Heartland Chamber Music

Ilvina Gabrielian (violin) was born in Saint Petersburg (Russia) on December 22, 1995. She began studying music at the age of 6. In 2018, Ilvina graduated with honors from the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, where she studied with the violin Professor Alexander Stang. During her studies, Ilvina took part in concert trips to Holland, Germany, Switzerland, South Korea, and Armenia with solo and ensemble programs, and performed at such festivals as Muzikale Oktober Best (Best, Holland) and The International Conservatory Week Festival (Saint Petersburg, Russia).

In 2019, Ilvina became a Master's student at the University of Kansas, where she joined the studio of the violin Professor David Colwell. In May 2021, she graduated with honors and stayed at KU to pursue a DMA degree in Violin Performance. During her studies at the University of Kansas, Ilvina had masterclasses (solo and with chamber groups) with such musicians as Gil Shaham, Zlatomir Fung, Frank Huang, Michael Stern, and Stephanie Chase. In 2019, Ilvina took part in a concert trip to Milan, and since 2021, she has been a Heartland Chamber Music Festival participant. In 2023, Ilvina was selected to participate in the Festival Scholars program at HCMF and joined the studio of Itamar Zorman at Bowdoin International Music Festival.

In fall of 2024, Ilvina will begin her studies with the violin Professor Benny Kim, as she will be pursuing an Artist’s Certificate degree at the University of Missouri - Kansas City.

In addition to presenting solo and chamber music recitals, Ilvina works as a substitute violinist with the Kansas City Symphony.

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Brooke Latontant (violin) An avid performer of solo, orchestral, and chamber music, Brooke Lafontant began her violin studies under the tutelage of Ms. Nancy Wills, later studying with Mr. Jeffrey Dortch. Throughout her youth, she enjoyed performing and holding leadership positions with the Huntsville Youth Symphony, Decatur Youth Symphony, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville Orchestras, regularly performing in chamber ensembles throughout the North Alabama area. In 2022, Brooke was named the Southern Adventist University National
Concerto Competition winner and a finalist in the University of Tennessee Knoxville Concerto Competition. She has also been a prizewinner of competitions at the state and regional levels including the Beethoven Young Artists Competition and the Huntsville Youth SymphonyConcerto Competition. As an orchestral musician, Brooke is concertmaster of the UT Symphony, Opera, and Chamber Orchestras, and has performed in the violin sections of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Mountains, and the Marble City Opera. She has been selected for both solo and chamber master classes offered by internationally
recognized musicians including Frank Huang, Benjamin Sung, Catalyst Quartet, and the Harlem
Quartet.

Brooke is currently pursuing a double-major in Applied Music and Plant Sciences and is a student of Dr. Miroslav Hristov at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She enjoys presenting volunteer community performances for retirement homes and studying ornithology in her free time.

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Chung-Wen (Katy) Lee (viola) is an accomplished Taiwanese violist based in Kansas City, MO. With a passion for music that began at a young age, she received professional training in viola, piano, and the Chinese instrument zhongruan at a prestigious musical elementary school in Taiwan. Ms. Lee’s dedication to her craft led to numerous achievements, including winning first prize at the Taoyuan City Music Competition in 2013. She served as the principal violist of the Wu Ling Philharmonic, touring in Taiwan, China, and Japan. In the United States, she has performed with the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, the Topeka Symphony Orchestra, and recorded an acclaimed CD album with the Midwest Chamber Ensemble. Passionate about fostering musical excellence, Ms. Lee has been involved in various summer music festivals. She has shared her expertise as a teaching assistant at the Walnut Hill Music Festival in Boston, won the Chamber Music Competition at Round Top Festival Institute, and was invited to participate in the Taipei Music Academy Festival, founded by renowned violinist Cho-Liang (Jimmy) Lin.

Beyond her life as a violist, Ms. Lee possesses a deep love for the arts, animals, and the environment. She finds joy in contributing to her community and bringing happiness to her loved ones. Her vision for the future extends beyond the realms of music; she aspires to create a harmonious fusion of art forms in a dedicated venue for the community where people can find inspiration, enjoyment, and relaxation.

Ms. Lee is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Viola Performance under the guidance of Professor Scott Lee at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) as the violist of the Graduate Fellowship String Quartet. Ms. Lee's remarkable journey as a violist, with her expressiveness, musicianship, and dedication, has solidified her place as a distinguished musician, continuing to inspire her audiences.

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Cole Leonard (cello), a 24-year-old cellist and multi-instrumentalist, embodies resilience and passion on his musical journey. Originally from Gravette, Arkansas, Cole has triumphed over significant challenges, including a battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2022.

Cole graduated from the Eastman School of Music with Professor Guy Johnston in December 2023 and is currently preparing to pursue a Master's degree in Cello Performance at the University of Southern California under the guidance of Professor Ralph Kirshbaum, Cole is also the proud recipient of the Harris Cello Prize at the Eastman School of Music.

Beyond his primary instrument, Cole showcases versatility as a proficient pianist, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and producer. With a flair for composition, winning his first competition at the age of 11 he has  subsequently written, recorded, and produced two original EPs. 

Cole's musical journey has taken him to prestigious festivals worldwide, including the Bowdoin International Music Festival, AlpenKammerMusik, Heartland Chamber Music Festival, Lev Aronson Legacy Festival, and Forum Musikae. He has shared stages with acclaimed musicians such as Joshua Bell and David Zinman and participated in masterclasses led by renowned cellists Zlatomir Fung and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.

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Korn Roongruangchai (violin) A native of Thailand, Korn Roongruangchai is currently a doctoral student under Dr. Yu-Fang Chen at Ball State University School of Music, where he serves as a teaching assistant and Concertmaster of the BSSO. Before pursuing studies in the U.S., he graduated with first-class honors for his Bachelor's degree and received a Master's degree with distinction in violin performance from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, studying under Professor Michael Ma. Roongruangchai has participated in masterclasses with renowned musicians and chamber groups such as Cho-Liang Lin, Dong-Suk Kang, and the Borromeo String Quartet, among others. He also played with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra as a first violin tutti from 2021 to 2023 and was selected to join the orchestra's first European tour in 2022. In 2023, he won the Concerto Competition at Ball State University's School of Music and performed Jean Sibelius's Violin Concerto with the Ball State Symphony Orchestra in 2024.

Before his time in Hong Kong, he served as concertmaster of various orchestras, including the Salaya Chamber Orchestra and the Mahidol University Symphony Orchestra, as well as playing tutti first violin with the Asian Youth Orchestra.

As an alumnus of the College of Music at Mahidol University, his mentors in Thailand included Juris Madrevics, Dr. Yavet Boyadjiev, Magaret Hayne Kim, and Pornvenus Manacharig.

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Wilson Vanderslice (cello) Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Wilson Vanderslice began his musical and cello studies at age 11. He has appeared as a soloist with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and played for former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Presidential Library in recent years. During summers, Wilson has attended AlpenkammerMusik, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Vivace Summer Festival, Keshet Eilon, and Orford Musique among others. Wilson received his undergraduate degree in Cello Performance and a minor in History from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Guy Johnston.

 

Currently, he is pursuing his Masters at The Juilliard School studying with Astrid Schween and Clara Kim. Wilson is currently a member of the NYC-based Prometheus Quartet and is an avid lover of chamber music. During his time in the Prometheus Quartet, he has been selected to perform in Juilliard's annual ChamberFest and in the New Series curated by Juilliard’s Dean David Ludwig. Past teachers include Steven Doane, Hannah Roberts, and Stephen Feldman. Wilson performs on a 1780 Benjamin Banks Cello and a Paul Martin Siefried Bow that is on generous loan from the Maestro Foundation.

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Ashley Wang (cello) is a Taiwanese-American cellist, teacher, and active performer. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin under the guidance of Grammy-winner Professor Bion Tsang. She spent three years on the faculty at UT teaching in the pre-college music program, UT String Project. Recently, she completed her Master of Music degree in Cello Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Houston, where she served as the Graduate Teaching Assistant under the mentorship of Dr. Eunghee Cho. She looks forward to embarking on her Doctor of Musical Arts journey at the same institution while maintaining her role as a Teaching Assistant.

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Ashley, an experienced teacher for 9 years, caters to students aged 3 to adults, from beginner to collegiate levels. She's among the select few in Houston certified to teach Suzuki Cello books 1-5. Additionally, she has pursued piano since age 4.5 under Dr. Sarah Kemmerling. Presently, she's a faculty member at the Paganini School of Music, fostering a vibrant cello studio and empowering aspiring musicians.

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As a performer, Ashley served as principal cellist in the Moores School Symphony Orchestra (MSSO), Moores School Opera Orchestra (MSOO), Moores Cello Ensemble, and AURA Contemporary Ensemble. She has played in masterclasses with Lawrence Lesser, Mark Kosower, Ron Leonard, Robert DeMaine, Paul Katz, and received coaching from the Harrington String Quartet, Miró Quartet, and Formosa Quartet. In May 2016, she toured with the WTAMU Symphony Orchestra in Prague, Vienna, and Budapest as associate principal cellist. In addition to her passion for the cello, Ashley loves crafting, ex
 

Krystal Xiao (viola) Violinist and Violist Krystal Xiao began studying the violin at the age of seven. In her early violin years, she studied with Professor Su Da in Henan province, moving on to Beijing five years later. She began her music career since she went to China Conservatory attached middle school and served as concertmaster of the China youth Orchestra.

 

Krystal Xiao has a lot of experience playing in chamber music. She performed the Haydn string quartet in g minor, Op.74, No.3 'Rider' in a master class debriefing concert with renowned German chamber music professor Wolfgang Jahn and received unanimous acclaim. She has collaborated Vivaldi's Four Seasons Violin Concerto with violinist Lu Siqing at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major with cellist Qin Liwei. She also has participated in several master classes, including those with Professor Zakhar Bron, Lucie Robert, Ian Swensen, Peter Schuhmayer, Wolfgang Jahn, Radu Blidar and Paul Roczek.

 

Born in 2000 and raised in Beijing, China, She complete her Bachelor’s degree at the age of 22 with Prof. Gao Can at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree with Prof. Kurt Sassmannshaus and Ayane Kozasa at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati.​​​​​​​​​​

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