ANNE CHERCHALI
Anne Cherchali, French violinist and cellist grew up in a musical and multicultural family. She started taking violin lessons at age 6. She began the cello in her early teens, when her high school orchestra teacher gave her an old cello that the school was going to discard, and encouraged her to learn this instrument as well. Anne later graduated from the National Conservatory of Music of Nancy, France, with honors in Violin Performance, Cello Performance and Chamber Music, while pursuing a Masters Degree in Economics, Actuarial Science and Statistics at the same time. During her college years, she entered some international music competitions and attended numerous master classes and summer programs such as the Nice International Music Academy, the Guerande International Festival and the International Mirecourt Strings Academy. Before moving to the US, Anne worked as a freelance artist and played in a number of European orchestras including the Lille National Orchestra, the Geneva Symphony (Switzerland), the Ile-De-France National Orchestra and the Paris Opera Orchestra.
An avid chamber music player, she also participated in a variety of quartet and trio recitals in Europe. Now a busy mother, Anne spends most of her time these days taking care of her family and working as a consultant and actuary. In her spare time, she maintains a small studio of hand-picked string students, and teaches violin and cello at the Beverly Vista Middle School. Two of Anne’s children are members of the Westside Youth Orchestra, and because of Anne’s rich background in music, the orchestras’ director invited her to join the artist faculty and help coach the cello section on Wednesday rehearsals. In addition to being a musician, Anne loves photography, hiking, skiing, cycling and spending time with her family.
SARAH WILKINSON
Violist Sarah Wilkinson, originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, began playing the violin at a young age and switched to the viola as her primary instrument at age 11 after becoming enthralled with the warm sound and timbre of the instrument. She is a member of the American Youth Symphony and has played with the Downey Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Thornton Symphony Orchestra, and the Lamont Symphony Orchestra. Sarah is also an active chamber musician and his given recent recitals with various ensembles at venues such as the Huntington Garden and ESMoA Art Museum. In past summers, Sarah has enjoyed participating in the Aspen Music Festival and School, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Marrowstone Music Festival, and InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy. In addition to her career as a performer, Sarah enjoys teaching viola and violin at 88 Keys Music Academy and the Santa Monica Conservatory of Music, as well as her own private studio. She is also an artist faculty member of the Westside Youth Orchestra in Culver City. Sarah received her Bachelor of Music degree in viola performance from the University of Denver, where she studied with Basil Vendryes and graduated Cum Laude in 2019. Sarah received her Master of Music degree and Graduate Certificate in viola performance at the University of Southern California, where she studied under Karen Dreyfus and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
DAVID RAMIREZ
David Ramirez, a Salvadoran-American flutist, studied under the tutelage of Heather Clark at California State University of Northridge (CSUN) and Catherine Ransom-Karoly at the University of Southern California (USC). During his studies at USC, David performed as a soloist in Narong Prangcheron’s “Absence of Time” Concerto with the USC Chamber Orchestra under the direction of renowned conductor Carl St. Clair. The recording of this performance has been featured on KUSC. David is an active and sought out performer with renowned ensembles such as The Downey Symphony, Whitter Regional Symphony, San Luis Obispo Symphony, Golden State Pops Orchestra, and Opera de Tijuana, and The SolCal Chamber Ensemble in which he co-founded. Most recently, David has been invited to become a member of Swarmius, an ensemble based in San Diego, CA, that brings forward modern music such as the premier of a new opera entitled ‘El Colibri Magico’. SolCal Chamber Ensemble, which David co-founded.
As an educator, David is continuously advocating for, developing, and strengthening the performing art community throughout the greater LA area. He is a strong believer in diversity, inclusion and providing high-quality musical education to underserved communities. These values are evident in his work as a Resident Teaching Artist at the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA), as the winds and brass coach at Westside Youth Orchestra, and as a Flute Specialty Instructor in the Santa Clarita Unified School District. David also works at the largest flute dealer and repair shop on the west coast, Flutacious!, where he finds joy in helping each performer find their perfect flute. In his leisure Ɵme, David enjoys spending quality time with his family, his beloved dog Eliseo, hiking, and playing soccer.
BEN SOLOMONOW
Ben Solomonow, A prize winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, Ben Solomonow
has been featured on the American national radio stations WFMT and NPR, and has been invited to
perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Ravinia’s BenneƩ-Gordon Hall, and the Seoul Arts Center. In
recent years, Solomonow’s collaborations have included those with Mitsuko Uchida, Gary Hoffman,
Emanuel Ax, and members of the Tokyo, Vermeer, Juilliard and Cleveland Quartets. He has performed at
the Marlboro Music FesƟval, Ojai Music FesƟval, Ravinia Music FesƟval, and FesƟval Mozaic, and has
made concerto appearances with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and the Colburn Orchestra.
MILA SANTOS-BROCHU
French Horn. Mila Santos-Brochu is a Canadian freelance horn player, teacher, and coach for both the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra and the Westside Youth Orchestra. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Azusa Pacific University, where she honed her skills as a performer and developed a passion for teaching and mentoring young musicians. To conƟnually refine her craŌ, Mila dedicated two consecuƟve summers to the pursuit of musical mastery at the renowned Idyllwild Arts Intensive Music Academy. Mila has performed with esteemed ensembles including All-State and NAfME Orchestras, Wind Ensembles, and Concert Bands. Highlights of her career include being invited to perform at Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall. She has also recorded for major productions, including the soundtrack for Beverly Hills Cop, at prominent sound stages such as Sony and Warner Brothers. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with acclaimed conductors, composers, and musicians such as Don Williams, Russell Steinberg, Lowell Crystal, and Anthony Parnther. Passionate about fostering the next generation of musicians, Mila balances her performance career with teaching and coaching, inspiring students to achieve their full musical potential while sharing the joy of music.
JOSHUA DE SENNA
JOSHUA DE SENNA began his conducting studies in 2023 under the mentorship of Dean Anderson. He is the founder and musical director of the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Orchestra at La Sierra University, California which completed its inaugural season in 2024 with performances that showcased his ability to build and inspire a young ensemble. Joshua has worked with notable conducting mentors including Kenneth Kiesler, Rotem Weinberg, and Edward Dolbashian. At the 2024 Conductor’s Retreat at Medomak, he conducted Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with internaƟonally acclaimed pianist Nhi Luong. He has served as assistant conductor of the Seacoast Symphony in Dana Point, California, and currently serves as the newly appointed associate conductor Westside Youth Orchestra, Culver City, California. He shares a passion for building youth ensembles that reflect the culture of the communities they are a part of, creating opportunities for young people to be voices of change. Joshua believes in making classical music accessible to a variety of listeners and is dedicated to creating spaces where audiences can feel connected to the composer no matter their upbringing or background.
