faculty of the Indiana University Summer String Academy for more than two decades.

Teaches a large and active Suzuki violin studio in Southwest Austin.

Director of Orchestral Activities at Westlake High School.

Universally recognized among today’s top performing artists,

Cello and chamber music faculty of University of Houston’s Moores School of Music.

Staff

Samantha studied music performance and music education at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. She currently owns and operates the Sienna String Quartet in Austin, TX which performs at weddings, cocktail hours and larger events such as ACL Live, SXSW and The 2023 Country Music Awards. She is currently an orchestra director for the Austin Independent School District and the music school orchestra liason for the district. Samantha resides in Austin, TX with her two dogs Reilly & Charlie.

Faculty

Pasha Sabouri

Kerson Leong

Brenda Brenner

Mimi Zweig

Suzanne LeFevre

Richard Aaron

Amy Harris

Sara Driver

Megan Yip

Chih-Yi Chen

Jeni Martens

Josue Martinez

Vadim Gluzman

Eunghee Cho

Staff

Daniel Arredondo

Samantha Stewart

Board of Directors

Chad Peevy

Pasha Sabouri

Amy Harris

Pasha Sabouri