Feona Jones, an Asian-American composer, pianist, singer, songwriter, and educator now based in Los Angeles, specializes in creating evocative soundscapes that delve into themes of trauma, introspection, and storytelling. Her compositions tackle contemporary issues and ethical dilemmas at the intersection of art and societal responsibility. Drawing from historical injustices, Feona aims to use her music as a vehicle for healing, processing trauma, fostering forgiveness, and amplifying the voices of those who have been marginalized. Inspired by giallo Italian horror and film noir soundtracks, her work spans concert music, film scores, interactive games, improvisation, opera, and synth pop music with her band, Telepathic Birds. Committed to her craft, Feona dedicates her time to practice, performance, composition, writing, and teaching from her studio in Los Angeles. In her free time, she enjoys biking, attending concerts, kickboxing, aerial arts, exploring metaphysics, and indulging in 1980s cult classics.
Gavin Goodrich is a composer and concert pianist whose works synthesize pure mathematics, Vipassana Meditation, and visual arts. Born in an Alaskan fishing community, he taught himself piano, composition, and mathematics from YouTube videos before receiving a scholarship to study at Columbia University, where he graduated with honors. His senior thesis focused on developing mathematical systems for applying 15th-century Franco-Flemish polyphony into microtonal systems. After taking a year off from academics to teach in Spain on a Fulbright Grant, he now lives in Houston and is currently pursuing his Master of Music in Composition at Rice University studying under Shui-Hui Chen.
Madeline Barrett is a Los Angeles-based composer of concert music known to evoke imagery of nature and foster human connection. Raised in Phoenix, AZ, she draws inspiration from the world around her, whether it be the oceans of the North American coast, the deserts of Arizona, or the softly bustling streets of Boston.
In addition to many US performances, Madeline’s works have been performed in Italy and Austria, by esteemed groups such as the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Orchestra Senzaspine, Salastina, Carpe Diem String Quartet, Quatuor Diotima, Fivemind Reed Quintet, Boston New Music Initiative, and PHACE ensemble, as well as soloists Hila Plitmann, Stefano Greco, SUUVI, Lisa Pegher, and Michelle Rice. She is a recent winner of the 7th Annual Boston New Music Initiative Young Composer Competition for her work The Flowers That Close at Night.
She has a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Chapman University and a Master of Arts from UCLA and is currently studying with composer/conductor Derrick Skye in addition to pursuing a PhD in Composition, continuing her studies in the studio of Richard Danielpour.
Oliver Dubon (b. 1997) is a musician hailing from rural central Virginia. His compositions take inspiration from such sources as modernist literature, philosophy, and the rural countryside and have been performed at the Atlantic, highSCORE, Estonian Music Days, and LaTex Festivals and by musicians such as Grammy – Award winning pianist Nadia Shpachenko, Grammy – Award winning vocal octet Roomful of Teeth, the Ónix Ensamble, the Kinetic Ensemble, the Confluss Duo, the Pomona College Orchestra, and musicians of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. In 2021, Dubon was a Fulbright Student Researcher in Tallinn, Estonia where he studied composition with Toivo Tulev and orchestral conducting with Toomas Kapten. Dubon has held artist residencies at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa, Estonia as well as the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida where he was an associate artist working under Timo Andres. His upcoming works include a string quartet, trio, and duo for the DACAMERA 2023-24 season, a solo piano work for pianist Anthony Ratinov, and an orchestral work for the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra. His mentors in composition include composers Toivo Tulev, Thomas Flaherty, and Karl Kohn, Kurt Stallmann, Pierre Jalbert as well as composer-conductor Eric Lindholm.
Sum Yee Lee is a Chinese-American composer and pianist raised in Seattle Washington and Guangzhou, China. Her music is often inspired by nature, human experiences, art works, and is characterized by spontaneous change in dynamics, color, characters and textures. Sum Yee’s works have been selected and played by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Dal Niente Ensemble, Quince Ensemble, Wintergreen Chamber Ensemble, and Western Washington Symphony Orchestra. She has also received an honorable mention from the New York Youth Symphony First Music Commission 2024, won the IAWM 2024 Annual Concert Call for Scores, and has been featured in festivals such as She Scores Concert Series, MOXsonic, SPLICE Institute and Wintergreen Music Festival.
Sum Yee earned her piano and composition degree from Western Washington University and a biology degree from University of Washington. She just finished a master’s degree in composition at Bowling Green State University in 2024. Her primary instructors include Dr. Christopher Dietz, Dr. Mikel Kuehn, Dr. Elainie Lillios, Dr. Piyawat Louilarpprasert, Dr. Charles Halka, and Dr. Bruce Hamilton.
