A Tribute to Linda Ronstadt at The Soraya
Southland Sessions: KCET and PBS SoCal Public Television
The Soraya celebrates the legacy of Linda Ronstadt, whose music knows no borders in a special concert filmed live on our stage for television and online audiences. Featuring music trailblazers Aida Cuevas, La Marisoul, David Hidalgo, Sara Watkins, Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar, La Santa Cecilia, and the CSUN Honors String Quartet. Music produced and directed by Cheche Alara, it's a tribute you don't want to miss.
The Artists
Click the images for more information about the artists.
Aida Cuevas
La Marisoul
David Hidalgo
Sara Watkins
Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar
La Santa Cecilia
Cheche Alara
CSUN Honors String Quartet
Alisa Luera (violin)
A native of Seattle, Washington, Alisa is a very active violinist, violist, and chamber musician. Alisa has performed widely in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Italy, and the US, and has appeared as concertmaster with LAYO's Symphony Orchestra (Los Angeles Youth Orchestra) from 2011-2017. In 2014, she joined JCM (Junior Chamber Music). She was accepted in their Debut Artists Program and selected for JCM's Honors Tours to perform in masterclasses at Longy's School of Music, New England Conservatory, Juilliard School of Music, and has performed in Carnegie Weill Recital Hall. Alisa began playing the violin at the age of four and was raised in Seattle and Los Angeles. Her mother is a piano instructor who helped her by applying her knowledge and practicing methods to her learning, including playing alongside her for many years. Prior to her studies with Prof. Gamma, Alisa took violin lessons for twelve years under the Suzuki Music Program of Los Angeles with Yoko Honda and former Director Emeritus, Idell Low. Alisa has been a member of the CSUN Honors String Quartet for two years as the first violinist and co-first violinist. The members took masterclasses with Arnaud Sussmann of Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Bin Huang of China Conservatory, Yuan Sheng of Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, Ben Hong of USC, and LA Philharmonic, and the Calder Quartet. Since attending CSUN’s Department of Music, she was co-concertmaster in Symphony Orchestra from Spring 2018 - Spring 2020 and chosen to perform chamber music with Dr. Lorenz Gamma, Dr. Julia Heinen, Dr. Robert Berg, Ben Hong, and Jonathan Moerschel of the Calder Quartet in faculty concerts in the school. Outside of school, she took part in projects and performances with Debut Orchestra, Brightwork NewMusic, Disney XD, Shari Sutcliffe, David Grohl, the Foo Fighters, Tony Visconti, and with LAYO as a fellow in Walt Disney Hall. Alisa is a Senior pursuing her B.M. in Violin Performance, studying with Lorenz Gamma.
Pedram Pourghazi (violin)
A native of Esfahan, Iran, Pedram started learning the violin with his uncle at the age of 7. He continued taking lessons with his uncle and cousin until he was 18 when he started his bachelor’s studies in Violin Performance at the Art University of Tehran. During this time, he played with multiple chamber and symphony orchestras in Iran and Turkey where he was honored to perform under the baton of maestros Alexander Rahbari, Aram Talalian, Nader Mashayekhi, and Manouchehr Sahbaei. Pedram continued his music education as a graduate student at the same music school in the field of World Music. During that period, he focused more on other music genres including the Middle Eastern music in general, and specifically Persian music. He plays SETAR and KAMANCHEH, Persian Musical Instruments, alongside with the violin and viola. He achieved first place in the nationwide Music Performance Competition among 254 participants. He graduated from Tehran University of Art as an Honored student. Pedram moved to the United States in 2014, and soon after, started playing with the San Fernando valley symphony and Santa Monica symphony orchestras. He also got to play string quartets with CSUN former music students Thomas Lovasz and Ramon Osa and that was how he heard about and loved the CSUN Music School and its Music Performance program. Pedram started taking lessons with Dr. Lorenz Gamma around a year ago. He is a first-year graduate student pursuing his M.M in Violin Performance, studying with Lorenz Gamma.
Logan Sacino (violin)
A native of Los Angeles, California, Logan grew up around the arts from a young age, his grandfather being a former accordion teacher, and his brother who plays the flute. Inspired by this, he began studying violin in his school music program at the age of 8, where he was encouraged to begin taking lessons under Heather Crawford, who helped him discover his love for performing. Under her direction, he was able to attend Hamilton High School’s Academy of Music and Performing Arts, where he additionally played under the batons of Susan Thiroux, Stephen McDonough, and Jim Foschia. During his time here he got the opportunity to play with LA Opera, at Fox Studios, fundraisers for various politicians, and at a variety of other events throughout the Los Angeles area. At 16 he was accepted into the CSUN Youth Orchestra led by Dr. John Roscigno, where he decided that he wanted to continue furthering his studies in music. Since then, he has continued performing and has occasionally played with the American Youth Symphony. This is his first year in the CSUN Honors Quartet, and he is very excited to have this opportunity to play alongside such great musicians. Logan is currently a second-year undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Violin Performance, studying with Lorenz Gamma.
Kevin Massin (viola)
A native of Glendale, California. started learning violin at his local elementary school in fourth grade, following with viola, cello and contrabass not long after. It was not until his high school years where he truly found his passion for music by his music director, Mrs. Amy Rangel. Then in 2015, is when Kevin got his first violin teacher Barbara Don, and then from 2016-2020, studied under Tamsen Beseke, the inventor of the famous shoulder rest, “Acoustifoam” and Elizabeth Hedman from Pasadena City college, on both violin and viola. Since Kevin had the advantage of learning the string family, he used this as his tool to help his local middle school, Roosevelt middle school, where he had attended as a youth. He has been participating as their assistant music director and string technician since he graduated high school in 2016. Kevin has also participated in a wide set of orchestras throughout the years such as “Crown City Symphony, West Coast Symphony and Numi Opera and Filipino American Symphony Orchestra” This is Kevin’s first year in the Honors String Quartet and a transfer student at CSUN, pursuing his B.M in Viola Performance, studying with Lorenz Gamma.
Alec Glass (cello)
A native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, Alec started playing cello at the age of 9 and continued playing in orchestras through middle school. In 2012, he moved to California and began attending Westlake High School, where he played in several honors orchestras and worked his way up to the Principal Cellist of the Chamber Orchestra in 2015, the same year he graduated. Alec then started at Moorpark College where he first studied privately with Andrew Cook and performed in the Pepperdine Symphony. He later studied cello with Ashley Walters and performed in the Moorpark College Symphony for 3 years. During his time at Moorpark, Alec found interest in teaching privately and at local schools, and now has a private studio of his own and is a cello coach at many schools including alongside his high school orchestra director, Elizabeth Blake. Since transferring to CSUN in 2019, Alec has found his passion for performing in chamber ensembles and as a part of the CSUN Symphony under the direction of John Roscigno. As part of CSUN’s inaugural Cellobration series in February, Alec had the opportunity to play for many renowned visiting cellists including Ben Hong, the Associate Principal Cellist of the LA Philharmonic. Alec is currently a Senior pursuing his B.M. in Cello Performance, studying with Diane Roscetti.
CSUN Honors String Quartet
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