Organist

Benjamin T. Berman is a tenor, conductor, harpsichordist, and organist. An alumnus of Mason Gross School of the Arts, he is the Music Director of the Presbyterian Church at Bound Brook. For 12 years he was also conductor of the Highland Park Community Chorus. Ben has performed with La Fiocco, Makhelat HaMercaz, West Jersey Chamber Music Society, Choral Arts Society, and Opera Philadelphia. He toured the Czech Republic in 2018 for The Moravian Synagogues Project; and from 2017 to 2023 he was Music Director of the Hub City Opera and Dance Company, where he conducted Der Mond, La Serva Padrona, Le pauvre matelot, and Goyescas. Ben is a member of ACDA, NATS, and NYSTA.

Organist

Shea Velloso is an organist and church musician from central New Jersey. He is a graduate of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in organ performance. Shea’s teachers have included Antonius Bittmann, Mark Trautman and Paul Hoffman.

He has pursued post-graduation studies with critically acclaimed organists Paul-Martin Maki and Gordon Turk. In 2004, Mr. Velloso was the recipient of The Elizabeth W. Durham Award for Excellence in Performance. He has performed recitals throughout the Tri-State Area and New England. He has appeared in-concert on the national public radio show “Pipedreams” and on Metuchen Television.

Shea is the Minister of Music at Faith Lutheran Church in New Providence, NJ, where he directs three choirs, coordinates the concert series, and is working on a choral scholarship program to help high school and undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in church music. Shea previously served as Director of Music at United Methodist Church at Milltown and at the Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg. He is also a past dean of the American Guild of Organists.

Shea is also the director of the Highland Park Community Chorus; a 40-50 voice choir which performs a wide variety of classical choral repertoire.

In addition to his work, Shea enjoys composing choral music, woodworking, gardening, baking, and cooking. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Jamesburg, where he is in the ongoing process of restoring their Victorian era home.

violinist

Lindsey Zagorodnev is a professional violinist, conductor and educator living in New York City. She is currently a PhD candidate in Musicology at Rutgers University, studying music historiography projects by women in the mid-20th century. Lindsey graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Florida with a M.M. in Violin Performance with a concentration in Instrumental Conducting, and summa cum laude from Western Connecticut State University with a B.M in Violin Performance. Lindsey has extensive teaching experience at universities and in public and private schools, and holds certifications in Orff, Music Together and Suzuki pedagogies. Lindsey has performed in numerous conferences and festivals around the world including The Brancaleoni Music Festival in Piobbico, Italy and the Prague Piano Festival in Prague, Czechia. She has performed on stage with notable artists including Pascal and Ami Rogé, Josh Groban, Il Volo, Il Divo, Michael Bolton, Mark O'Connor and Jay Ungar.

violinist

Zoë D’Amico is the 6-12 Orchestra Director in the East Windsor Regional School District, and a professional violinist based in central New Jersey. She graduated with a double major in Violin Performance and Music Education from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in 2024, studying with Brennan Sweet, Associate Concertmaster of the New Jersey Symphony. Zoë performs with several regional orchestras, including the East Brunswick Symphony Orchestra, and the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra.

violist

A native of Taiwan, violist Hsuan Chen (Abby) has been a featured artist in concerts across the U.S, Europe, and Asia. Her recent collaborations have brought her to venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully, Hall, The Metropolitan Museum, the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, and the Brooklyn Museum. Among some of her most recent collaborations include an online project entitled Broadcast from Home by New York composer Lisa Bielawa, a film-music collaboration with acclaimed cellist (former Assistant Principal of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra) Michael Nicolas of Brooklyn Rider, chamber music performances in NYC with cellist Mihai Marica of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, violinist Sami Merdinian of the cutting edge crossover group Sybarite 5, and superstar violinist Stefan Jackiw.

Abby received her Master of Music degree in 2018 and Professional Studies diploma in 2020 from the Mannes School of Music where she studied with Daniel Panner. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University where she studies with Daniel Panner, and her previous teacher Rebecca Young. Abby currently resides in New York City.

cellist

Egil Rostad (cello) is an accomplished classical cellist who has performed both nationally and internationally. His performances include a live taping with the artist H.E.R. on a televised special hosted by Jake Tapper. His collaborations with dance have included Martha Clarke’s acclaimed dance-theater masterwork “The Garden of Earthly Delight,” and Alvin Ailey II Dance Company's "Intimate Voices," where he gave a performance of the Bach Suites hailed as "vibrant" by the New York Times. Egil has performed at a variety of venues, including the Joyce Theatre, Carnegie Hall, the Knitting Factory, Joe's Pub, Merkin, Town Hall, Guggenheim, and MOMA. His performances have appeared on numerous recordings by labels such as EMI, Ajna Records, Compass Records, and Vitamin Records.

Norwegian-Japanese cellist Egil Rostad received his bachelor's degree in Cello Performance from the Eastman School of Music, and his master’s degree in Music Education from University of Georgia. He began his Suzuki teacher training at the Colorado Suzuki Institute and completed his full training with Pamela Devenport at the renowned School for Strings. Upon completing his suzuki training at the School for Strings in Manhattan, he was invited to join the cello faculty. Egil now resides in New Jersey and teaches exclusively in New Jersey. He is the orchestra director for the New Providence School District Elementary Schools and teaches private cello at the New Jersey Academy of Music.

bass

Marcus Peña is a student at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University who was recognized for his musical talent in an Aural Skills Olympics event. He received the Melody MVP award, which was part of an end-of-year celebration hosted by Rutgers NAfME. 

tenor

Luca Ettore is thrilled to be performing with Philomusica! From Branchburg, NJ, and a Somerville High School graduate, Luca is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Degree with a concentration in Vocal Performance at Rutgers University. He is an active singer in the university's Kirkpatrick Choir and Glee Club. Aside from vocal performances, Luca is an avid percussionist and marches quads for the Marching Scarlet Knights Drumline. Luca is excited to bring his educational experience to the professional world and would like to thank Emma Daniels for this opportunity!