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Grant Gilman (Violin) is enjoying a successful beginning to a very promising career as a conductor.  In addition to his recent appointment as Resident Conductor with the Astoria Symphony, just one month later Mr. Gilman was offered the position of Music Director with the Harbor Opera Company, based in Baltimore, Maryland.  These two positions, in addition to his post as Conductor and Chamber Music Director with the Garden State Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, have and will continue to give Mr. Gilman an outlet to share his highly moving and inspiring performances with audiences all along the east coast. 

Mr. Gilman began his conducting studies while growing up in San Antonio, and continued when he gained acceptance into the studio of Gustav Meier and Markand Thakar at the prestigious Peabody Institute of Music at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
In addition to his conducting, Mr. Gilman is a highly regarded educator.  Mr. Gilman has not only spent his yearly time teaching with the Garden State Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, but his summers as well with the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Summer String Camp, where he continues to receive high acclaim for his unique and in-depth teaching style that produces exceptional concerts from young musicians.    Living in Newark, New Jersey, with his wife, Kim, who is a very successful French horn player, Mr. Gilman enjoys his non-musical free-time jogging, reading philosophy, and studying web design.

Grace Hackett (Voice) B.A., M.M., Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Hackett has toured Holland, Switzerland and Germany under Schweizer Tournee performing the role of Frankie in its production of "Carmen Jones." She has also performed in the Metropolitan New York area, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago in opera, oratorio and recital. Ms. Hackett is a frequent soloist with many groups in the New York area including an appearance with the United Choral Society under the baton of David Randolph. Ms. Hackett made her professional debut recital at Carnegie Recital Hall. The New York Times, and The Amsterdam News respectively stated, "Ms. Hackett has a regal stage presence and her low register has a lovely timbre". Ms. Hackett was also part of the cast that performed "Porgy and Bess" at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. In the summer of 1998 she participated in performances of that opera on the Lake Stage in Bregenz, Austria, in celebration of the composer’s 100th birthday festival. She can be heard on "Spirituals in Concert" with sopranos Kathleen Battle and Jessie Norman, conducted by James LeVine, and "A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert" with Kathleen Battle and Frederica Von Stade conducted by Andre Previn. She has recorded a selection of Christmas and sacred music, "Birthday of a King." In addition, a seasonal CD/cassette with soprano Norma Bowen. "Because This Child Was Born" was released in celebration of Christmas 1999.

Nadine Herman, Music Director (Voice), Newark School of the Arts Soprano, Nadine Herman, received her M.M from the Juilliard School and her B.M. from Temple University. Some of her solo appearances have included performances with the Festival of Contemporary Music of the N.Y. Philharmonic (Richard Dufallo,Conductor) under the auspices of Pierre Boulez; the Orchestre de Bordeaux-acquitaime with the legendary Pierre Dervaux and Orchestre de I’le de France. She has been heard in concert in such festivals as the B.K.A. in Berlin, Germany (one woman show); Festival de I’le de France, Festivale of Trieste, Italy. Ms. Herman has won critical acclaim from the NY Times for her performances of contemporary music ranging from the German composer, Aribert Reimann to the U.S. premiere of "Harawi," the brilliant song cycle of Oliver Messiaen, one of the great composers of the 20th century. She has been a teaching fellow at the Juilliard School, given master classes at the College of William and Mary and the C.I. F. M. of the Nice Conservatory in France with Lorraine Nubar and Dalton Baldwin. Voice teachers and coaches have included Beverly Johnson, Lorraine Nubar, Dalton Baldwin and Gérard Souzay.  Latin singing sensation Frankie Negron studied with Nadine Herman at Newark School of the Arts.

Daryl Hester (Guitar, Lute, Recorder) B.A., Kean College of New Jersey (with honors). A resident of Linden, New Jersey, Mr. Hester began his guitar studies at the age of 10 and performed in master classes with guitarist Eliot Fisk and lutist Paul O'Dette during his pre-college years. He has studied with John Varner. Upon graduating, he began and is presently a student of Patrick O'Brien, performing on guitar and lute. Mr. Hester has appeared on radio and television and is a prolific recitalist throughout New Jersey and New York. He recently made his New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall. He has appeared with St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, Ars Musica Antiqua and is a member of Rutger’s Collegium Musician. Mr. Hester also teaches music in the Jersey City school system.

Yoon Mi Hong, (Violin) Violinist Yoon Mi Hong was born in South Korea and currently resides in Manhattan, where she teaches out of her private studio and Newark School of the Arts. She studies with Dr. Ann Setzer, to whom she has been a teaching assistant since 2003. She received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music from the Mannes College of Music where she was the six time recipient of the Merit Scholarship. She has performed in Alice Tully Hall, Issac stern auditorium, Symphony Space, and Merkin Hall. Her former teachers include Louise Behrend, Kyung-ik hwang, Jae-hyun Lee, and Jonghyup Lee. She has performed in Master classes for Ruggiero Ricci, Donald Weilerstein, Ronald Copes, Robert McDuffie, Lucy Chapman, members of the Orion String Quartet, and members of the Meadowmount Trio. Her chamber music coaches include Todd Phillips, Diane Walsh, and Hiroko Yajima.

Hayes Johnson (Jazz & Bass Guitar) Mr. Johnson has studied Jazz and Pop music for over twenty years. He has performed with the late Sarah Vaughan, George Benson, Joe Thomas Quintet, Jimmy McGriff, Richard "Groove" Holmer, Johnny Hammond and has worked with many big bands and orchestras. Mr. Johnson is also a member of the Musicians Guild of Essex County.

Leo Johnson (Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Recorder, Theory)Mr. Johnson has a B.A. in Music and M.M. in Jazz Research & History  from Rutgers University.  As a jazz artist, Mr. Johnson has performed throughout Europe and the U.S. including the Village Vanguard, Birdland, St. Joseph’s Priory and the Puffin Foundation. He arranged for and recorded with such jazz notables as Jimmy McGriff, Chico Mendoza, Jimmy Witherspoon, Johnny Hammond, David "Fathead" Newman, Jack McDuff, and Rhoda Scott. On March 25, 2000, he received a Proclamation from Mayor Sharpe James in recognition of his contribution to the arts in Newark.

Simon Karasoff (Cello) studied with Marion Feldman, Andre Emelianoff and Lynn Harrell. Conductors he has played under include Gerard Schwartz, David Zinman, Sergiu Commissionnna, Hugh Wolf, Kenneth Schermmerhorn and Thomas Michalak. Orchestral venues have included The Waterloo Festival in New Jersey, The 92nd Street Y’s Kaufman Concert Hall, Town Hall, The Mannes School of Music, The Tilles Center on Long Island and Snug Harbor on Staten Island. Among his chamber music venues have been The Mannes School of Music, The Manhattan School of Music, The Harlem School of the Arts, The Waterloo Festival, The Chautauqua Festival, The Donnell and Baychester Branches of the New York Public Library, and Symphony Space on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Musical Theatre venues have included The Actors Theatre of Louisville and The 92nd Street Y American Jewish Studio Theatre. He has taught throughout Long Island, New Jersey and in Flushing, Queens.

Aki Kasuga (Flute, Piano) She received her training at the Kyoto Municipal Senior High School of Music and Mannes College of Music. She was born in Kyoto, Japan and began playing piano at the age of seven and flute at age nine. She was one of ten young musicians selected from all over Japan to play at the Cosmo Youth concert in 1997. In 1998 she arrived in New York to continue her musical education at Mannes College of Music as well as pursuing her love for Jazz by performing as part of the Jazz Mobile workshop in Harlem. Her principal teachers include Mary Barto, Toyoko Ogumi and Shoko Imai. During her year of study she has participated frequently in master classes with notable artists, including Michael Martin Kofler and Jean Claude Gerard. Ms.Kasuga’s Performances have included solos, orchestral and chamber music throughout the United States and Japan. Currently she is an assistant principal Flutist at Mannes College Community Orchestra. She has also become a member of the Japanese Taiko drum performance group ‘TAIKO MASALA’, where she plays Japanese Flute.

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