The studio also offers a class for 4-5 year-olds ensemble and an all-ages mix ensemble. Walker
Cuban violinist Yalira M. Walker performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician across the United States. At an early age, Yalira, was awarded top prizes in the Amadeo Roldan State and National Violin Competition, celebrated in Havana in 1994, 1996, and 2002. Formerly concert
master of Havana’s Youth Symphony Orchestra and Gran Teatro de la Habana Symphony Orchestra, she was also a member of the Yucatan Symphony Orchestra and the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon Symphony Orchestra, both in Mexico. As a member of Camerata Romeu from 2004 to 2007, she took part in several recordings, including “Raigal,” “Tampa-Habana-Oslo,” “Non-Divisi,” and with the well-known guitarist and composer Egberto Gismonti, “Saudaçoes.”
Since her arrival in the United States in 2012, Ms. Machado had taken part in the recording of the CD “Improbable Encounters” with music by Joseph Klein. She has held section violin position with the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, Canton Symphony Orchestra, and Springfield Symphony Orchestra. She had also held principal positions. She was Associate Concertmaster with the Midland- Odessa Symphony and Choral, Principal Second Violin with the Lima Symphony Orchestra and Guest Concertmaster with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra. Currently, she performs regularly with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and has been appointed Acting Concertmaster for the 2018-2019 season with the Tyson McLean Symphony Orchestra. Machado had taught at Paulita Conception Conservatory in Havana, Cuba, and Jose Jacinto Cuevas Music Center, in Yucatan, Mexico. She has also served on the faculty of Esperanza Azteca Monterrey Symphony Orchestra, the Mexican equivalent of “El Sistema”. In the United States she have taught in many music schools in Houston, Dallas, and Cleveland. Her students have been members of the Gran Teatro de la Habana Symphony Orchestra, Lyceum Mozartiano de la Habana Orchestra, the Cleveland Youth Contemporary Orchestra, the Annapolis Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the Howard County Gifted and Talented Orchestra. Currently she teaches in the Baltimore/DC metro area.
A fervient advocator for the power of classical music inside the community, Ms. Machado is the Founder, President, and CEO of Project Utopia Insitute, a non-profit organization which mission is to promote diversity in classical music by creating programs that will develop the musicians and audiences of tomorrow. Ms. Machado holds a Bachelors Degree in Violin Performance from the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, a Master in Music from the University of North Texas, and a Professional Studies Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Among her teachers are Maria Verdecia, Augusto Diago, Gary Levinson, Nathan Olson, William Preucil and Joan Kwuon.
