Montclair State Strings

What happens when the entire string faculty gets together in Leshowitz on the last day of school? Why String and Chamber juries of course! It was a very long and rewarding day listening to our wonderful students. Congratulations to ALL and happy summer. See you in the fall semester. - Kathryn Lockwood, Tomoko Fujita, Rachel Kitagawa Shapiro, Caeli Smith, Deborah Buck, Ilmar Gavilan, Michael Roth, Lou Kosma, Lizzie Burns, Christine Lamprea, Rosemary Nelis

🔥A Legend of Montclair - Annamaria Witek Recital🔥

What a way to round out the Cali School of Music String departments year! Cellist Annamaria Witek is having her recital at the John J. Cali School of Music in Chapin Hall Room G55! THIS WEDNESDAY AT 8:00PM!!!!! A RECITAL YOU WONT WANT TO MISS!

“Annamaria Witek will be a sophomore at The John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University as a student of Tomoko Fujita this fall. Annamaria began playing cello in third grade in the music program of the South Orangetown Central School District. She studied with Madeleine Golz for seven years and has also studied with Karen Poleshuck, Sam Bae and Nicole Johnson. As winner of the 2024 NJSO Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, Annamaria made her concerto debut at New Jersey Performing Arts Center with the New Jersey Symphony in May, 2025. As the cellist of the Thurnauer Quartet at the Thurnauer School of Music, Annamaria was selected to compete in the 50th Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in 2023. Annamaria has been a prize-winner in the Prima Volta, ECI and New York Young Artists International Competition. She has performed at Weill Recital Hall and at Lincoln Center with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra under Maestro Louis Langree during Mostly Mozart In Harmony.

Annamaria has attended music festivals including Vivace, Orford Musique and Philadelphia International Music Festival. She has performed in masterclasses for Darrett Adkins, Natasha Brofsky, Colin Carr, Hans Jorgen Jensen, Paul Katz, Nina Lee, Julia Lichten and Astrid Schween. In addition to her performance activities, Annamaria is active as a cello teacher. She has received scholarships from the Rockland County Music Educators Association, AFM Local 802, Morning Music Club and The Music Performance Trust Fund to support her musical studies.”

~Annamaria Witek



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🎶Viola Recital 🎶

A legend at Montclair State University, Samuel Omalyev takes the stage this Saturday at 2 PM for a highly anticipated recital in the Leshowitz Recital Hall at the John J. Cali School of Music.
He’ll be joined by exceptional artists from the Montclair community, including the Quartet-in-Residence, the Arachne String Quartet, and acclaimed violist Noah Stevens. This promises to be an afternoon of exceptional music-making and collaboration you won’t want to miss.

“Samuel Omalyev, Violist, is the founding violist of the Arachne String Quartet, which is the graduate string quartet in residence at the Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Sam has performed in the contexts of solo, chamber, and orchestral performance stateside and abroad, most notably at the Winterthur Museum of art with ZHdK Strings and as first stand in the Tonhalle Zurich in symphony. Sam has studied with Sheila Browne at University of North Carolina HS Program, Karen Ritscher at the Manhattan School of Music, Duncan Ferguson at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Lawrence Power at the Zurich University of the Arts. Currently, Sam is a student of Kathryn Lockwood at the John J. Cali School of Music as a member of the ArachneString Quartet, the Graduate String Quartet in Residence. Sam has participated in Masterclasses and has benefited from summer lessons with Nobuko Imai, Lawrence Power, Paul Cortese, Wenting Kang, Garth Knox, Tim Frederiksen.”

~ Sam Omalyev

🎻Cello Recital🎻

Shayna Barkan, not only a vital member of the Montclair Music Community, Symphony, and environment, she is also a prolific musician performing within many ensembles and Montclair’s own Symphony Orchestra! Please come and join Shayna on a well traveled journey through Montclair this Friday at 5pm in the Leshowitz Recital Hall at the Cali School of Music!

“Shayna Barkan is a graduating senior majoring in music performance studying with Christine Lamprea. She will be presenting a cello recital with collaborative pianist Ryan Bridge, featuring two works by Ernest Bloch and one by Nadia Boulanger.
Growing up on Long Island, Shayna took opportunities to play not only in school, but in community orchestras, the Long Island Youth Orchestra, and summer music programs. As well as being involved in music programs, she also was involved in her local Jewish community.
It was important that both of these things came through in her cello recital, and became an expression of the things that were most formative in Shayna’s life.”

~Shayna Barkan

🤘RECITAL ALERT🤘

The one and only Nailah Harris will take the stage in the Leshowitz Recital Hall on April 19th at 2pm! Nailah will be performing a variety of works which will leave you awe struck! Come one, Come all to this must see event! Not only in Nailah a part of the Spades Quartet, she also serves in the Montclair Symphony and in the Cali Collective ensemble The Various 5🥐!

“Nailah Harris is a Cellist currently pursuing her Artist Diploma on scholarship at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair University, studying under Professor Tomoko Fujita.

Nailah currently holds Bachelors of Arts in Music performance and English from the University of Maryland where she studied with Rachel Young and Eric Kutz. While there she received full scholarship in the form of the Maryland Promise Program, a leadership program for promising undergraduate students. Nailah also holds an Associate of Arts in English from Prince George’s Community College where she studied privately under Loewi Lin.

Passionate about the arts and her community Nailah worked with many programs in Maryland to help up and coming young musicians such as the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Program and the DC Youth Orchestra in order to provide support and teach the next generation of musicians.

Nailah has a dream to one day open up her own Music Program in order to give back to the community that supported her in her growth. She also is continuing with her passions in New Music and Art installations surrounding Music for all. Nailah hopes to continue her passions by working and teaching within the community while continuing her busy career as a professional musician.”

~Nailah Harris

✨STUDENT RECITAL - WORLD PREMIERE✨

The extravagant Oliver Costello is hosting his recital today in Leshowitz Recital Hall at 8PM at the John J. Cali School of Music! Not only will he be performing works of the classical variety, he’s integrating the use of technology in his recital! Also, he will be premiering his own composition which is a must hear, must see! Joining him will be Montclair’s own Arachne String Quartet and members of the Montclair Symphony! You will not want to miss this recital!

“Oliver Costello is a violinist and composer based in the NY/NJ area committed to the advancement of classical and contemporary music.  A graduate of Manhattan School of Music, he has worked with many acclaimed musicians including Chloe Kiffer, Jessica Meyer, and Laurie Carney of the American String Quartet.   As a chamber musician, he currently serves as a violinist in the Arachne String Quartet, the Graduate Quartet-in-Residence at Montclair State University, working with and performing alongside musicians such as Stefan Jackiw, Leyla McCalla, and the Kronos Quartet. An accomplished orchestral musician, he has performed in ensembles such as the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and served as Concertmaster of the Trentino Music Festival Orchestra and the Montclair State University Orchestra.  He is also committed to support and performance of contemporary music as both composer and performer, having had his own pieces premiered in venues ranging from the Ades Performance Space to the French Embassy of New York.  He has premiered works by numerous composers including Yuval Medina, Zeke Morgan, and Jacob Tantleff.”

⚠️Student Recital Alerts⚠️

April 11, 2026 is a huge day for two of Montclair’s most prolific musicians — Kiley Foxhall and Kelvin Guillen! This is a can’t-miss event, and it’s going to be an incredible afternoon of amazing music, artistry, and energy. Make sure you’re there to support these phenomenal performers!

Kiley Foxhall is a prolific, jubilant, and eccentric musician who is not only a proud member of the MSU Symphony Orchestra but also acts as the orchestras Personnel Manager and its Librarian! Not only does she play with MSU, she plays with many other symphonies such as the Greater Newburgh Symphony and the Ithaca Symphony!

Kelvin Guillen, Master of his craft, mentor to many, and a true leader in every aspect! Kelvin is a bright, fortuitous cellist who performs as a proud member of the MSU symphony and a proud mentor, teaching students of all ages and excelling them, and his peers, to higher levels!

Kiley Foxhall Recital
2:00pm
Leshowitz Recital Hall

Kelvin Guillen
5:00pm
Leshowitz Recital Hall

💥Violin Recital 💥

What can Montclair say, the myth, the legend Carlos SantaMaria is hosting his Junior recital this Wednesday, April 8th! It’s a must see, jaw dropping event that you will not want to miss!

After finishing his time at Juilliard Pre-College, Carlos is currently completing his Bachelors degree at Montclair State University. He is thriving as a soloist, orchestral, chamber musician, and also serves as a member with the Montclair Symphony. In addition to his work at Montclair, he has performed with various ensembles including operatic productions in Montclair and the New York City Ensembles.

Come out and support Carlos for what will be a fantastic evening of music!👑

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🎉 Violin Recital 🎉

Montclair’s very own beloved violinist Jade Hattori-Hamilton will be taking the stage for a recital in Leshowitz Recital Hall at the Cali School of Music!

Jade is currently completing her Master’s degree at Montclair State University under the tutelage of Deborah Buck. She has thrived as a soloist and chamber musician, and also serves as a principal player with the Montclair Symphony. In addition to her work at Montclair, she has performed with various ensembles including musical theatre productions and the New York City Orchestra Project.

Come out and support Jade for what will be a fantastic evening of music! 🎻

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💥Masterclass Alert💥

Friday, March 6 at 10am, founding member of the Emerson String Quartet Philip Setzer will be at the Montclair State University Leshowitz Recital Hall!

He will be hosting a Master class featuring Violinists Yuna Lee, Marisol Zapata, Oliver Costello, and Jade Hattori-Hamilton! The Arachne and The Equinox Quartet will also be performing some master pieces tomorrow. Please Join us ! The masterclass will be from 10am-1pm!

Violinist Philip Setzer, a founding member of the Emerson String Quartet, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and began studying violin at the age of five with his parents, both former violinists in the Cleveland Orchestra. He continued his studies with Josef Gingold and Rafael Druian, and later at the Juilliard School with Oscar Shumsky. In 1967, Mr. Setzer won second prize at the Marjorie Merriweather Post Competition in Washington, DC, and in 1976 received a Bronze Medal at the Queen Elisabeth International Competition in Brussels. He has appeared with the National Symphony, Aspen Chamber Symphony (David Robertson, conductor), Memphis Symphony (Michael Stern), New Mexico and Puerto Rico Symphonies (Guillermo Figueroa), Omaha and Anchorage Symphonies (David Loebel) and on several occasions with the Cleveland Orchestra (Louis Lane). He also teaches as Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at SUNY Stony Brook and has given master classes at schools around the world, including The Curtis Institute, London’s Royal Academy of Music, The San Francisco Conservatory, UCLA, The Cleveland Institute of Music and The Mannes School. The Noise of Time, a groundbreaking theater collaboration between the Emerson Quartet and Simon McBurney—about the life of Shostakovich—was based on an original idea of Mr. Setzer’s. In April of 1989, Mr. Setzer premiered Paul Epstein’s Matinee Concerto. This piece, dedicated to and written for Mr. Setzer, has since been performed by him in Hartford, New York, Cleveland, Boston and Aspen. Recently, Mr. Setzer has also been touring and recording the piano trios of Schubert and Mendelssohn with David Finckel and Wu Han