ARTIST BIOS

The artists featured on this page have been invited to Music & Meditation Santa Barbara not only for their international profiles as performers, but also for their shared commitment to deep listening and a more meaningful approach to music-making and mindfulness—the core values of our work.

They are distinguished performers, award winners, community musicians, and educators of the highest caliber.

We are proud and grateful that they have embraced our mission and chosen to support Music & Meditation Santa Barbara with their artistic excellence, integrity, and personal engagement.

ANI AZNAVOORIAN, cello

Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as a “cellist who shows great sensitivity and great virtuosity at all moments,” Ani Aznavoorian is in demand as a soloist and chamber musician with some of the world’s most recognized ensembles. She has appeared with leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Tokyo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony, International Sejong Soloists, Indianapolis Philharmonic, San Jose Symphony, Concertante di Chicago, and the Edmonton Symphony, and has also appeared as recitalist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Italy, France, Finland, Yugoslavia, Japan, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, and Canada.

Aznavoorian’s awards include the Bunkamura Orchard Hall Award, first prizes in the Illinois Young Performers Competition (televised live on PBS with the Chicago Symphony), the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation Music Scholarship Competition, the Chicago Cello Society National Competition, the Julius Stulberg Competition, the American String Teachers Association Competition, the International Paulo Competition, and the National Foundation for the Arts Recognition and Talent Search.

Ms. Aznavoorian enjoys performing new music and has made the world premieres of two important pieces in the cello repertoire: Ezra Laderman’s Concerto No. 2, with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic conducted by Lawrence Leighton Smith, and Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for violincello and piano on stage at the Hamburg Staatsoper with the Hamburg State Ballet. An avid chamber musician, Ani has performed with Gil Shaham, Cho-Liang Lin, Sarah Chang, Eugenia Zukerman, Edgar Meyer, Ruth Laredo, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, the Pacifica Quartet, and the Shanghai Quartet. She is a member of the renowned string ensemble the International Sejong Soloists, and is also a founding member of the Corinthian Trio with pianist Adam Neiman and violinist Stefan Milenkovich. Aznavoorian also performs frequently on the Jupiter Chamber Music series in New York. She proudly performs on a cello made by her father, Peter Aznavoorian.

Ani Aznavoorian received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Aldo Parisot. She is principal cellist of Camerata Pacifica, has been on the faculty at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, and during the summers serves on the faculty of the Great Mountains Music Festival and School in South Korea.

ROBERT DEMAINE, cello

Praised by the New York Times as “an artist who makes one hang on every note,” Robert DeMaine is the Principal Cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A highly sought-after solo artist and chamber musician, he is a frequent guest artist at many of the world’s premier chamber music festivals, including those of Marlboro, Seattle, Great Lakes, Limoges, Heidelberg Schlossfest, Chamberfest Cleveland, Montréal, Seoul’s Ditto Festival, and most recently featured as a soloist at the 2016 Piatigorsky Cello Festival. His playing is noted for its “beautiful singing tone, lapidary technical precision, and a persuasive identification with the idiom of the music at hand.” As a soloist, he performs the great works of the repertoire both old and new from concertos by Haydn, Dvorak, Elgar and Penderecki, as well as more recent works by John Williams and Christopher Theofanidis. As a recitalist the great works for cello and piano as well as the suites of J.S. Bach remain staples of his repertoire, and as one critic noted, his playing was “magnificent” and that his “technical brilliance is surpassed only by the beauty of tones he produces.”

DeMaine has appeared on the stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Teatro Colón, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Konzerthaus, and Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall, Auditorium du Louvre, Suntory Hall and the Seoul Arts Center, as well as the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center and Conservatory and London’s Wigmore Hall, among others. He is the recipient of a career grant from the Helen M. Saunders Foundation, and the gift of a Vuillaume cello from the Cecilia Benner Foundation. His principal teachers include Leonard Rose, Stephen Kates, Steven Doane, Paul Katz, Luis García-Renart and Aldo Parisot. Masterclasses and additional studies were undertaken with Bernard Greenhouse, János Starker, Boris Pergamenschikow, Felix Galimir, and Jerome Lowenthal.

DeMaine studied at The Juilliard School, the Eastman School of Music, the University of Southern California, Yale University, and the Kronberg Academy in Germany. A first-prize winner in many national and international competitions, deMaine was the first cellist ever to win the grand prize at San Francisco’s prestigious Irving M. Klein International Competition for Strings. As soloist, he has collaborated with many of the world’s most distinguished conductors, including Neeme Järvi, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Peter Oundjian, Mark Wigglesworth, Joseph Silverstein, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, and Leonard Slatkin, and has performed nearly all the major cello concertos with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where he served as principal cello for over a decade. DeMaine has also served as guest Principal Cellist of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, and the Bergen Philharmonic in Norway. A founding member of the Ehnes Quartet in 2010, he also performs in a piano trio with violinist Hilary Hahn and pianist Natalie Zhu.

Robert deMaine has recorded for Naxos, Chandos, Onyx, CBC, DSO, Elysium, and Capstone and has been featured on the BBC, PBS, NPR’s Performance Today, the Canadian Broadcasting Company, France Musique, and RAI, among others. His recording of the John Williams Cello Concerto (Detroit Symphony, Leonard Slatkin conducting) was released by Naxos in fall 2015. Robert deMaine is an exclusive Thomastik-Infeld artist, and performs on a cello made in 1684 by Antonio Stradivari, the “General Kyd, ex-Leo Stern.” 

SAVANNAH JO LACK, violin

Savannah Jo Lack is a composer and violinist who thrives in collaboration, whether scoring for film, recording in the studio, or performing live with a violin, pedalboard, and the instinct of an improviser.

Savannah’s scores include Waking, Death and Ramen, Last Remembrances and the score for Bauer by award-winning playwright, Lauren Gunderson. She has worked as an additional composer and assistant to Emmy award winning composer, Duncan Thum on Chef’s Table, had her original music placed in worldwide ad campaigns for Sony (Earth Rising) and multiple tv shows in the US and Germany, collaborated with award-winning composer and producer, Robot Koch on two albums, recorded with the German Chamber Orchestra, and had her music released on the Neue Meister label.

Trained as an orchestral violinist in Australia, Savannah left that post to play in bands, tour the country and make her own music, earning a Golden Fiddle Award and a Churchill Fellowship before moving to the U.S. She completed a Master’s in Film Composition at USC in 2022 and became a Sundance Composers Lab Fellow that same year.

JESSICA GUIDERI, violin

American violinist Jessica Guideri is a compelling soloist whose performances combine technical brilliance, expressive depth, and a wide-ranging musical imagination. Equally at home in the concert hall, chamber setting, and recording studio, she brings a distinctive voice shaped by experience at the highest levels of performance.

A familiar presence in Santa Barbara, she serves as Concertmaster of the Santa Barbara Symphony and, beginning in September 2025, as Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of California, Santa Barbara, while maintaining an active national and international performing career.

Guideri has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and abroad, including performances at the historic Granada Theatre and on the main stage of Carnegie Hall. Her repertoire spans from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms to contemporary and crossover works, and her playing is noted for its clarity, warmth, and dramatic sweep.

She has held orchestral leadership positions with the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, California Philharmonic, and Eastern Music Festival Orchestra, and performs regularly with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
A dedicated chamber musician, Guideri was first violinist of the prize-winning Fry Street Quartet and is the founder of Music Above the Clouds, a bespoke chamber music series in the Santa Monica Mountains.

A longtime recording artist, she has appeared on more than 500 film, television, and video game soundtracks, including Star Wars, Frozen, La La Land, Oppenheimer, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Mandalorian, The Simpsons, and Family Guy.

LAURIE RASMUSSEN, harp

Laurie Rasmussen is an award-winning professional harpist based in Santa Barbara, California, with over three decades of experience delighting audiences with her expressive and versatile harp performance. She has been performing since 1986 as a highly sought-after soloist and collaborator in a wide range of musical settings, including orchestral and folk ensembles, choirs, musical theatre, dance productions, and recording projects.

Laurie has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, bringing her artistry to concert stages and festivals. She was a top prize winner at the 2007 Lyon & Healy International Jazz and Pop Harpfest competition, and as an international performer she has appeared as a featured artist at Celtic music festivals in Germany and Italy.

Known for her rich musicality on both pedal and lever harp, Laurie’s collaborations range from classical repertoire to traditional Celtic music and contemporary works. She has performed with internationally acclaimed musicians including violinist Gilles Apap and Celtic harpist Kim Robertson, and has appeared in productions such as the Irish dance show *Spirit of the Dance* as Music Director.

In addition to her performing career, Laurie is a passionate educator, teaching harp students of all ages in her private studio and at institutions such as Santa Barbara City College and the Music Academy of the West. She also serves as harpist for the Santa Barbara Folk Orchestra and is a founding member of the folk ensemble Drewydh.

Laurie’s musical journey began after earning her degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and includes early experience as a luthier for harp construction. Beyond performance and teaching, she is a Certified Music-Thanatologist and has used music therapeutically in hospice care. She is also an avid traveler, marathon runner, and beekeeper.

KATE VINCENT, viola

Violist Kate Vincent is originally from Perth, Western Australia. Her solo playing has been described as having “vivid color and palpable verve” (Fanfare Magazine). Kate moved to Los Angeles in 2009 where she performs with Los Angeles Opera, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. As a chamber musician, she has been a guest artist on the Dilijan Chamber Music Series, at the Hear Now festival, with the Eclipse Quartet and also on the Monday Evening Concert Series and has toured throughout Australia, Canada, Germany, Holland and Russia. Kate has premiered chamber and solo works by Luciano Berio, Lisa Bielawa, Donald Crockett, John Harbison, Lee Hyla and recorded for many labels including New World Records, BMOP sound, Tzadik, Oxingale and Steeplechase. In 2019, Ms. Vincent joined the faculty at The Colburn School of Music.

Previously, Kate was based in Boston where she held the position of Artistic and Executive Director of the award-winning Firebird Ensemble. Kate Vincent has served as Principal and Associate Principal Violist with several East Coast ensembles including Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Opera Boston and Emmanuel Music . During her time in Boston she also performed as a chamber musician with the Apple Hill Chamber Players, Alea 3, Chameleon Ensemble, Callithumpian Consort, Dinosaur Annex, the Fromm Foundation players at Harvard. Between 2006-2012, Ms. Vincent was on faculty at the Bard/Longy School of Music where she served as co-director of the new music ensemble, Longitude.

JILL FELBER, flute

Jill Felber is an internationally acclaimed recording artist, dynamic flute recitalist, innovative chamber musician, legendary contemporary music specialist, and a distinguished flute professor who inspires and motivates students worldwide.

She has been hailed for her “beautifully finished performances” by The Detroit News and praised by Musical America for her “handsome performance.” The British journal PAN writes that “Felber was stunning…not only refined but also full of fun.” The Independent (Santa Barbara) described her as “the incredible flutist…the dazzling flutist…the radiant flutist,” and The Los Angeles Times has noted her concerts as “played with flair.” International acclaim also includes praise from Gazeta Rybnicka (Poland) for her “consummate musicianship.”

Ms. Felber has performed solo recitals, chamber music, and concertos on five continents and held residencies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Mexico, France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and the United States. A tireless promoter of new music, she has inspired many composers to write solo and chamber works for her and for her flute duo, ZAWA!, premiering over 600 works for the flute. She has released world premiere recordings on Centaur Records, CRI, Neuma Records, BCM+D Records, Albany Records, and ZAWA!MUSIC.

In demand as a guest clinician because of her extraordinary motivational teaching style, Ms. Felber taught for 44 years at the collegiate level. She served as Professor of Flute at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 1989 to 2024, where she earned the Distinguished Teaching Award. She frequently presents her seminars EXTREME MAKEOVER: FLUTE EDITION and WHOLE FLUTES®, and tours with pianist Dianne Frazer showcasing their arranged “Fusions” at conventions, flute societies, and universities.

Ms. Felber holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Bowling Green State University. She has also taught on the faculties of Ohio University, Capital University, and Wright State University. Her teachers include Keith Bryan, Judith Bentley, Samuel Baron, and James Galway.

She has served in arts leadership roles including Chair of the Department of Music at UC Santa Barbara, membership on the boards of the Community Arts Music Association and the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation, and service on the Board of Directors of the National Flute Association, including as Program Chair for the 1993 national conference.

NANCY MATHISON, clarinet

Nancy Mathison grew up in Southern California and is a member of the New West Symphony, the McCallum Theatre Orchestra in Palm Desert, the Santa Maria Philharmonic, the San Luis Obispo Master Chorale Orchestra, and the Santa Barbara Chamber Players. She also performs with Orchestra Novo, the San Luis Obispo Symphony, the Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera San Luis Obispo, and the Lompoc Pops Orchestra. Nancy frequently performs in chamber music concerts throughout California’s South and Central Coasts and has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Nancy has had the privilege of performing with Leonard Bernstein, the Houston Grand Opera, American Ballet Theatre, the Rudolf Nureyev Ballet, Andrea Bocelli, and The Temptations. She served as assistant principal and Eb clarinetist with the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, and principal clarinet and reeds with the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera for 20 years. In January 2027, she will be featured as a soloist in Max Bruch’s Double Concerto for Clarinet, Viola, and Orchestra with the San Luis Obispo Chamber Orchestra.

In 2022, Nancy founded the South Coast Youth Band, a nonprofit after-school band program serving 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-grade students. She continues to serve as the program’s director. In 2023, she co-founded the Santa Barbara Chamber Players, a new chamber orchestra dedicated to bringing outstanding chamber music to the Santa Barbara community, and serves as the organization’s Chair and CEO.

Nancy attended the Music Academy of the West and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Southern California and her Master’s degree in Clarinet Performance from UC Santa Barbara. She studied with Gary Foster, James Kanter, and Mitchell Lurie.

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