Harper Randolph (BM ‘18, MM ‘20)
Since graduating with her Master’s Degree in String Studies in May 2020, Harper Randolph has gone on to excel in many areas of her music career. In the Fall of 2021, Harper enrolled at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD) to further her Viola studies with Caroline Coade. She was named the third-prize winner of the 2022 Sphinx Competition, and semi-finalist in the 2023 Sphinx Competition. Harper also served as the violist of the Calista quartet. The quartet worked closely with many renowned quartets including the JACK, Parker and Eybler quartets.
Harper spent the summer of 2023 performing and teaching. In June, she joined the Sphinx Virtuosi for a performance presented at the Minnesota Beethoven Festival. In July, Harper and her twin brother Cole performed two Cello/Viola Duo concerts at Festival Napa Valley as a part of the Bouchaine Young Artists Series. To end the summer, Harper joined the Viola faculty of the Sphinx Performance Academy, spending two weeks at the Cleveland Institute of Music teaching private lessons, studio classes, and coaching a chamber group. Harper is currently performing with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as an African American Orchestra Fellow.
Patti Kilroy (PhD `19)
After graduating with her Ph.D. in Music Performance from NYU Steinhardt in 2019, Patti Kilroy began a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Music at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA). At Cal State LA, she oversees the strings instrumental area, and teaches violin, chamber music, and strings music education coursework. She is an active member of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), and has lead clinics and presentations on strings music education topics nationwide. Patti also coaches chamber music at LA County High School of the Arts (LACHSA), and teaches Suzuki violin instruction to students in Downtown Los Angeles through her own business Arts District Music Studio. She continues to work as a performing violinist, most recently with Alarm Will Sound, the singer Eartheater, telematically with the American Composers Orchestra and violist Trevor New, and as a session musician in both the Los Angeles area and her home recording studio.
Josh Hunton (MM `17, AD `18)
Since concluding his studies at NYU Steinhardt (M.M. Viola Performance and Adv. Crt. Music Education), Joshua Hunton has been an active freelance musician and teaching artist. Performances have brought him to the stages of Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, National Sawdust, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and most recently to Gracie Mansion. He currently serves as Principal Viola for the Regina Opera Company but can also be heard on the album Losing My Mind: A Sondheim Disco Fever Dream (Broadway Records), as well as the soundtrack for the Netflix series Green Door.
While dedicated to maintaining an active and varied concert schedule, Mr. Hunton also has a passion for teaching. This past summer, he was proud to see four of his private viola students (who started playing in his beginner group class) attend the Interlochen Arts Camp, three of whom were on full scholarship from the New York Philharmonic, with two of those students claiming half of the viola spots in the Advanced Strings program. Seeing the field of music education as more than just improving technique and musical artistry, he is driven to help nurture the development of his students as confident, creative, and resilient individuals, helping to equip them with necessary skills they will carry into their daily lives. Having served multiple years as both a teaching artist and a faculty mentor with the Harmony Program, he has seen how an El Sistema-inspired program in NYC not only survived the perils of an online-only world, during the height of the COVID pandemic, but thrived and has seen exponential growth ever since. He also serves on the faculties of the Third Street Music School Settlement, Brooklyn Music School, and Music Beans.
Laura Sacks (AD `13 )
Laura Sacks is a New York City-based violist who enjoys a multifaceted career. Since graduating from New York University, she has performed with the Sarasota Opera, New York City Ballet, June in Buffalo, NOVUS, Albany Symphony, and the Chamber Orchestra of New York. Her chamber music series, Crystalline Chamber Collective is in its second season.
Comfortable in many genres, Laura joined the Eagles on their North American tour in 2018 and was the violist on the Broadway National Tour of Miss Saigon- she has also subbed on Broadway in NYC. Highlights of this year include performances with Barry Manilow and Halsey. She regularly records with the Grammy winning 8 Bit Big Band and has performed in the house band on Saturday Night Live. In addition to NYU, Laura holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, and Stony Brook University.
Luke Quintanilla (MM `21)
Luke Quintanilla has been performing regularly throughout New York City with several different orchestra and opera companies since graduating from NYU. He has served as principal violist of the New Camerata Opera, New Amsterdam Opera, the Symphony of Westchester, and the Manhattan Symphonie. Other groups include Regina Opera, Orchestra of the Bronx, Bronx Opera, and Opera Italiana. Luke’s favorite performances of recent memory include playing Beethoven’s Sixth and Seventh Symphonies in Carnegie Hall with the New England Symphonic Ensemble this past June and July, and performing string quartets for guests of the mayor at the Gracie Mansion in August.
In addition to performing, Luke is an active violin and viola teacher in both private and group settings as a Teaching Artist with the Harmony Program. He teaches both in-school and after-school programs in the Bronx and the Upper East Side for underserved communities. He has previously taught group violin classes for the Noel Pointer Foundation, another non-profit with a similar mission of expanding access to music education to students throughout the city.
Hannah Cohen, (MM `21, AD `22)
Since graduating from NYU Steinhardt in 2022, Hannah has been so fortunate to freelance around NYC and sub and perform with some incredible organizations. Hannah has been playing with the American Ballet Theatre Orchestra, most recently for their run of Gisele at the Metropolitan Opera House for the ABT summer season. She has been playing with the American Symphony Orchestra for their Summerscape Opera at Bard College, playing with her NYU teacher Cyrus Beroukhim as concertmaster. She has also been playing with American Composers Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of NY. Additionally she got to perform with Jason Mraz and the New York Pops at Forest Hills Stadium this past August with many of her fellow NYU Steinhardt violin alums! Last March, Hannah played on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon performing with the Roots and St. Vincent and eight amazing female violinists on international women’s day. Hannah teaches violin for City Strings and Piano and plays dozens of private events a year for various event companies. She is so grateful to her teachers at NYU Steinhardt and the connections she made that helped forge such a full freelance career post grad.