Program and Artist Biography

A highly sought after artist, Ricardo Morales was recently named principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic after serving as principal clarinet of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 2003.  The New York Times raved about his “fleet technique, utterly natural musical grace, and the lyricism and breath control of a fine opera singer.”

First violinist of the “President’s Own” Marine Band, Karen Johnson previously served as concertmaster of the Richmond Symphony and the Julliard orchestra.  She is the winner of the Juilliard Sibelius Violin Concerto Competition, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and the Jefferson Symphony Competitions, as well as the Music Academy of the West Festival Competition.

Olivia Hajioff and Marc Ramirez have performed as the violin and violin/viola duo, marcolivia, at the Kennedy Center, the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, and with notables including Leon Fleisher, Awadagin Pratt and Edgar Meyer. They have received prizes in the BBC Young Musician of the Year, the European Violin Competition and the Henryk Szerying Violin Competition.

Charlie Powers serves as cellist of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Chamber Orchestra.  He has performed with the Boston Philharmonic and was a Tanglewood Fellowship recipient in 2005 where he served as principal of the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra under James Levine.

Photograph by Benjamin Resine.