Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras About MCYO

Katherine Smolen is a passionate educator and an active violinist in the DC/MD/VA/DE region who has performed on stages throughout the United States and Europe. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Katherine earned a Bachelor of Music Education as well as a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance under the study of Irina Muresanu, Kimberly Fisher, and Oleg Ryltako. Ms. Smolen has since worked in many different settings including teaching violin and viola privately, coaching chamber ensembles, and rehearsing full ensembles. This year marks Ms. Smolen’s third season with MCYO. Ms. Smolen is currently completing a Master of Music Education at the University of Michigan and is the Director of Orchestras at Loiederman Middle School for the Performing Arts in Silver Spring, MD.

Elizabeth Peterson is excited to be starting her first season as co-conductor of the Preparatory Strings. She has been with MCYO for thirteen years as orchestra manager and coach for chamber music and cello sectionals. Ms. Peterson received her education at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Mozarteum Music and Performing Arts Academy in Austria, and George Mason University. She participated in the Interlochen National Music Camp in Michigan, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music in Maine, Round Top Festival in Texas, and Opera Festival Orchestra in Graz, Austria. She is a dedicated educator and has taught music in Austria, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Washington DC and currently teaches in Montgomery County, Maryland. Ms. Peterson is sought after as an adjudicator including for Honors Orchestra, the Solo and Ensemble Festival of Montgomery County, Solo and Ensemble Festival of International Schools, and American String Teachers Association Certificate Advancement Program. She maintains a private cello studio and is a frequent sectionals coach for area youth ensembles. MCYO holds a deep place in Ms. Peterson’s heart as all three of her children are alumni.

ANDREA CAMERON is a 34-year veteran of Montgomery County Public Schools, where she has been the Band and Orchestra Director at Robert Frost Middle School since 2016. Under her leadership, the Instrumental Music Department has become one of the most represented in the district and state honors ensembles, and her band and orchestra performed at the Maryland Music Educators (MMEA) fall and spring conferences in the 2023-2024 school year. MMEA recognized Mrs. Cameron's exemplary teaching in 2020 by presenting her with the Outstanding Music Educator Award. She serves as the Middle School Representative for the Maryland Band Directors Association (MBDA) and is in demand as an adjudicator and clinician throughout the state.

Seth Castleton is a cellist, viola da gambist, and composer. Passionate about passing on the gift of music to the next generation, he is a faculty member at LevineMusic where he formerly directed their beginner, intermediate and advanced orchestras. Dr. Castleton is also dedicated to his vibrant private cello studio. His students have performed regularly in the Metro D.C. area including at the Music Center at Strathmore and on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, and have been accepted into music programs at Boston Conservatory, Berklee College, Syracuse University, St. Olaf College, DePaul University, and the University of Maryland. 

A member of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Castleton has also performed with the Apollo Chamber Orchestra, the Amadeus Orchestra, Saint Andrew's Parish Orchestra and various chamber ensembles in the DC metro area including with La Poesia Cello Quartet and with the Levine Baroque Trio. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park, as well as a Bachelor of Music degree from Brigham Young University where he was winner of the BYU Concerto Competition, soloing on Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations. 

Dr. Castleton has enjoyed collaborating with the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra (MCYO) as a cello section coach and chamber music coach, and director of the Composition Lab at the MCYO Summer String Week. His recent collaborations with MCYO include the premier of his original composition for string orchestra titled "Striving," written and dedicated to the Chamber Strings Orchestra, then directed by Maestro Jorge Orozco. Dr. Castleton is looking forward to his first season directing the Preparatory Strings Orchestra jointly with Ms. Elizabeth Peterson. He has had the privilege of studying under many remarkable artists, including Brian Wharton, Julie Bevan, Evelyn Elsing, David Teie, Kenneth Slowik, Peter Wiley, Catharina Meints, Eric Kutz, and Stephen Geber. 

Seth Castleton lives in Silver Spring with his wife, violist Dr. Caroline Castleton, and their three musical children, James, Laura, and Rose.

Dietrich Paredes, a distinguished conductor from Venezuela, has made significant contributions to the world of classical music through his dynamic leadership and innovative approach to orchestral performance. As a product of Venezuela's renowned "El Sistema" program, Paredes has built an impressive international career, conducting various esteemed orchestras across the globe.

Paredes began his notable tenure as the Music Director of the Caracas Youth Orchestra (CYO) in 2008. Under his direction, the CYO toured extensively throughout South America, Asia, and Europe, performing at prestigious venues and festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, the Dvorak Festival in Prague, the Beethovenfest in Bonn, and the Ravello Festival in Italy. Their performances were also highly acclaimed in cities like Zurich, Hamburg, Paris, Budapest, Vienna, Gothenburg, Zagreb, Barcelona, Castellón de la Plana, Zaragoza, Beijing, Hiroshima, Tokyo, and Seoul.

His international career includes conducting engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (2012-2013), Orchestra della Toscana at the Cortona Festival (2014), which led to a re-invitation for their 2015-2016 subscription series in Florence.

Additionally, Paredes has guest-conducted the orchestras of Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Opera di Roma, and the Maggio Musicale Festival for the Carlo Maria Giulini memorial concert with the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana. In the 2015-2016 season, he debuted with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Toulon Symphony Orchestra in France, and undertook extensive projects with the Australian Youth Orchestra. His engagements also included performances with I Pomeriggi Musicali in Milan, the Teatro Olimpico Orchestra in Vicenza, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Round Top Festival in Texas, the Orchestra Estágio Gulbenkian in Portugal, the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra, and the Opera Carlo Felice di Genova in Italy.

More recently, Paredes played a pivotal role in the New York Philharmonic's weeklong celebration of music education in April 2024, commemorating the centennial of the Young People’s Concerts. He prepared a 95-member youth ensemble alongside the iconic maestro Gustavo Dudamel. This initiative, which culminated in a concert at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, highlighted Paredes' dedication to nurturing young talent and expanding the reach of classical music education.

Since moving to Washington, D.C., in 2017, Paredes has been working with some of the most advanced musicians in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, further solidifying his reputation as a leading conductor and educator in the classical music community.

MaryAnn Fasold Poling is excited to be in her 14^th year with MCYO. Mary earned bachelor’s degrees in both music education and fine arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she held the principal chair in all major ensembles and won the Frank Gorell competition.

Ms. Poling attended the Peabody Institute of Music on a full scholarship, where she played principal oboe in graduate ensembles, earning her masters in oboe performance. At Peabody she worked under the tutelage of Sara Watkins, with whom she also pursued doctoral studies until Ms. Watkins’ untimely death in 1997.

Ms. Poling performed in the American Waterways Wind Orchestra and in both the American and Italian Spoleto festivals; she has performed professionally in 19 different countries.

Ms. Poling conducted for the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras (formerly the Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra Association) for 23 years until her retirement from that organization this year. She also taught for nine years in Harford County Public Schools.

Beyond her orchestral work, Ms. Poling serves as associate director for the Peabody Children’s Chorus.

Ms. Poling has adjudicated for festivals in Baltimore and Howard counties and has conducted honors choirs and orchestras in Maryland and nearby states. Ms. Poling also leads the music ministry at New Hope Community Church in Catonsville.

Ms. Poling lives outside of Baltimore with her husband. She has two daughters, both who are MCYO alums, and a pet peacock.

Violinist Julie Savignon has established herself as an active soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player and teacher. Her performances have taken her to such distinguished venues as Carnegie Hall, the Smithsonian in Washington D.C, the Kennedy Center, Salle Cortot in Paris and the Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall in Tokyo. Ms. Savignon recently traveled to Paris where she performed in recital and to critical acclaim at the famed Salle Cortot.
Equally comfortable in the orchestral world, Ms. Savignon is currently a regular substitute player with the Baltimore Symphony and the National Symphony Orchestra. She has toured extensively with the NSO, and was invited to participate in the National Symphony’s most recent South American tour. Previously, Ms Savignon was appointed Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Charlotte Symphony. Ms. Savignon also performs with the Washington Concert Opera, Master Chorale of Washington at the Kennedy Center, as well as the National Cathedral Choral Society. She is a member of the North Eastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic and has performed with the Reading, Lancaster and Delaware Symphonies and the Smithsonian Chamber Players. She has participated in several recordings with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach conducting, while serving as a substitute player at the invitation of Mr. Eschenbach. Ms Savignon toured Asia with the New York Symphonic Ensemble in July 2007.
As a chamber musician Ms Savignon has collaborated with such artists as Kenneth Goldsmith, Norman Fischer, Csaba Erdely, Anne Epperson, and Brian Connelly, among others. She has participated in the acclaimed Foothills Chamber Music Festival in Winston-Salem where she took part in a concert in homage to the late African-American composer Undine Smith Moore. She is currently working on a recording of works by Bartok, Strauss and Shostakovich with the Smithsonian Chamber Players.
Ms Savignon served on the faculties of both Penn State University and Juniata College in Pennsylvania, where she also directed the string ensembles. Ms. Savignon’s students can be found among the ranks of some of this countries’ finest music institutions. In addition, she has maintained a private studio for the past 8 years. Ms. Savignon studied in France, at the renowned Conservatoire National in Dijon, where she was awarded The Medaille D’or by unanimous vote. While in Europe, Ms Savignon was profiled on several occasions by National French television and featured in live performances and interviews. She completed her academic Baccalaureate Degree in France with high honors and then joined famed violinist Josef Gingold’s studio at Indiana University. She then completed both the Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in violin performance at Rice University under the tutelage of Sergiu Luca and Kathleen Winkler.
Ms. Savignon plays a fine Enrico Rocca violin and a Eugene Sartory bow, considered to be one of his finest examples.

Schooled in the European tradition covering conducting, composition and opera Simeone Tartaglione has become a versatile musician with a wide knowledge of and passion for the many areas of this art. He studied composition and conducting in Rome at the SantaCecilia Conservatory and piano performance at the Bellini Institute. In addition to his various degrees, he earned a Laurea as Doctor in Italian Literature and Musicology Magna cum Laude, and is a published author.

He serves as Associate Conductor of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra, Orchestral Department Head and piano instructor at the Music School of Delaware, and Music Director of the Newark (DE) Symphony Orchestra since 2010, during which time, this orchestra’s audience increased by 63%.

Tartaglione has had extensive conducting experience in symphonic and operatic repertoire with orchestras from Italy, the United States, Spain, Russia, Romania, Mexico, Ukraine and Bulgaria. He has won numerous competitions and prizes. In Rome he served as the Artistic Director of the Theatre Fusillo and of the MUSA Association for five years.

After winning an audition at the University of Denver he moved there in 2005. At the same university he became Adjunct Professor of Conducting while earning an Artist Diploma. He worked as guest conductor, vocal coach, pianist and harpsichord player with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s Education and Outreach Programs, Central City Opera, Marilyn Horne Foundation, Denver Young Artists Orchestra, Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra, Augustana Musica Sacra Orchestra, and Broadway Music School. He also served as cover conductor for the Colorado Symphony on a number of occasions.

Invited by Gustav Meier in 2006, Tartaglione moved to Baltimore where he continued conducting studies at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University earning a Graduate Performing Diploma in 2009 with a conducting assistantship. From 2008 to 2010 he served as Adjunct Faculty for the Peabody Opera Department, coaching and conducting several performances. Simeone has recorded several CDs and DVDs as conductor and as pianist in duo with his wife, violinist Alessandra Cuffaro, the first Italian woman who performed all the 24 Paganini’s Capricci in one concert.

Violin:
Gracie Carney, Rachel Choi, Alessandra Cuffaro, Chelsea Kim, Katherine Kobylarz, Julian Maddox, Kevin Smith, Evelyn Song

Viola:
Caroline Castleton, Talya Schenk, Jacob Shack

Cello:
Alison Bazala Kim, Seth Castleton, Ken Ding, Peter Franklin, Lachezar Kostov, Elizabeth Peterson, Vasily Popov, Dariusz Skoraczewski

Bass:
Yoshi Horiguchi, David Sheets

Woodwinds:
Michelle Cho, Melissa Hooper, David Jones

French Horn/Brass:
Justin Drew

Trumpet/Brass:
Fred Marcellus 

Trombone/Brass:
Ken Wolff

Harp:
Monika Vasey Rhodes

Percussion:
Christopher Barrick

Harp Ensemble Director
Monika Vasey Rhodes

Clarinet Choir Director
Lori Fowser

Senior Flute Choir Director
Carolyn Oh

Junior Flute Choir Director
Helen Kong Ahn

Percussion Ensemble Director
Christopher Barrick

Managing Director
John Park

Manager of Programs
Jennifer Lee

Artistic Director
Kristofer Sanz

Contact the Managers and Staff at MCYO@Strathmore.org

Philharmonic – Paco Cosio-Marron
Kamerata! – *Please contact Rehearsal Coach or Conductors directly
Chamber Ensemble – Maria Radulovic
Symphony – Sasha Jernakoff
Young Artists – Seunghee Kucharski
Concert Orchestra - Ken Masaki
Chamber Strings – Xiyuan Zhang
Preparatory Strings – TBD
Future Stars – Arthur Bennett
Chamber Music Program – Marie Hsieh

Contact the Managers and Staff at MCYO@Strathmore.org