amazing artists

The Band of the Golden West is stationed at Travis Air Force Base in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the only active-duty Air Force band west of the Rocky Mountains, the ensemble is composed of 60 talented and versatile Airmen-musicians who perform in a variety of groups.

Born in Ekaterinburg, Russia, Natasha Bazhanov began playing violin at the age of five. After winning several regional youth competitions, she made her solo debut with Ural State Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of nine and later was invited to Moscow Central Music School to join the class of professor Belenky.

Timothy Christie’s residency has been made possible by the generosity of an Anonymous donor.

Violinist and violist Timothy Christie enjoys a multifaceted career as performer, teacher, public speaker and recording artist. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (WWCMF), a nonprofit organization in southeastern Washington presenting more than 40 public chamber music events annually.

Born in Riga, Latvia, into a family of violinists, Artur Girsky began playing violin at age five. He studied with Maya Glezarova at the Moscow Central Music School and with Felix Andrievsky at the Royal College of Music in London.

Formed by four Seattle-based musicians passionate about chamber music, the Girsky String Quartet brings dynamic artistry and thoughtful interpretations to both classic repertoire and contemporary works.

Praised for her “expert technical work” (The Strad), cellist Amanda Gookin champions the future of music through bold performances, the creation of new works, and a deep commitment to education, cultural equity, and community engagement.

A Colorado native, Master Sergeant Susan Govier graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 1999 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance and from Arizona State University in 2001 with a Master’s Degree in Music Performance.

Hailed by The Washington Post as “Sweetly Lyrical,” violinist, composer/songwriter, and community organizer Ariel Horowitz cannot remember life before loving music.

Staff Sergeant Louis Kim is a 2016 graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance.

As a founding member of Sybarite5, Louis Levitt was the first double bassist to win the Concert Artist Guild Competition. Since then, he has performed with Sybarite5 in hundreds of concerts across the nation. Recent highlights include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Library of Congress, Wolf Trap, the Grand Tetons Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival.

With playing that is “fierce and lyrical” and works that are “other-worldly” (The Strad) and “evocative” (New York Times), Jessica Meyer is an award-winning composer and violist whose passionate musicianship radiates accessibility and emotional clarity.

Staff Sergeant Clarissa Osborn is a 2013 graduate of the University of Oregon, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Clarinet Performance.

Master Sergeant Randolph Palada is a 2010 graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance.

Violinist Simone Porter has been recognized as an emerging artist of impassioned energy, interpretive integrity, and vibrant communication.

John Popham, “a very fine artist” (Fanfare), is a critically acclaimed cellist and educator based in Brooklyn, NY.  A versatile and dynamic performer, he has collaborated with a wide-range of composers, musicians, and performing artists both within the United States and abroad.

Equal parts passion, grit, and musical ecstasy, Sybarite5 is an intoxicating cocktail of genre-breaking artistry, expressed through the virtuosity of violinists Sami Merdinian & Suliman Tekalli, violist Caeli Smith, cellist Laura Andrade, and double bassist Louis Levitt. It’s the first ensemble of its kind to win the prestigious Concert Artists Guild competition, and the group continually evolves, defying categorization and keeping audiences on their toes.