Pianist Chloe de Souza is known for her emotional expressivity and versatility as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. She serves as a chamber music teaching artist with the American Festival for the Arts and holds adjunct faculty positions at Texas Southern University, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and Annunciation Orthodox School. She is also Music Director at Bethel United Church of Christ and pianist for the Houston Show Choir. De Souza has performed and taught masterclasses widely across the U.S. and internationally. She earned degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory (BM in Piano and Vocal Performance) and the Eastman School of Music (MM in Piano Performance) and is pursuing a DMA at the Peabody Institute.

Japanese-American mezzo soprano Hanna Frampton is a Master’s student studying with Nova Thomas at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Next, she will sing Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte with Rice University Opera. She has also recently sung Mercédès in Carmen and Olga in The Merry Widow this past summer. Previous roles include The Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas, The Resident in Breath of Life and The Ghost Quartet in The Ghosts of Versailles. She is also well-versed in recital work, performing and collaborating with composers in chamber works, song composition, and chamber opera. She completed her Bachelor of Music at The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Summer programs include Opera in the Ozarks, the Collaborative Piano Institute, Songfest, and the American Institute of Musical Studies where she performed select works with orchestra and performed as a soloist.

DACAMERA Young Artist Sophie Kim is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music with Allegra Lilly. Raised in College Park, MD, Sophie was named a National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellow in 2017. She has served as principal harpist at the Mostly Modern Festival, the Round Top Festival Institute, and the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and Festival, as well as participating in the National Orchestral Institute + Festival. In 2026, Sophie will make her concerto debut with the Mostly Modern Orchestra, performing Kaija Saariaho’s Trans for harp and orchestra. She enjoys working with composers and performing new music, and has premiered works by Shih-Hui Chen, Nicki Sohn, Oliver Dubon, Anthony Brandt, Daniel Leibovic, and Alex Moreno. Sophie received her Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance from Rice University with Paula Page.

Evan Llafet is a 24 year old violinist and tenor from Vancouver, Washington. Currently he is pursuing graduate studies at the Rice University Shepherd School of Music studying with Paul Kantor. He graduated with Bachelor’s degrees in Violin and Vocal Arts with honors from the USC Thornton School. Previous studies were at the Colburn Academy with Henry Gronnier and privately with Carol Sindell. Honors include Gold Medal at the Vancouver Symphony competition, winner of the Los Angeles Korean Musicians Competition, and National YoungArts Winner in Voice. He has been privileged to play for celebrated artists like Hilary Hahn, Arnold Steinhardt, and Glenn Dicterow. Recently, he appeared at the Phillips Collection on tour with the celebrated cellist Seth Parker Woods. 

Eliza Reimold, clarinetist from Boxford, Massachusetts, is pursuing her Master of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music under Richard Hawley. She earned her Bachelor of Music at the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Michael Wayne and performed with Musica Nova, OSSIA New Music Ensemble, Eastman Harmonie, and the Lyra Winds woodwind quintet, engaging in outreach performances throughout Rochester. She has appeared as a fellow at Music Academy of the West, Round Top Festival Institute, and the National Orchestral Institute. Eliza is passionate about using music as a tool for storytelling, building community, and fostering connection. 

Samantha St. John is a dedicated educator, student, and performer across multiple genres. Her frequent performance opportunities in a diverse range of settings highlight her versatility, collaborative efforts, and community engagement. Samantha earned her Undergraduate degree from Rice University studying under the tutelage of Paul Ellison, and is pursuing her Masters at the same institution. Her efforts as a dual teacher and performer are reflected in her work. Samantha is a bass instructor across numerous HISD schools, a performer with MUSIQA Houston and Houston Bach Society, and a part of the DACAMERA Young Artist Program. Most recently, Samantha attended the Music Academy of the West in 2025 as a String Leadership Fellow studying with Alex Hannah, Hal Robinson and Scott Pingel.

Emma Kent Wine is a nationally recognized composer whose music “testifies to wonder, vitality, sagacity, and nostalgia through profound simplicity” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer). Her music has been performed across the United States and internationally in Berlin, Valencia, and Nova Scotia. She has received commissions from Musiqa, Juventas New Music Ensemble, Clemson Cantorei, Ars Lyrica Houston, and Apollo Chamber Players, among others. She has taught composition and songwriting classes with Houston Grand Opera, AFA, and pARTnerschools. In addition, she is the Orchestra Manager at the Houston Ballet and a board member for Loop38. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Wine holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.