Multi-instrumentalist Ben Bartelt received his B.A. in Music, graduating summa cum laude from UCLA. He continued his studies at Yale University, where he received his Master’s of Music on full scholarship, and at the Colburn Conservatory, where he was awarded the prestigious Artist Diploma. Ben enjoys a busy schedule as a performer and teacher around LA county. He is glad to be coaching the talented students in Samohi’s orchestra program.

Violinist and Samohi alum April Paik returned to her native Los Angeles in 2017. One of the most memorable moments of April’s high-school career was traveling to the ASTA National Orchestra Festival as concertmaster of the Samohi Symphony in 2005 and winning the grand prize. She is proud to be back helping the young musicians of Samohi continue the tradition of excellence. After her undergraduate studies in the departments of music and German at UC Berkeley, April taught and performed throughout the Bay Area in regional orchestras, contemporary music ensembles, and as an avid chamber musician. In 2014, as a recipient of the Hertz Traveling Fellowship from UC Berkeley, she moved to Germany, where she performed with the Lübeck Philharmonic. She currently maintains a private teaching studio and teaches violin in the El Segundo schools. April particularly loves performing opera, contemporary music, and early music.

Double bassist Eric Shetzen earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at The Juilliard School as a student of New York Philharmonic bassists Orin O’Brien and David Grossman. For three years he served as Principal Bass of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Osaka, Japan. He also spent several seasons as a Fellow in the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy directed by Michael Tilson Thomas. An avid chamber musician, Eric has collaborated with members of the Juilliard String Quartet, the Lyris String Quartet, violinist Maxim Vengerov, and conductors Lorin Maazel and James Conlon. His festival appearances include the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, Incontri in Terra di Siena Festival, Castleton Festival, and the PRISMA Festival. Eric now performs as a freelance bassist in Los Angeles, where he maintains a varied career as a performer and teacher. He has been featured in several distinguished contemporary concert series such as Jacaranda: Music at the Edge and the Hear/Now Music Festival, and was recently invited to perform at Ojai Music Festival alongside music director and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Eric also performs in the bass sections of various Southern California orchestras, including the Long Beach Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, LA Master Chorale, and the San Bernardino Symphony. When Eric is not performing on stage, he can be found teaching his studio of private bass students or recording the music of Hollywood’s most iconic composers for film and television. Eric looks forward to returning to his hometown of Scottsdale, AZ, every winter to perform with the AZMF Orchestra.

Cellist Charlie Tyler has enjoyed a varied career as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral performer in concert venues around the world. Charlie was named winner of the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Concerto Competition, top prize winner of the Osaka International Music Competition, and winner of the Atwater Kent Strings Competition. Charlie served as co-principal cello of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Japan for three seasons, where he also appeared in numerous chamber music and solo recital concerts. In past summers he has participated in the Tanglewood Music Center, Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Festival, and was principal cellist of the National Repertory Orchestra. He frequently performs in many orchestras around Southern California and has performed on the Jacaranda and Dilijan Chamber music series, the Hear/Now Music Festival and with the Salastina Music Society. Charlie also performs as a member of the Arizona MusicFest Orchestra each winter in Scottsdale, AZ. In addition to live performances, Charlie maintains an active recording career in Los Angeles, where he has played on numerous scores for film and television.

Dr. Fang Fang Xu earned her doctoral degree in cello performance from the University of Southern California. She has performed at Schleswig-Holstein International Music Festival in Germany and Guadalajara Music Festival in Mexico with eminent conductors Christoph Eschenbach and Mstislav Rostropovich. She has appeared as guest soloist with the Pacific Symphony and USC Thornton Symphony among others. As an orchestral player she has performed with LA Philharmonic and LA Chamber Orchestra. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in June of 2010 as solo cellist in the production of Eric Whitacre’s Paradise Lost. In Spring of 2011, Dr. Xu was again featured in the Paradise Lost production at Disney Hall in Los Angeles. She is a member of the Elixir Piano Trio and has performed in colleges and music festivals throughout California and Arizona. In addition to her performing career, Dr. Xu maintains accomplished private studios in South Pasadena and Mar Vista, and is a member of MTAC Pasadena Branch.

A spirited interpreter of chamber music, violist Laila Zakzook won the 2014 Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition and the Honors Quartet Scholarship at the Colburn School of Performing Arts. Also committed to the performance of new music, Laila has given the Canadian premier of “In Manus Tuas,” by Caroline Shaw. In 2013, Laila performed with Mika and Richard Stoltzman in “Duet” by Steve Reich in Carnegie Hall. Laila has held principal and assistant principal positions under the batons of conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, Philippe Entremont and Leon Fleisher in the Banff Festival Orchestra, Manhattan School of Music Orchestras, The Royal Conservatory Orchestra, Oberlin Wind Ensemble, and the Colburn School of Performing Arts Chamber Orchestra. Laila appeared at Carnegie Hall with the Mimesis Ensemble in the premiere performance and subsequent recording of Sumeida’s Song by Mohammed Fairouz. In 2011 and 2013, Laila held residencies at The Banff Centre. Laila has also participated in Rockport Chamber Music Festival, The Heifetz International Music Institute, Zephyr International Chamber Music Course and Festival, Stoughton Chamber Music Festival and Music by the Sea in British Columbia. Laila completed her studies at The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, having previously studied at The Manhattan School of Music and The Oberlin Conservatory. Laila has collaborated with the Grammy Award winning Attacca Quartet and artists such as Steven Dann, Barry Schiffman, Andrès Diaz and Osvaldo Golijov. Laila is a graduate of Santa Monica High School and is thrilled to be working with the talented violists in the orchestra program.