Violin
De Ann Letourneau is the Concertmaster of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, one of the few female Concertmasters in the US. In Las Vegas she is also Concertmaster for several other groups including the Nevada Ballet Theater and Opera Las Vegas.
Her unique style and approach to music has appealed to many in the field. She has been active in her guest artist capacity as guest Concertmaster, soloist, master classes at various Universities and performance coaching across the US and Abroad.
This past summer she had fun working with the wonderful friends and colleagues at the New Hampshire Music Festival.
As a performer, she has a unique ability to relate her love of music to all audience members. The Las Vegas Review Journal said, “…She performed not only impeccably but with an exuberant sense of joy.” The Duluth News Tribune said “…her performance was sensationally vibrant from beginning to end.”
Native of Superior Wisconsin, she began studying at age 14, and very quickly became noted as one of the up and coming Young Artists through several National Young Artists Competitions. She has appeared as guest artist with many orchestras including the Milwaukee Symphony, Las Vegas Philharmonic, National Arts Chamber Orchestra (Chicago), Duluth-Superior Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Contemporary Arts Ensemble of Ohio, St. Martin Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra, the Lake Superior Chamber Symphony and the Henderson Symphony. She has also been heard on several TV and Radio interviews and concerts including: KNPR FM, National Public Radio (Las Vegas and Minneapolis), WQXR FM New York, Wisconsin Public Radio, Fox 5, channel 14 “Morning Blend” and PBS stations.
Her career officially began at age 16 with the win of a full-time position with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra. To date, she is still the youngest full-time member ever to win a position in the organization. She also made her solo debut with the DSSO that same year and from there went on to win many major Competitions and perform recitals throughout the US and Europe, including the first prize at the Starling International Young Artist Competition held in Aspen CO, where Miss Dorothy DeLay heard her and invited her as part of her studio.
Her love of performing went beyond her solo/recital stage experience. She fell in love with the fullness of sound surrounding her within the orchestra. Over many years she has performed in many various ensembles from chamber to major Symphony Orchestras. Through those experiences, she began to hone her leadership ability as Concertmaster. She has been Concertmaster for several orchestras as well as been invited as guest CM.
She has been asked to Guest CM with Duluth-Superior Symphony several times, where she will be Nov 4 as guest CM for a premier of a new work by a local Duluth composer. She has been CM National Arts Chamber Orchestra, CM Nevada Chamber Symphony, Assoc CM for Céline Dion, Assoc CM for Andrea Bocelli Tour, CM Contemporary Arts Ensemble, Co-Concertmaster of the American/Canadian Youth Orchestra under Charles Dutoit, Co-Concertmaster LA Institute at Hollywood Bowl under Sir Simon Rattle
In Las Vegas, she has been instrumental in much of the progression of the Fine Arts culture. Her enthusiasm and dedication to cultivating the Arts and Youth in Las Vegas earned her the honor as the first ever recipient of the “Woman of Distinction Award in the Performing Arts”, the Congressional Certificate of Achievement, a Proclamation from the City of Las Vegas, A Certificate of Achievement from the Senate recognizing all for her work with the Arts and Youth in Las Vegas. In March 2012, she was inducted into the Superior Academic Hall of Fame with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” because of her dedication to working with young people and community arts growth. Next to performing, coaching young artists and inspiring young people through music is a true passion. She regularly visits Various schools across the country to present her personal version of a “Ted Talk” about goals, dreams and possibility (GDP), perseverance through the odds to succeed.
DeAnn trains young players and adults (both professional or recreational ) in her private studio. Her studio consists of young students, college students, professionals and many adult connoisseurs of violin from around multiple States and Abroad. They each set up a weekly or monthly schedule to help prepare their auditions for Competition, College Admissions and Professional Symphonic Jobs.
Her younger school age students, many have gone on to become musicians and have been accepted on scholarship to schools or summer festivals such Juilliard, USC, Colburn, University of Cincinnati- College Conservatory of Music, Meadowmount, Interlochen and Encore. Many of her students have chosen to pursue other careers, but have told her that they have utilized their training with “Miss DeAnn” to help them find success in their non-musical pursuits including Law, Medicine and Entrepreneurship.
The Las Vegas music scene is so diverse, it has also opened up opportunities to explore her other music making abilities. She is sought after in Las Vegas to perform with some of the biggest popular Artists of today. Currently, she is the Concertmaster for Adele at her show “Weekends with the Adele” at Caesar’s Colosseum where she spent over 8 years with Céline and her show. She finished a project during Covid with the Imagine Dragons, recording some string work for their new album and a video for their March 2021 release “Follow You”.
This year she will be performing for the opening of the new Foutainbleu property performing with Paul Anke, who was the first Artist she worked with when she moved to Vegas in 1995.
This year she will be performing several of the candlight concert series held at the Indistrial where she is performing quartet concerts with some of her colleges from the LVP Jason Bonham and Andy Smith. This year she will also be in concert with Johnny Mathis at his Smith Center Show, Mannheim Steamroller in Dec and Seth McFarland before she is back on stage with Adele in January.
A Highlight this season is her Performance of the Shostakovich violin concerto #1 with the Henderson Symphony on Feb 22 at Ham Hall. It is a highlight because this will be her debut on this amazing concerto with all of her friends at the HSO!
De Ann was a member of the “Showstoppers” orchestra at the Wynn for 2 years. She has performed with various artists for the Grammys and MusiCares show over several years. She has also been seen on TV performing with Céline Dion, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Thomas Rhett, for the AMAs, Billboard Award shows, Country Music Awards, Latin Grammy’s and many other production shows. She helped to form a unique music group “Vertex3” where newly composed music is mixed with electronic/DJ sound with composer/DJ Aaron Ramsey and LVP violinist Rebecca Sabine. It was fun to help this group explore the mix of new music with technology.
A few years ago, she recorded her first non-classical solo-violin pop writing work with her good friend and Las Vegas Headliner, Frankie Moreno on his album “Uku-Latte” available on iTunes.
De Ann has always been fortunate in training and working with some the worlds best coaches and pedagogues over many years. She has brought those experiences into her private studio and as a teacher and coach, where she shares that knowledge and passion with new young performers.
Because of her unusually later age beginning on her instrument, she brings a very unique perspective and style of teaching to her students or in her Master Class. Her approach is unique because of the very fast paced learning she had to do to compete by age 15 with those who had trained at a much younger age. She uses this innate ability to describe that very fast, simple process of mastering the instrument to each individual student and she is able to create a program of success for each individual student using their individual sense of learning style.
She attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior with Diane Balko-former Concertmaster of the Duluth-Superior Symphony, UW-Milwaukee with Efim Boico & the Fine Arts Quartet in their Chamber Program, and finally finishing at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music to study with Dorothy DeLay (Juilliard, CCM) & Kurt Sassmanshaus (CCM, Aspen). She has also had the opportunity to study with some other great violin pedagogues such as Josef Gingold (Indiana University), Jascha Brodsky (Curtis) & David Cerone (Cleveland Institute).
Besides performing and teaching, De Ann is very active in the arts community of Las Vegas. She has joined the boards of two local important arts groups. She is on the executive board of the Local 369 Musicians Union who helps maintain contracts for all major performance venues and Stars. She has also joined the executive board for Nevada School of the Arts in its growing stages to become even a larger educational center for students of arts for the entire Las Vegas area.
De Ann lives in Summerlin with her husband Scott, The Business Formation Expert. They have 3 unique and diverse children. Lee 22, (UNLV BFA Art major, Art History minor ‘23) Rose 19 UNR Bio major, Honors College ‘26) & Faith 17 (LVA Dance ‘25) and competitive dancer at Studio702
Shakeh Ghoukasian is the founder of two pioneering music initiatives launched in 2021: The String Connection, a violin, viola studio for advanced students, and The String Connection Virtual Violin Festival, transformational approach to musical training for advanced students ages 15-20. Connecting world class artist teachers to the students in an intimate and engaging manner.
Shakeh is an accomplished chamber music and orchestral musician, as well as a distinguished teacher and adjudicator. For the last 13 years she was the driving force behind the Nevada School of the Arts. As NSA’s executive/artistic director through 2020, she shaped the school’s vision and launched program initiatives and community partnerships that benefited both students and Las Vegas community. She launched the school’s Jazz Initiative, modeled on the ground-breaking prototype at Lincoln Center, as well as the Musical Crossroads program, that showcases classical guest artists crossing over into Latin and Jazz genres, performing in schools throughout the Clark County School District. Her passion for film music evolved into Kids2Kids concerts performed by students for students, wildly embraced by school administrators and young audiences alike.
Shakeh received her early music training at the prestigious Tchaikovsky Music School in Armenia, a country at that time “behind the Iron Curtain.” After immigrating to the United States in 1979, she received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She studied with such string notables as Lori Ulanova, Haik Balian and John Kendall.
Since 1998 Shakeh has held the position of Principal 2nd Violinist of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and performs with the Philharmonic’s Principals Quartet, to present educational outreach and chamber music concerts in the community. She also plays regularly in orchestras supporting ballet and opera performances, as well as in recording sessions with jazz and pop musicians. She has performed with a vast array of classical artists and celebrity entertainers, including Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Boccelli, Placido Domingo, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Smokey Robinson, Itzhak Perlman and others on and off the Strip. Her solo performances include appearances with Henderson Symphony and Las Vegas Philharmonic.
Shakeh is an established master teacher and adjudicator. She has been invited to present master classes and workshops in Arizona, Utah, California, Idaho, South Dakota, Alaska, Oregon, New York, Washington and Las Vegas Summer Music Festival. She was a featured presenter at the American String Teachers National Conference, and is a recipient of ASTA’s Studio Teacher Award in Nevada.
She was the Founder and Program Director of the Green Valley Chamber Music Festival from 2006-2014. Her students have garnered top awards at numerous local and national competitions and have been chosen to participate in prestigious summer music festivals and camps, such as the Interlochen Summer Music Camp, Indian University Summer String Program, Tanglewood Summer Institute and National Orchestra Summer Institute. She is dedicated and passionate about working with young musicians and guiding their musical and artistic development. Many of her violin students have graduated from universities and conservatories around the country. With her as a mentor, they have become accomplished professional musicians and, most importantly, beautiful human beings.
PRINCIPAL 2ND VIOLIN OF THE LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC, CONCERT ARTIST, MASTER TEACHER, PEDAGOGOUE,
FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE NEVADA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS (NSA), FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECOTR OF THE STRING CONNNECTION, Virtual Violin Festival and THE GREEN VALLEY CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Mr Mikaelian began his musical journey on the violin at the age of seven. After finishing music high school, he graduated from the State Music Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria where he studied violin with Professors Georgi Badev and Angel Stankov. His professional career began with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. With the orchestra he toured all around Europe and North America, performing with distinguished soloists and conductors like Zubin Mehta, Myung-Whun Chung, Boris Belkin, Uto Ughi, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmed, Pinchas Zukerman, Shlomo Mintz, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Gil Shaham, Joshua Bell. In 1995 Mr Mikaelian moved to South Africa where he worked as a Principal violinist with the National Chamber Orchestra of South Africa. In 2003 Mr Mikaelian moved to the United States and settled in Las Vegas where he joined the Las Vegas Philharmonic, currently serving as an Assistant Principal 2nd Violins.
Mr Mikaelian also performs with the Nevada Ballet, Opera Las Vegas, Las Vegas Sinfonietta, and other cultural institutions in Las Vegas. Throughout the past 22 years in Las Vegas, Mr Mikaelian has performed with distinguished classical and pop artists like Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, Vanessa Williams, Barbara Streisand, David Foster, Celine Dion, Tony Bennet. On the Las Vegas Strip Mr Mikaelian has played in many of the running shows such as ‘Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular’, ‘The Producers’, ‘Frank Sinatra: The Man, The Music’, Steve Wynn’s ‘ShowStoppers’.
Besides the music, Mr Mikaelian has build a successful career in the area of gaming regulatory compliance. Since 2001 he is working for Gaming Laboratories International (GLI).
Marty Connally has been in the Las Vegas Philharmonic for 26 years, starting in the fall of 2000). For the first 20 years, he played in the first violin section, and afterwards with the seconds. He studied with James Gambino (student of Angel Reyes), Dorothy Croft (student of Benno Rabinoff, last student of Leopold Auer), and Fredell Lack (student of Louis Persinger). As a member of the orchestra he has appeared on stage with Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley, Vanessa Williams, Sara Brightman, Josh Groban, and others.
LAUREN CORDELL was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. She began violin lessons at four years old, earning a violin scholarship at the Nevada School of the Arts a year later. In elementary, junior, and high school, she was awarded Superior ratings each year at the Clark County Solo & Ensemble Festival and at the All-State Solo & Ensemble Festival. Lauren was featured in the Young Artists Recital series in 1998 at the Reed Whipple Cultural Arts Center. In 1999, Lauren was awarded a quartet scholarship to the Southern Utah University Quartet Festival. Other awards include the Nevada School of the Arts Scholarship from 1985 – 1999, the Bolognini Scholarship Awards in 1989 and 1999, and the Liberace Scholarship and UNLV Music Scholarship from 1999 – 2003.
Lauren’s professional career was launched during high school with performing engagements in the Nevada Symphony Orchestra and the Henderson Civic Symphony. In college, she went on to perform with the Henderson Symphony Orchestra. Later, she was one of the youngest members ever to win a tenured position with the Las Vegas Philharmonic. She also toured the world as a featured fiddler for Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance.
Lauren has also performed in major headline shows, videos, and recordings including Jean Michael Danton’s The Sorcerer, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance – Las Vegas, Frank Sinatra’s Memorial Concert, The B.E.T. Awards, The Latin Grammys, The Country Music Awards, The Billboard Awards, NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera – The Las Vegas Spectacular, Mannheim Steamroller’s Winter in Venice, Mel Brooks’ The Producers, Walt Disney’s Lion King, Lady Gaga’s Jazz Piano Show at the Park MGM, Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers, and many others.
Lauren is currently the featured violinist with the Jazz Vegas Orchestra and a string mentor in the Jazz Outreach Initiative’s education program. In 2025, she developed and launched the program Swingin’ Strings, an educational program geared towards K-5 students, teaching them about jazz and string instruments. The program is sponsored by the Jazz Outreach Initiative and The Smith Center Education Department. Lauren enjoys performing on a few instruments including violin, viola, and mandolin. She is diversified in many genres, including Jazz, Rock, Pop, Country, and her favorite, Gypsy Jazz. She also enjoys teaching all ages and feels it’s never too late to appreciate fine music
Jennifer Eriksson is a violinist and music educator based in Las Vegas. She is an accomplished performer on acoustic and electric violin. She is equally comfortable playing the classics in a traditional orchestral setting as she is playing while executing the choreography of a contemporary Vegas stage show.
A native New Yorker, Jennifer started playing at the age of 5. She’s a graduate of Indiana University’s Jacob School of Music. While visiting relatives in Las Vegas she auditioned for the Nevada Chamber Symphony and that short visit turned into a twenty-year career.
In addition to being a tenured member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Jennifer has performed with a long list of Vegas headliners, appearing in most of the major casino showrooms and arenas. Her versatility as a musician and dependability as a performer have led to her being contracted by several Vegas residency shows.
Currently, she performs with Celine Dion at Caesars Palace. Previously, Jennifer performed for over two years as part of Shania Twain’s STILL THE ONE show. In addition to the many costume changes and choreography required, Jennifer performed a featured solo as part of every show. She also performed with Shania on her Canadian tour appearing in front of audiences of over 50,000. Recently, Jennifer completed another residency of over two years with SHOWSTOPPERS at The Wynn Casino, performing the greatest songs from Broadway musicals.
She has also made television appearances on major award shows and broadcast specials in both Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Jennifer has a particular love for recording and is an experienced session musician.
Jennifer has a passion for sharing her expertise through music education. She was a teacher for The Nevada School of the Arts and was artist-in-residence at The Meadows School. She maintains a violin studio where she teaches lessons for students of all ages and abilities.
Ivo Gradev joined the Las Vegas Philharmonic in 2001. A native of Bulgaria, he began playing the violin and piano and studying music theory at the age of four. He comes from a distinguished musical family—both of his parents are violin professors, and his older brother is a professor of harmony at the State Music Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Mr. Gradev earned his Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from the State Music Academy in Sofia. From 1995 to 2000, he was a tenured member of the Sofia Philharmonic, touring extensively throughout Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, and Greece.
He is a laureate of the “Svetoslav Obretenov” Competition (violin) and the “Music and Earth” International Competition as a member of a string quartet. Throughout his career, Mr. Gradev has performed with renowned artists including Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Plácido Domingo, Kelly Clarkson, Nas, and many others. Most recently, he performed with Adele during her residency, “Weekends With Adele,” at Caesars Palace.
Mr. Gradev is deeply passionate about both performing and teaching music. Teaching music is close to his heart, and he finds great joy in inspiring students, nurturing their musical growth, and helping them express themselves through music with confidence and artistry.
He lives in Summerlin with his wife Fen, daughter Stephanie, son Nicholas, and their beloved Shih Tzu Coco.
James Harvey is Professor of Music Theory at the College of Southern Nevada, where he also serves as Director of Violin/Viola Studies.
He earned his Bachelor of Music from the University of New Mexico in 2001 and his Master of Music from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2005.
Since 2001, James has been a member of the first violin section of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. In Las Vegas, he has performed in several extended-run shows, most notably serving as concertmaster for Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, which ran for 2,691 performances at The Venetian from 2006 to 2012. He was also a first violinist in Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers, which ran for over two years at the Encore Theater, and performed during the residencies of Celine Dion and Adele at Caesars Colosseum.
James has performed with numerous Broadway touring productions, including The Addams Family, Evita, Porgy and Bess, The Wizard of Oz, Kinky Boots, The Book of Mormon, Fun Home, Something Rotten!, Ain’t Too Proud, Parade, Company, Funny Girl, and Suffs. He has collaborated with many notable artists, such as Justin Timberlake, Michel Legrand, Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Plácido Domingo, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Mariah Carey, Hugh Jackman, Sarah Brightman, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, Natalie Merchant, Smokey Robinson, John Legend, David Foster, Clint Holmes, Seth MacFarlane, Jackie Evancho, Il Divo, and Lady Gaga.
Ukrainian-born violinist Myroslava Khomik is a top prize winner of international competitions and awards, including the Remember Enescu Competition in Romania, and the New Names of Ukraine . She has appeared as a soloist and as a chamber music collaborator in concerts and festivals throughout the US, Europe, South America and Asia, and her performances were broadcast on National TV and Radio in Ukraine, Spain, the US, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. In May of 2019 she was named a New Artist 2018 by the Classical Music Critics Association of Argentina after her successful debut in Buenos Aires with the Orquesta de Cámara del Congreso de la Nación.
Based in Los Angeles, Ms. Khomik is an avid promoter of contemporary composers, educational outreach, and regularly participates in premieres of new works. Most recent highlights include two new commissions for solo violin and an upcoming release of her debut album; performances with Orquestra Sinfonica EAFIT in Medellin, Colombia, O rquesta Filarmónica de Zacatecas, Sinfonica Orquestra de Barra Mansa, Orquestra de la Societat de Concerts de Barcelona, Kyiv Kamerata, as well as residencies in Brazil and Argentina with music programs for underprivileged children.
A devoted chamber music advocate, Ms. Khomik had the privilege of collaborating and performing alongside many distinguished artists, such as members of the Borromeo, Jerusalem, Ysaye and Tokyo String Quartets, Midori Goto, Oleh Krysa, Carol Wincec, Fred Sherry, Ronald Leonard, Robert Davidovici, Michelle Zukovsky, Antonio Lysy, Guillaume Sutre, Movses Pogossian, among others. She frequently appears in chamber music series in Los Angeles (LACMA Sundays Live, Broad Stage Series, Redcat Series, among others), in New York and throughout Europe.
Ms. Khomik received her Performance Diploma from Lviv Krushelnytska School of Music in Ukraine, and after continuing her education in the US she received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she also held a position of the Teaching Associate of Chamber Music in the string department. Ms. Khomik regularly performs with several orchestras in Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and the New West Symphony, she can be heard on various recordings for film and television, and is a member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Ms. Khomik served as an adjunct professor at Fullerton College, as is currently on faculty as a violin and chamber music teaching artist at Biola University and at the Montecito International Music Festival.
Hui Lim, a native of Singapore, is a violinist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Berkeley Symphony, the Lancaster Festival Orchestra, and the Associate Principal 2nd Violin with the Boise Philharmonic.
A graduate of the Eastman School of Music (B.M, 2006) and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (M.M. 2008), Hui’s teachers include Koichiro Harada, Ik-Hwan Bae, Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, Eliot Chapo, and Oleh Krysa. She has served as teaching assistant to Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, former 1st Assistant Principal 2nd violin of the Cleveland Orchestra, and Eliot Chapo, former Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic.
Previously, Hui was also a violinist with the Tallahassee Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Reno Philharmonic and the Reno Chamber Orchestra.
During Hui’s schooling days, she won 2nd place at the National Piano and Violin Competition in Singapore, and performed with the Asian Youth Orchestra on a 6-week concert tour.
Hui enjoys squabbling with her cat son, Snowbear, and travels to Las Vegas for Philharmonic concerts with her teddy bears. She is married to fellow LVPhilian, Tiantian Lan.
Eric McAllister received his bachelor’s degree in music education and violin performance, and a master’s degree in viola performance, and is pursuing a DMA in Conducting under the direction of Professor Taras Krysa at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has conducted orchestras in schools since 1999, most recently at the Las Vegas Academy of the Performing Arts since 2006. He has performed with the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater as a violinist each season since 1995, and with the Las Vegas Philharmonic since moving to Nevada in 2001. He has performed as a violinist with the Nevada Ballet Theater from 2001 to 2023, when he switched from the first violin section to conductor. Conducting many ballet performances such as George Balanchine’s adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” and “Serenade for Strings”, Nicolo Fonte’s adaptation of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” (with “The Las Vegas MasterSingers” also on stage), and Jerome Robbins adaptation of the comedic ballet “The Concert” which is set to the music of Frédéric Chopin.
McAllister has conducted orchestras and/or performed violin or viola in venues such as the Auditorio de Zaragoza and Barcelona in Spain, Musikverein in Austria, Carnegie Hall, and Avery Fisher Hall in New York City (now David Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts). He has also conducted in great venues in Chicago, Indianapolis, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Las Vegas’s own world-class Concert Hall in Las Vegas – the Smith Center for the Performing Arts!
Las Vegas offers many great opportunities to perform with classical artists and celebrity entertainers. McAllister has performed in Las Vegas with performers such as: Andre Bocelli, Josh Groben, Harry Connick Jr., Itzhak Perlman, Placido Domingo, Benjamin Zander, Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson, Donna Summer, Rascal Flatts, Linda Eder, Alan Parcens Project, Dennis DeYoung/Styxx, Air Supply, The Scintas, Danny Gans, Frank Sinatra Jr., Mary J. Blige, Richard Marx, Dave Stewart/Eurythmics, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Martina McBride, Emmylou Harris, Carole King, Mavis Staples, Pat Monahan, Jennifer Hudson, and the legendary rapper “Nas” performing many sold out shows featuring his iconic album “Illmatic”.
McAllister loves to gig here in town with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and in other states/countries. He also loves spending time with his wife, Juliann, and his extended family.
Rebecca Ramsey, violinist and composer, is a first violinist in the Las Vegas Philharmonic and is also currently concertmaster for The Lion King at the Mandalay Bay. She is first chair for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon each year and has played on many nationally broadcasted television shows such as “American Idol” and the “Billboard Awards.” Throughout her years in Las Vegas, she played first chair for many of the musical giants of our time; including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Mathis, Natalie Cole, Pavarotti and as concertmaster for Andrea Bocelli’s PBS special at Lake Las Vegas, Under a Desert Sky.
A private teacher, her violin students have been winners of the Bolognini competition, the Silver State, the MTNA at the state level the national Sphinx competition and the Las Vegas Philharmonic Young Artists competition. Rebecca plays several chamber music concerts a year for the Las Vegas Courthouse series and the Reed Whipple Cultural Center as a member of the Glenwillow Trio.Her award-winning recording of The Stone Sanctuary, Silhouettes of Zion, features her own original compositions and has been played frequently on KCNV-FM 89.7 Nevada Public Radio.
Lisa Ratigan, a native of Las Vegas, Nevada is an accomplished Musician on both Violin and Viola. She has seen Las Vegas grow over the years from the time there were no Orchestras in the schools to now where there are Orchestras in almost every school. Her mother, Caroll Berns-Wixom (owner of Berns Suzuki Studio) was a Professional Violinist as well as her Grandfather. She started lessons with her mother at age 12. She had already played Piano, and Flute by this time. She went on to study with Bela Urban, and then Barton Gray who was Concert Master of the Denver Symphony. She also studied with Kathleen Hamil, and Russ Cantor.
Lisa was awarded a full scholarship to Arizona State University where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance. At ASU, she studied with Dr. Phyllis Skoldberg and Dr. Frank Spinosa, on Violin as well as Dr. William Magers on Viola. While at ASU, she was also a member of the Honors quartet, and also participated in the Lyric Opera Theater for four years. She was a contracted player with the Biltmore Strings performing 2 shows nightly at the Biltmore Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona. She was also granted a full Scholarship by audition to the Congress of Strings programs in 1978, in Seattle, Washington, and again in 1982 in Cincinnati, Ohio. While in Cinncinati, she got the opportunity to play under the baton of the esteemed James DePreist as well as got to study Violin with Zvi Zeitlin. She was awarded by audition to attend the prestigious Music Academy of the West on Viola where she got to study with Milton Thomas as well as received Chamber Music coaching with Gabor Reijto. (Her mother also studied Chamber music with Mr. Reijto when she was at USC.)
She also played with the Palace Strings on Viola, at Caesars Palace, as well as for the Andre Agassi Foundation for stars such as: Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, Boys II Men, Lionel Richie, Led Zeppelin, and Gloria Estefan. She has performed in show bands for Tony Bennett, Al Martino, Smokey Robinson, Frank Sinatra Jr., Julio Iglesias, Dionne Warwick, Burt Baccarach, and Natalie Cole. She also got to play for the Billboard Awards show with Justin Timberlake on Viola. She has recorded with the Chic Band on their first CD titled Complete Me. She performs on an electric 5 string as well.
While with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, she has played for Clint Holmes, Pavarotti, Andrea Boccelli, Vanessa Williams. She also plays weddings, banquets, V.I.P. events, as well as Classical Chamber Ensembles.
Lisa teaches Violin and Viola and has several students that participate in the Las Vegas Youth Orchestras which is by audition only. Her students are encouraged to attend Violafest and the Solo and Ensemble Festival each year and have gained knowledge and performing experience by doing so. Lisa was a coach for the Las Vegas Youth Orchestras from 2007-2009. She is also a member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Las Vegas Music Teachers Association (LVMTA) and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and served a term as Secretary for the Las Vegas chapter of that organization.
Lisa has been a contracted member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic since 2002, and has been tenured since 2004. She is currently the Upper Strings Coach at Clark High School, and volunteers at several of the Middle schools that feed into Clark.
She has two beautiful daughters who are also very involved in Music as well as Cheer. One plays Violin the other plays Flute.
Lisa plays a 1764 Agustin Chappuy Violin, and a 1987 Salvatore Caristo Viola named Gabrial.
Kay Sanderson teaches violin, viola, & piano, and takes students between ages 6- 86 (literally). She attended UCSB, studying violin with Stephan Krayk, for four years, then UNLV for two years. She moved to Las Vegas from Santa Barbara for work. She played in Santa Barbara Symphony for 11 years and, after coming to Vegas, played in what was then the Las Vegas Symphony. She is still playing, though it’s now called Las Vegas Philharmonic. She has been lucky enough to attend many Adult Chamber Music Workshops during summers, in Humboldt, Ashland, Santa Barbara, and Tuscon. She has a Contra Dance band, which plays for her monthly dances, and she volunteer fiddles with the local NOFA (Nevada Old-time Fiddlers Association) at 55 & Older Communities in Vegas. “I’m very fortunate to make my living doing what I love.” -Kay Sanderson
Melanie Schiemer began studying music at Nevada School of the Arts with Mary Straub in 1984. Over the next several years, Schiemer attended private and group classes at NSA and also participated in numerous Suzuki Institutes in the United States. During her time at NSA, Schiemer successfully competed in local and state competitions. In 1996, Schiemer was awarded a full fellowship to the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Institute in Washington, D.C. After graduating early from the Las Vegas Academy in 1997, Schiemer continued her music training by attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In the summer of 1999, Schiemer was made a member of the Amadeus Chamber Symphony in London. The group embarked on a European tour while featuring soloists such as Steven Iserlis. During the same year, Schiemer became a member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and now holds a tenure position in the orchestra. Schiemer has furthered her performing career as a free lance musician. She has performed and/or recorded with such artists as Palcido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Vanessa Williams, Pen and Teller, and Clint Holmes. In January 2007, Schiemer was made a full time member of the Las Vegas production of The Producers playing at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.
Soon after joining the Philharmonic, Schiemer began her Suzuki Teacher Training. She has completed training units 1A through 5 (six total) as well as several enrichment courses. Currently, Schiemer is continuing her training by further enrolling in Suzuki Training Certification courses as well as studying child psychology and early childhood development at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Schiemer was as a full time teacher for the Nevada School of the Arts for over nine years and still resides as a faculty member for the annual Nevada School of the Arts’ Suzuki Institute. Melanie Schiemer participated in the creation and implementation of successful Suzuki programs at both Sunrise Acres Elementary and The Meadows School. As an extension of the program started at Sunrise Acres Elementary, Schiemer created a Suzuki Outreach Program at the Nevada School of the Arts. The program enriches the community by affording inner city youth the opportunity to study music in the Suzuki Violin Program. Beginning in the fall of 2007 Schiemer launched a full Musikgarten and Kindergarten Music program at the Midbar Kodesh Temple and Early Childhood Development Center. In the Fall of 2008, she will join The Meadows School Faculty as the Kindergarten music teacher. The Suzuki Strings at The Meadows School continues to grow and the 2008-2009 school year is expected to be the biggest year to date.
In addition to teaching and performing, Schiemer is a member of several organizations including the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Las Vegas Music Teachers Association (LVMTA), Suzuki Associations of the Americas (SAA), and Early Childhood Music and Movement Association (ECMMA). For the LVMTA, Schiemer has served as the String Coordinator and has functioned as the American Federation of Music Junior Festival String Competition Chairperson. Schiemer has also successfully applied for her Level 2 certification with the ECMMA. In 2006, Schiemer has received her Musik Garten TM Qualifications and License. Most recently, Schiemer completed her level 1 Orff certification due to the generous support of The Meadows School.
Lee Schreiber is a native of Washington State. She was introduced to the orchestra through a school field trip to the Seattle Symphony. She started studying violin through school music. Lee was granted a four year full tuition scholarship to the University of Arizona where she earned her Bachelor Music in Violin Performance. Lee continued her studies at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville to study Suzuki Pedagogy with renowned teacher John Kendal. While living in Illinois, Lee taught violin as adjunct faculty for Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Southeast Missouri State University. After moving to Las Vegas, Lee was a faculty member of Nevada School of the Arts for many years and helped pilot the extension program used by Nevada School of the Arts. Lee now teaches privately in her home studio. She founded a general music program for preschool aged children called Musical Friends. Lee performs locally for area Synagogues. She is a founding member of a klezmer band called the Meshuggina Klezmorim. The band has performed for numerous citywide events such as Israeli Independence day, menorah lighting by Mayor Oscar Goodman, the Folk Life Festival and World Vibration Concert Series. Lee has had the opportunity to perform for a wide range of stars such as, Tim McGraw, Clint Black, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Eddie Fisher, Al Martino, Tony Bennett, Jerry Lewis, Elton John, and Dudley Moore, to name a few. Her favorite experience was performing for opera legends Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. Lee performs chamber music for weddings and special events. She is a member of the Nevada Chamber Symphony. Lee is proud to be a member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic since the orchestra’s inception.
Naoko Taniguchi was born and educated in Japan. She studied violin with Louis Graeler and Tsuneo Iso.
She has performed with numerous orchestras in Japan, including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, Gunma Symphony Orchestra, and Yamagata Symphony Orchestra. Since 2009, she has been an active member of the LV Philharmonic.
In addition to her orchestral work, Ms.Taniguchi is deeply engaged in chamber music and teaching.
Alex joined the Las Vegas Philharmonic’s first violin section in 2022, a native of Russia he has spent his life in pursuit of violin excellence. He came to the US to study at The Julliard School (New York) where he studied with Sylvia Rosenberg, Massao Kawasaki, & Eduard Schmieder. Upon receiving his Bachelors of in Violin Performance (2008) and then a Masters of Music (2010), he competed in several competitions while finishing runner up in the 2012 Buenos Aires Violin competition and also the International China Violin Competition. From 2009-2013 he was the Assistant Concert master of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and in 2013 accepted the position as Principal Second Violin in the Aalbord Symphony Orchestra in Denmark. He recently moved to Las Vegas, NV and has been an active member in many of the professional performance ensembles locally.
Grace Wride is an accomplished American violinist and the newly appointed Assistant Concertmaster of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Known for her expressive performances in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings, she has appeared as a soloist in Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante alongside violist Shyler Macaggi and the GGS Chamber Orchestra. When she was a member of The Reverie Quartet, she premiered Ernst Kanitz’s string quartet at the ARC (Artists of The Royal Conservatory) ensemble concert, earning praise for their “compelling and joyous” interpretation. Her ensemble also recorded a work for the Kronos Quartet’s 50 for the Future project. Grace recently received the Award of Excellence from the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and toured the country as concertmaster for the 2024 season.
Beginning violin at the age of three, Grace has developed under the guidance of esteemed musicians, including Erika Raum at The Glenn Gould School (GGS) of The Royal Conservatory of Music, and mentors such as Steven Dann (viola) and Marie Bérard (violin). While completing her Bachelor’s degree in violin performance at The Glenn Gould School (’25), she served as Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin of The Royal Conservatory Orchestra. This past summer, Grace participated in The Creative Dialogue contemporary music workshop in Finland, where she collaborated with leading composers and performers including Finnish cellist Anssi Karttunen and jazz trumpeter Verneri Pohjola.
As a native of Las Vegas, she looks forward to returning to her hometown and making music with her colleagues around the city.