OUR TEACHING STAFF
Kirk Trevor
Kirk Trevor has made a global impact in the areas of orchestral recording and conducting teaching, as well as leading the musical lives of three major American cities by bringing them the highest level of orchestral performance and symphonic music education.
Maestro Trevor became Music Director of the Missouri Symphony Orchestra in 2000. He has led the Missouri Symphony Orchestra in the summer music festival since 2001 and in 2004 transformed the Festival into Hot Summer Nights, expanding the number of performances as well as the diversity of the program. Born and educated in England, he graduated cum laude in cello performance and conducting. He came to the United States in 1975 on a Fulbright grant and subsequently became Resident Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He then served as Music Director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra for eighteen years. At the same time, he was also Music Director of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, whom he transformed into one of America’s leading chamber ensembles.
His lifelong philosophy has been one of how to make classical music relevant within current culture, and to project and inspire the joy of music making in his conducting and teaching. To that end he has tried to make programs that are engaging and entertaining for audiences as well as identify, train and mentor new generations of young musicians through the various educational programs he has established. In Knoxville he founded the “Strings in our Schools” program, a collaboration to put full time string teachers back in county schools.
It has been through Maestro Trevor’s involvement in the training and development of new generations of listeners, players and conductors that he has developed an international following. Winner of the 1990 Leonard Bernstein Conducting Competition, he is now widely recognized as one of the leading conducting teachers in the world. He has been a guest teacher at more than thirty universities around the globe, including the universities of Zurich, Basel, Hong Kong, Sao Paolo, Brasilia, Natal and Oslo as well as in the United States at the universities of Tennesee, North Texas, Denver, Brown, Northwestern, Illinois, SMU and Manhattan School of Music. His own conducting summer school in the Czech Republic is now in its’ thirtieth year. In the spring semester of 2019, he held an interim position at the famed Eastman School of Music as Director of Orchestras and Conducting.
Maestro Trevor is one of the world’s most recorded conductors of the past fifty years with more than 120 albums to his name. His discography includes opera (Tender Land), choral music as well as more than 65 albums of new American composers.
He has recorded for all the major record labels, and has also recorded symphonic music for movies, documentaries (Ezekial, Terezin in Israel), TV, (Mozart in the Jungle) and video games (Diablo, Warcraft). As a guest conductor, Maestro Trevor has conducted more than 40 orchestras in 15 countries. He made his London Symphony Orchestra debut in 2003 and his Carnegie Hall debut in 2007.
From 1995 to 2000 he was Music Director of the Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic and from 2002 until 2005 was Principal Guest Conductor of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. He and his wife Maria and their three children; Sylvia, Daniel and Aidan make their home in Columbia and Bratislava. Maestro Trevor's eldest daughter Chloe is a renowned violin soloist and appears worldwide, and often shares the spotlight with her father.
Joseph Choi
MAESTRO JOSEPH EUNKWAN CHOI has served as Assistant Conductor of Evansville Philharmonic (IN) and Associate Conductor of Owensboro Symphony (KY) where he also served as Music Director and Conductor of Owensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra (KY), Evansville Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (IN), Pocono Youth Symphony Orchestra (PA) and Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra (VA) where his orchestra programs have flourished under his leadership. Since COVID-19, Maestro Choi serve as Music Director of Sunnydale Adventist Academy, and has served as conductor of Missouri Conservatory Wind Ensemble conductor working alongside Maestro Kirk Trevor. Maestro Choi received his undergraduate music studies (BA) from Southern Adventist University in TN, where he served as Assistant Conductor of SAU Symphony and was selected as 2009 SAU Alumnus of the Year. Upon graduating from college, Mr. Choi served as Assistant Conductor of Asheville Symphony (NC) under Dr. Robert Hart Baker and served as Music Director of Fletcher Academy in Fletcher, NC. During this time, he founded Fletcher Chamber Orchestra.
Mr. Choi continued his graduate studies (MM) in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Hartford (Hartt School of Music) with Maestro Harold Faberman and served as Graduate Assistant to Dr. Thomas Duffy.
He began his DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) program in Choral Conducting at the University of Maryland at College Park where he was full-scholarship Doctoral Graduate Assistant to Dr. Paul Traver and served as Assistant Conductor of both University of Maryland Chorus and Chorale where he sang as tenor soloist with Annapolis Symphony and Mozart’s Vespers of Confessore with University of Maryland Chorus. During this time, he was selected to serve as 2003 Prince George’s All-County Orchestra Director making his conducting Debut at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall in 2003.
Also, in the past, Maestro Choi studied at the Shenandoah University (VA) where he was (DMA) Doctor of Musical Arts Orchestra Conducting major under Maestro Jan Wagner where the orchestra made international tours to Argentina and Spain during his time with the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony and conducted Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 and many more big works. In the past, he conducted Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra (Korea), Astoria Symphony, Knoxville Chamber Orchestra, East Texas Symphony, Jeju Symphony, Gangneung Symphony (S. Korea), Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic (Czech Republic), Beethoven Chamber Orchestra (Czech Republic), Lisboa Metropolitan Orchestra (Portugal), St. Petersburg Congress Orchestra (Russia), the University of Maryland Symphony, Hartt Symphony Orchestra, Southern Adventist University Symphony Orchestra, and his conducting debut at the Carnegie Hall conducting Oakwood University Aeolian Choir along with 70 piece professional orchestra.
In 2003, Maestro Choi made his Kennedy Center Concert Hall Debut conducting Prince-George’s All-County Orchestra (MD) to a sold-out event and this same year, he was chosen as one of two finalists with US Army Band, one of seven finalists with US Air Force Band and was also chosen as one of three finalists with New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra and Delaware Youth Orchestra programs. Maestro Choi studied conducting private with Maestro Kirk Trevor since 1993 and have participated in his International conducting workshops in Knoxville, Czech Republic, NYC and Maestro Trevor has since been a mentor to Maestro Choi. Currently, Maestro Choi reside in Centralia, Missouri with his wife Angela (Former Music teacher and now nurse) and his son Nathaniel (9 th Grade) Violinist and percussionist.
(August 2021)
Renan Leme
Renan Leme was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel) and a masters in violin performance from the University of Missouri – Columbia under the orientation of Professor Eva Szekely. Since he moved to Columbia, MO, he has been an active musician and teacher in the community. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Central Methodist University, director of the Missouri Youth Orchestra, Orchestra Teacher at Marshall Public Schools, and the President of the Mid Missouri Area Music Teachers Association. He has also worked with the Missouri String Project, Mizzou Community Music Program (CMP), and with his private studio.
As a performer he has worked with many ensembles and orchestras such as the Missouri Symphony, Mizzou Graduate String Quartet, Mizzou New Music Ensemble, Mizzou Improvisation Ensemble, Mizzou University Philharmonic Orchestra (where he has been principal and concert-master), Mizzou Chamber Soloists (as principal), Camerata Novitango (his former Tango Quartet), Chamber Orchestra of Theatro São Pedro (OCTSP), and Chamber Orchestra of Santa Cruz (as principal) among others. He has attended master classes with Annie Chalex Boyle, Yang Liu, Carmelo de Los Santos, Alejandro Drago, Richard Young, Kirsten Yon, Levon Ambartsumian, Emmanuele Baldini, Fredi Gerling, Marcello Guershfeld, among others. Leme has been awarded with the Kathleen Kabrick String Award for excellence in teaching and leadership. He is also a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society due to his academic and musical performance excellence during his time as a student at Mizzou.
Maria Trevor
Slovak – American harpist Maria Duhova Trevor has quickly established herself as one of the most sought-after and versatile harpists in the Midwest. She is the principal harpist of the Missouri Symphony, Springfield Symphony Orchestra and the Springfield Regional Opera as well as adjunct instructor of harp at the University of Missouri.
In Columbia, she collaborates with local musicians in chamber music performances including Flute and Harp Duo and Cello and Harp Duo -“51 Strings”. She also gives solo recitals in colleges and performing arts series throughout Midwest.As a wedding ceremony musician she has provided music for more than two hundred couples. Maria takes a personal approach to every wedding starting with a meeting with bride and groom and accommodating requests for their special songs. In 2017 Maria compiled her favorite love songs into her “Romantic Harp” CD.
Maria’s philosophy of the healing power of music has brought her a large following and she performs for many different types of events and service groups each year, including bringing harp music to the homeless and the mentally and physically challenged. She is now receiving national attention for her special initiative ‘Harp and Healing’ that began in 2011 and still continues today. Harp and Healing is 45 minutes of live harp music and spoken word aimed to help people going thorough life’s difficulties such as grief, illness, divorce. Harp and Healing provides an environment conducive to emotional and physical renewal. Some of the music from this ministry eventually became a best-selling album “Healing Harp”.
Read Maria's complete bio on her website.
Mara Zaner
Mara Zaner is a fifteen year-old Sophmore attending Rock Bridge High School. From a young age, she knew she knew she possessed a special passion for music. She has been playing violin for seven years, studying under Kirk Trevor in orchestra for five of those years. For the last three years, Mara has been studying violin with Amy Appold. She has enjoyed playing in many orchestras inside and outside of school since starting violin.
She is a member of the Young Artists Philharmonic serving as concertmaster in the Spring 2021 semester, as well as playing in the Chamber Players ensemble. Along with participating in various chamber small groups, she has recently been playing as a member of the Utopia Quartet for the past two years. Along with the violin, she has studied piano for three years. She is very passionate about music and plans to pursue it further in college.
She also has a passion for mathematics and academics at Rock Bridge High School. She recently started to lead the Bruin Strings, a community based orchestra group that plays in volunteer functions. Along with playing, she also loves to compose for various groups in and outside of school. She spends her time studying, composing, writing, painting, as well as spending time with friends and family.
Chloe Trevor
Quickly becoming one of the most talked about and sought after musical ambassadors to Generation Z, violinist Chloé Trevor has combined her technical brilliance, spirit for classical music and her passion for mentoring the youth of today to connect with audiences in exciting and innovative ways. Silver medalist of the Ima Hogg Competition, critics have acclaimed Chloé for her “dazzling technique”, “excellent musicianship”, “huge tone”, “poise and professional grace”, and “bold personality unafraid to exult in music and ability”. She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras worldwide, including the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Latvian Chamber Orchestra, Slovak State Philharmonic, Plano Symphony, and the Knoxville Symphony. She made her New York concerto debut in 2013 and Avery Fisher Hall debut in 2014.
Chloé was the Grand Prize winner at the 2006 Lynn Harrell Competition and the 2005 Lennox Competition. She has been a featured soloist with the Dallas Symphony at the Meyerson Symphony Center, and with the Missouri Symphony on tour throughout the state. At age thirteen she appeared on the nationally syndicated radio program From the Top.
Chloé has appeared as a soloist with the Lutoslawski Filharmonie (Poland), the Teplice Philharmonic (Czech Republic), and a tour with the Latvian Chamber Orchestra. She was also invited as a soloist in the Young Prague Spring Festival to give recitals and perform the Mendelssohn Concerto in and around Prague.
More recent performances included Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with the Dallas Symphony and Prokofiev's 2nd Concerto both at Sala São Paulo in Brazil and with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra as a result of winning the Cleveland Institute of Music's Concerto Competition.
Read her complete bio on her website by following the link.
Jennifer Lochhead
Jennifer Lochhead is an aspiring young cellist. Native to St. Joseph, Missouri, she previously studied under Sascha Groschang before attending college and studied under Ezgi Karakus at Missouri Western State University for two years. She has been studying under Eli Lara at the University of Missouri since the Fall of 2021.
While in Columbia, she has performed in the University Philharmonic Orchestra at Mizzou, the Missouri Symphony, and the Columbia Civic Orchestra. She is also a passionate music educator and has taught for the Missouri Symphony Conservatory, Missouri Academy of Music, and teaches a growing private studio. Jennifer is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in cello performance and is set to graduate in the Fall of 2023. After completing her bachelor’s, she hopes to continue studying in a master’s program for cello performance.
Andrew Stump
Andrew Stump is a violinist, violist, and hornist, and has loved playing music his entire life. He is so grateful to have been born into a very musical and very loving and caring family. Andrew began studying the violin at the age of 5 and the viola at the age of 10, and after much exploration of different instruments began studying the french horn when he was 14.
He went on to study horn performance with Jennifer Montone and Jeffery Lang at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2022. Andrew then spent one year pursuing a Master of Music degree in violin performance at Temple University, where he studied violin with Davyd Booth, as well as viola with Kerri Ryan.
To expand his creative output, Andrew enjoys putting together his own recording projects on his YouTube channel, as well as arranging and composing amateurly. Andrew also has a great deal of interest in studying psychology and personality typology, which he does in his free time. Andrew is very passionate about his Christian faith and loves being involved in his church community and studying the Bible.
Amy Appold
Amy Kuhlmann Appold, violinist, has performed in major concert halls, venues, and festivals throughout the United States and abroad. As a founding member and first violinist of the Maia String Quartet from 1990-2005, she appeared at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and Clark Studio Theatre, the Kennedy Center, the American Academy in Rome and Harris Hall of the Aspen Music Festival as well as numerous major concert series.
Her chamber music career has also included world premiere performances and recordings of music by Pierre Jalbert, Jeffrey Mumford, Donald Grantham, and Ingram Marshall among others, as well as collaborations with noted chamber musicians violist Michael Tree of the Guarneri Quartet, violinist Peter Zazofsky of the Muir Quartet, flutist Samuel Baron and pianist Ann Schein. Ms. Appold has also performed as recitalist throughout the United States and as soloist with the Columbus and Acadiana Symphony Orchestras.
Ms. Appold has served on the faculties at the University of Iowa, and at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where the Maia Quartet held positions of Quartet-in-Residence. She received her musical training at the Eastman School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, The Peabody Conservatory and the Juilliard School. Ms. Appold lives in Columbia, where she maintains a studio of private violin students.
Luke Reaume
Luke Reaume, a bassist native to the northwest suburbs of Chicago, previously studied under Jeremy Attanaseo before attending college. Upon recommendation by his teacher, he joined the Music Institute of Chicago for two seasons under maestro Jim Setapen.
He has been studying with Sue Stubbs at the University of Missouri Columbia. As a bassist, he has a background in mainly orchestral and jazz bass.
He has workshopped with the Maria Schnieder Orchestra, including bassist Jay Anderson. Luke is currently in seven ensembles within Columbia while having occasional jazz gigs. As an undergraduate freshman in college, he would like to use both of his degrees in Music and Business to his advantage.
FORMER ARTISTIC STAFF
Sam Caldwell
Sam Caldwell is a double bass player from St. Louis Missouri, and is currently completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia in music education. His past ensembles include St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, 2022 All-State orchestra, and he currently participates in the University Philharmonic and Columbia Civic Orchestra. His solo and duets performances at Small Solo & Ensemble festival have achieved gold at the district and state level.
Beyond performing, he is a private teacher for students in the Columbia area and coached many students in St. Louis. He currently studies under Professor Sue Stubbs, and his past teachers include Tim Weddle of The Muny, and Tara Landers Lindbergh High School.
Holly Piccoli
Holly Piccoli is an Australian violinist, a member of the Omaha Symphony and the Melbourne Piano Trio. Her career spans an extensive range of styles performing with ensembles such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Apollo’s Fire and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. Holly also works in the pop scene having performed with Olivia Newton-John, Hugh Jackman, as well as frequently performing on live-to-air ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Australia.
Career highlights for Holly include performing in Manhattan with the Trinity Baroque Orchestra as Concertmaster and soloist for Bach's 'St Matthew Passion'; the Sanguine Estate Music Festival (Australia) performing masterworks with champion violinists Anthony Marwood and Andrew Haveron; the Valley of the Moon Festival (Sonoma) performing Schubert's 'Death and the Maiden' string quartet on period instruments; touring China as concertmaster of the Australian International Opera Company Orchestra; and most recently recording the Vivaldi Four Seasons with Apollo’s Fire.
Holly received her training in modern violin at the Australian National Academy of Music and Yale University, and began her baroque violin career during her fellowship in the Yale Baroque Ensemble.
Samantha Asel
Spending most of her life in Kansas City, Samantha Asel has played double bass since she was 12 years old. In her career she has studied with David Tourtillo, Quinn Mosier, Johnny Hamil, and currently studies with Sue Stubbs at the University of Missouri. In her early career, Asel was part of the Kansas City Metro All-District Orchestra for four years, the Missouri All-State Orchestra for two years, served as principal bassist for Kansas City Youth Academy Orchestra, and received the Missouri Music Educators Award her final year of High School.
Asel also has experience with a wide variety of ensembles including jazz ensembles, pit orchestras, marching bands, church traditional orchestras, and contemporary church bands. At Mizzou, Asel is in her second year, pursuing an undergraduate degree in Instrumental Music Education. She has served as the principal bassist of the University Philharmonic since beginning her studies in Columbia. Recently, Asel served as the principal bassist for Missouri’s All-Collegiate Orchestra and performed Pictures at an Exhibition. Furthermore, she is a member of the Columbia Civic Orchestra and has also served as principal bassist for the Missouri Symphony. Asel looks forward to teaching future generations the joys of playing music.
Eddy (Junhyeok) Park
Eddy (Junhyeok) Park is a senior at Rock Bridge High School and is the principal violist of the Missouri Academy of Music (MAM). He moved from Bloomington, Indiana his sophomore year of high school and met Maestro Kirk Trevor through the Missouri Symphony Conservatory (MOSY). For the last two years, Eddy has been studying viola performance with Professor Leslie Perna at the University of Missouri School of Music.
Eddy is a part of the Reseda Quartet, and this quartet has played in multiple concerts and paid gigs. They have been avid volunteers through the Young Hearts Program, playing music at senior living centers for those who cannot comfortably travel for concerts. Eddy is also learning conducting under Maestro Kirk Trevor and is very passionate about conducting. He made his conducting debut with MAM in April of 2022. He is currently the assistant conductor of the Sinfonietta, the younger group of students in the program.
Preston (Dean) Roberts
Preston (Dean) Roberts is a Senior at the University of Missouri, studying Viola Performance, and represents the University Philharmonic as the principal violist. With UPO, he has performed the World Premier of Mass: A Celebration of Love and Joy composed by André Thomas at the Kauffman Center in Kansas City, and has also performed theater works ranging from musicals such as Terrance McNally’s Ragtime, to operas including Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. During his time at Mizzou, he achieved First Place in the Missouri Music Teachers Association (MMTA) Upper Class Strings Competition in 2021, was a finalist in both the 2022 MU Emerging Artist Competition and the 2022 MU Concerto Competition, and became principal violist in the 2022 Missouri All State Collegiate Orchestra, under the direction of Christopher Lees.
He has contributed his expertise to groups such as 7th Column, University of Missouri Chamber Soloists, and MU Camerata. Roberts currently teaches with the Missouri String Project, the Missouri Academy of Music, and the Missouri Symphony Conservatory, where he aims to inspire the next generation of musicians around the City of Columbia. Roberts has traveled to perform across the midwest with groups such as the Southside Philharmonic, the Quincy Symphony, and the award winning Leme Ensemble. He also contributes to groups close to home, as he has performed with the Odyssey Chamber Series, and served as principal violist for the Missouri Symphony, along with the Columbia Civic Orchestra. Not only has Roberts made a career as a professional violist, but a violinist as well, as he was awarded Concertmaster of the 2022 Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity National Convention Orchestra: Sinfonia Strings, under the direction of Dr. Peter Wilson. After his time at the University of Missouri, he plans to attend graduate school to continue his performance career. Roberts has received instruction from Morgan Owen and Leslie Perna.
Thank you for being such a great conductor and educator for the orchestra and my first quartet. It really meant a lot to me, and I will always remember it.Kirk Trevor turned me, a shy saxaphone player into a proud and confident performer. He changed every student's life for the better, and I can't be more thankful.
- I deeply appreciate you being an extraordinary orchestra maestro, not only as an adept instructor and conductor but also as a keep mind for developing a diverse musical literacy..
Thank You Mr. Trevor for your mentorship and guidance. I have learned so much from you and have such treasured memories. I am forever grateful for everything you have taught me.