YoungArts

Head Resident Advisor / Elle Maze (2007)

Elle Maze is a nationally and internationally acclaimed young artist. Shortly after her arrival in Nashville, Elle caught the ear of noted Music Row Publisher Russ Zavitson of ZMG, who signed her to publishing and development deal. Since then, Elle has had the privilege of writing with some of the finest writers on the row.  Her demos are produced by Kyle Lee at Clean Productions/ Toby Mac Studios in Franklin, TN. Now, Elle is armed with a killer band, lead by Lonestar (Already There, I’m Amazed)  guitarist/co-founder Mike Britt.

Accolades are commonplace for Elle in her young career. As a high school senior, she was selected as a YoungArts winner in the category of popular voice 2007. Elle grabbed international attention in 2010 as a two -time Effigy Award winner for Best Power Pop song and Best Vocalist for “If It Kills Me” in FameGames, a syndicated radio program created by Tony Cowell, brother of the infamous Simon. Four of Elle’s submissions made the FameGame finals, where Cowell referred to Elle as “the next Kelly Clarkson.”

Cinematic Arts Resident Advisor / Sheema Golbaba (2010)

Born and raised in Oklahoma by Iranian immigrant parents, Sheema’s life was bound to be interesting. As she grew up she embedded herself in sports, learning, public service, and politics; meanwhile, she regularly found herself dancing at local Persian parties. With this juxtaposition of athletics, academics, culture, and voluntarism, she found a particular passion for the arts and people. With the inexplicably tremendous support of family, by age sixteen she saw one of her documentary films air on C-Span for the first time. Since then, more of her films exploring international politics, lost history, and child abuse have screened in various venues. Golbaba was a 2010 YoungArts Cinematic Arts Finalist and Silver Award Winner.

Instead of matriculating at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Golbaba decided to attend Harvard College to achieve a liberal arts education. At Harvard, she is pursuing a joint degree in Sociology and Film/Video Production. Moreover, she is devoted to both the arts and helping others, ranging from selective exhibition participation and local homeless shelters to Harvard Law School’s Documentary Studio and peer tutoring. Sheema is enthusiastic to support the unforgettable experiences in store for this year’s YoungArts finalists!

Dance Resident Advisor / Nigel Campbell (2004)

Nigel Campbell was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He began his dance training at Creative Outlet Dance Theater of Brooklyn, under the direction of his mentor Jamel Gaines, and has additional training from the Alvin Ailey School, Jacob’s Pillow, & Miami City Ballet. Nigel is a graduate of LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and of The Juilliard School, under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes. While at Juilliard, Nigel had the opportunity to perform the works of Jiri Kyllian, Ohad Naharin, and Jose Limon; as well as creations by Robert Battle, Doug Varone, and Eliot Feld, among others. He is an NAACP ACT-SO Gold Medalist, a level 1 YoungArts winner, and a 2004 Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Campbell is also featured on the PBS special “American Talent”.  In 2007, Nigel became a member of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet for their production of “Aida”.  Upon graduating from Juilliard in 2008, Nigel moved to Saarbruecken, Germany to dance with the Ballet des Saarlandisches Staatstheater/ Donlon Dance Company, under the direction of Marguerite Donlon. There he danced the roles of Siegfried in Swan Lake, Mercutio in Romeo & Julia, The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, and “Profiteer” in Kurt Jooss’ masterpiece, The Green Table. In August 2010, Campbell became a member of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago, Illinois, under the direction of Gustavo Ramirez Sansano.  Most recently, Nigel is the very proud recipient of a 2011 Princess Grace Award.  There are no mistakes.  All things are possible!

Dance Resident Advisor / Ryan P. Casey (2009)

Inspired by Savion Glover's appearances on Sesame Street, Ryan P. Casey began his dance training at the age of five at The Dance Inn in Lexington, MA, under the tutelage of Thelma Goldberg and Kelly Kaleta. As a member of the Legacy Dance Company, he was profoundly inspired by the Jump Rhythm Jazz/Tap technique of Billy Siegenfeld and Jeannie Hill. He served as Dance Captain of the New England Tap Ensemble, directed by Riverdance alumnus Aaron Tolson, and appeared on an episode of the sixth season of So You Think You Can Dance. Ryan is now a member of Michelle Dorrance's tap company, Dorrance Dance, in New York City, and has been cast in Derick Grant's upcoming show, Construction Ahead. He is currently engaged in fusing dance with spoken word poetry, which he has performed in the U.S. and Canada. He continues to teach throughout the east coast and is committed to inculcating in his students the three tenets of dance he learned from his mentor, Thelma Goldberg: keep dance alive in the community, share the joy of dance with others, and be the best dancer that you can be. He is also a proud alumnus of The School at Jacob's Pillow and the YoungArts program.

Jazz Resident Advisor / Benny Benack (2009)

Trumpeter Benny Benack is currently living in New York City, studying at the Manhattan School of Music on a full tuition scholarship for Jazz Trumpet. He has had the opportunity to study privately with such incredible trumpet artists as Sean Jones, Laurie Frink, Terell Stafford, Marcus Printup, Scott Wendholt, and Jim Rotondi just to name a few. Ben has been a member of the Gibson-Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble in 2008 and 2009, being able to perform alongside Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano, Terence Blanchard, and Christian Scott among others. Benny played in the Vail Jazz Festival in summer of 2008 as a member of the prestigious Vail Jazz Workshop. Benny also performed in the Telluride Jazz Festival in the summer of 2009 as a member of the Telluride Jazz All-Stars. Benny is a 2009 silver award winner of NFAA/Young Arts, which took him to Miami and NYC. In spring of 2009 he participated in the Jazz Band of America, and the Pennsylvania All-State Jazz Band. In summer of 2009, Benny toured with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, who performed with Wynton Marsalis at the Monterey Jazz Festival. In 2010 Benny tied for top honors in the Jazz Division at the National Trumpet Competition. He recently won first place in the both the 2011 International Trumpet Guild Jazz Competition, as well as the 2011 Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Soloist Competition. In the August 1, 2011 issue of "Jet Magazine", Benny was featuring on Wynton Marsalis' list of the "Next Generation of Jazz Greats". Since arriving in NYC, he has already had the opportunity to perform at some of the finest jazz clubs including the Iridium, the Jazz Gallery, the 55 Bar, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola with the Manhattan school's Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. Benny is also an accomplished jazz pianist & singer, having sung and performed with his father's big band from the age of 9.

Music Resident Advisor / Tristan Savella (2009)

Nineteen-year old pianist, Tristan Savella made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 2008, performing Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata No. 30 in E Major Op. 109, as a 1^st place winner of the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition. Other awards include 2^nd place at the 2007 Michigan Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition, finalist in the youngARTS week (sponsored by the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts), and honorable mention at the Michigan Music Teachers National Association solo competition. He has performed in master classes and lessons for some of the most acclaimed pedagogues including Robert McDonald, Haewon Song, Peter Takacs, Robert Shannon, Don Weilerstein, Jeremy Denk, Logan Skelton, Barry Douglas, Yoshikazu Nagai and Franck Weinstock.

One of Tristan’s most memorable experiences is his participation in the NFAA’s 2009 YoungArts Week, a festival for artists of America’s highest level of talent. He received the opportunity to travel to Miami and compete against other musicians and artists in different fields for cash prizes and one of the 20 Presidential Scholar in the Arts Awards. At the conclusion of the week, Tristan performed three movements from Moszkowski’s Suite in G Minor for two violins and piano in NFAA’s annual youngARTS week Chamber Music Recital.

Born in 1991, Tristan began taking keyboard lessons at the Yamaha School of Music in the Philippines, continued his piano studies at the age of 8 after immigrating to Ithaca, New York, and started learning viola at the age of 10. He has studied under Miri Yampolsky from the Cornell University chamber music faculty and Phiroze Mehta, a piano professor at Ithaca College. In 2005, Tristan was accepted into the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan where he studied for four years under TJ Lymenstull. He graduated in 2009 and is currently in his third year at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York where he is a student of Nelita True. Aside from music, Tristan enjoys reading short stories, watching movies, and is also an avid tennis player and fan and regularly keeps himself updated with the professional tennis tour events. He is also pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Rochester.

Music Resident Advisor / Bobby Chen (2010)

Bobby Chen, age 19, is a sophomore at Harvard College majoring in Economics while also pursuing a citation in Government. Since his first cello lesson at age 10, Chen has performed internationally as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player, including tours through China and Italy.

In 2010, Chen was a Winner at the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) “YoungArts” competition, and was later honored by President Barack Obama as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Chen was a two-time semi-finalist at the Stulberg International String Competition, making appearances in 2008 and 2010, and also reached the semi-finals of the 2009 Johansen International String Competition. A native of Newton, Massachusetts, he has soloed with 12 different symphonic orchestras in the Greater Boston area, including most recently the New England Philharmonic and Newton Symphony Orchestra.

At Harvard, Chen is the Executive Director of the Veritas Financial Group, a finance group working in collaboration between Harvard College and the Harvard Business School. He continues musical performance with the Brattle Street Chamber Players, for whom he also has the privilege of designing creative, slightly embarrassing advertisements. Chen enjoys playing soccer and basketball, and hopes to hone his skills as a big game hunter and deep sea fisherman.

Photography Resident Advisor / Alex Goss (2010)

Alex Goss studied photography for four years in Houston before moving to New York to attend The Cooper Union and to earn a BFA in Fine Art. His work now involves sculpture, video, and photography. Alex busies himself with cooking and biking outside of the arts.

 

 

 

Theater Resident Advisor / Lili Fuller (2005)

Lili Fuller was a 2005 YoungArts Winner in Theatre and a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts Nominee. She attended the USC School of Theatre and now works as an actress and choreographer in Los Angeles.  She has performed with the LA Opera, The Odyssey Theatre, Starlight Theatre, ETC – Ensemble Theatre Company, and she currently studies acting with Larry Moss.  Lili is the Artistic Director of Boom Kat Dance Theatre and was recently nominated for Best Choreography by the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards for her work on NeverWonderLand. Lili has produced several short films, commercials, and music videos and is now embarking on creating, producing, and acting in a new web series called complete.works with fellow YoungArts winner Joe Sofranko.  She works for the University of Southern California choreographing various School of Theatre productions, including the main stage musical alongside director John Rubinstein. Lili also won the award for Best Choreography twice at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.  www.lilifuller.com

Theatre Resident Advisor / Blake Pfeil (2006)

Blake Pfeil is an actor/songwriter/composer/freelance journalist currently residing in Brooklyn, NY.  Acting credits include work with the Huntington Theatre Company, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Company One, and Theatreworks Colorado.  Currently in development, Blake's solo show Billy & Blake received its first staging with the Tongue in Cheek Theater this past November.  Blake currently headlines at New York City's renowned The Bitter End as a part of their Singer/Songwriter Sessions; additionally, he served as the resident composer and as a resident actor for the ESL children's theatre company at the Gyeonggi English Village in Paju, South Korea, where he developed original ESL children's musicals for the Korean government.  For two years, Blake hosted Standing Room Only on WERS, 88.9 FM, based in Boston, MA and has contributed to Groove Magazine.  BFA, Emerson College. Twitter: @blakepfeil

Visual Arts Resident Advisor / Harrison Tyler (2010)

Harrison Tyler, originally from West Palm Beach Florida, is a student and artist currently living in Baltimore, MD and studying at the Maryland Institute College of Art.  Working primarily in sculpture, however his work ranges from site specific installations and sculpture to video and drawing. He uses his work as a place for experimentation and a tool for understanding.  By making work he intends to create documents of history and momory, Interested in failed structures as artifacts, he asks questions of meaning and intent. He was a 2010 YoungArts Winner in Visual Arts, has exhibited in several group shows across Baltimore, Chicago, Miami, New Orlenes, and has an upcoming project in Philadelphia.

Visual Arts Resident Advisor / Cheryl Smith (2007)

Cheryl Smith was born in November of 1988 in Silver Spring Maryland.  She grew up with painting and drawing as a constant source of joy in her life.  As a child the only thing she was certain about was her desire to become an artist.  In pursuit of her goal, she attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and received a Certificate in Painting in May of 2010.  To compliment her education at the academy, Cheryl attended the University of Pennsylvania and received her Bachelors in Fine Arts in July of 2011. Now a graduate of both schools, Cheryl intends to develop a body of work that explores and redefines the role of women in modern American society.  Cheryl is a 2007 Young Arts Week Alumni in Visual Arts and the recipient of an assortment of awards.  She received The Sylvia Wexler Painting Award in 2010, The Gamblin Paint Prize in 2009, and The Eleanor Gray Prize for Still Life in 2008.

Visual Arts Resident Advisor / Benjamin Wilke (2002)

Benjamin Wilke is a visual artist, currently living in Houston, Texas. He attended The California Institute of the Arts (Valencia, California) and The University of St. Thomas (Houston, Texas). He holds a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Studio Art and a minor in Art History. He was a 2002 YoungArts finalist during his career at Houston’s The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Benjamin is also a 2002 Presidential Scholar in the Arts. He is currently completing his Master in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas (Houston, Texas).

 

Voice Resident Advisor / Rebecca Hargrove (2008)

Soprano, Rebecca Hargrove is a native of Columbia, MD. Ms. Hargrove studies with Timothy Lefebvre at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Ms Hargrove’s choral experience includes concerts with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Oberlin College Musical Union, as well as the Baltimore School for the Arts Chorus. She has also been featured on recitals held at The John F. Kennedy Center, Oberlin Conservatory, Catholic University of America, Pepperdine University, and The Cleveland Clinic. Ms. Hargrove has had the pleasure of singing in master classes for Denyce Graves, Mark Markham, Paul Sperry, John Harbison, Tom Cipullo, as well as Ben Moore. She previously competed in the NFAA YoungARTS Competition (Winner) and was the 1st place winner of the Ebony Classical Singers Competition. Ms. Hargrove has sought further training by attending the Washington National Opera Institute for Young Singers and SongFest at Pepperdine University. This fall Ms. Hargrove is looking forward to performing as Rita Billingsley, the wedding planner, in William Bolcom’s “A Wedding” with Oberlin Opera Theater. She also plans to continue her education in voice performance after graduating from Oberlin this spring.

Voice Resident Advisor / John Brancy (2007)

Baritone John Brancy has rapidly garnered acclaim in the very early stages of his singing career. In recent seasons Mr. Brancy performed the Fauré Requiem and Rutter's Mass for the Children as well as Mozart’s Coronation Mass with Mid-America Productions at Carnegie Hall.

He has given recitals throughout Europe and North America, and he has appeared frequently in concert with Steven Blier, both at Juilliard and at the Caramoor Festival. He was also the winner of the 2010 Juilliard School Honors Recital Competition, resulting in a solo recital the following season.

On the opera stage, Mr. Brancy’s most recent roles include Aeneas in Dido & Aeneas and Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Juilliard School, and Sid in Albert Herring with the Opera on the Avalon Festival. Mr. Brancy has already been singled out as an artist to watch. He recieved 1st Prize at the Classical Singer Competition, and the same year won the Gold award for Voice at the NFAA YoungArts competition. He was the 2nd Place winner in the Gerda Lissner and Liederkranz competitions, and has been a finalist in the Young Concert Artist and George London competitions.

Mr. Brancy has recently received his bachelor’s degree from the Juilliard School and will continue his studies in the Masters of music program beginning fall of 2011.

Writing Resident Advisor / Jules Wood (2010)

Jules Wood is a nineteen-year-old poet who has so far dedicated her writing to documenting her extensive travels.  While she can’t say she has a hometown, she hopes to find a home in the University of California, Berkeley, where she’ll study cognitive science and creative writing.  She currently resides in Singapore, where she enjoys frequenting places ang mohs (directly translated: “red hair”) fear to tread, like durian stalls and Worker’s Party rallies. She was a 2010 YoungArts Silver Winner in Writing.

 

 

Writing Resident Advisor / Brittany Allen (2008)

Brittany Allen is a New York-based writer, actor and singer currently completing a Drama BFA at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts (Experimental Theater Wing/ Playwrights Horizons). She was a 2008 YoungArts Winner in Writing and is an associate artist with the original work based theater collectives The Glacial Company, Rescue Agreement and The Neo-Decadents, respectively. She has studied writing with Jonathan Lethem, Zadie Smith, Nathan Englander and Fiona Maazel. Her non-fiction has appeared in or is forthcoming in the annual NYU student publication, Mercer Street and Grey Sparrow Press. She also currently acts as Prose Editor for the student fiction review, West Tenth. In her spare time she likes reading Joan Didion essays, planning adventures and devouring blueberries.