HEIR - Heifetz Ensemble in Residence
Inheriting the Past – Sustaining the Present – Defining the Future
While the six-week summer institute is at the core of the organization’s programming, year-round activities have traditionally been carried out through the Heifetz on Tour program, designed to offer real-world performance and outreach opportunities for promising young alumni. Historically, Heifetz touring programs span not only the Institute’s home region in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, but range from Maine to Florida, working with partner institutions to feature small cohorts of outstanding Heifetz alumni on week-long engagements to perform and educate in a variety of venues, including schools in underserved communities, assisted living facilities, major museums and concert halls, and in-studio broadcast appearances.
Against this backdrop of the global pandemic, and with the crucial support of the Augusta Health Foundation, we launched the first ever Heifetz Ensemble in Residence Program in 2021. Each residency period consists of a rotating group of top Heifetz alumni, who live and work in our home city of Staunton, VA for a multi-week period with all living expenses and professional stipends provided for the duration. Each ensemble receives intensive rehearsal, performance, and production schedules, containing a mixture of public, private, educational, and outreach activities, both virtual—thanks to the Institute’s leadership in multimedia production—and in-person within our local community.
The artists work under the direct supervision of Artistic Director Nicholas Kitchen—who has a keen understanding of using technology to enhance artistry—exploring chamber masterworks and less familiar works with a focus on underrepresented composers. Artists are also mentored in career management by President & CEO Benjamin K Roe. For the young artists selected to participate, this program provides the opportunity to continue to learn, collaborate, and serve as leaders themselves under the unique auspices of the Heifetz Institute’s renowned training methods. Diversity is prioritized within the selection process, and a wide-ranging repertoire drawing on cultures outside of the norm for conservatories and traditional concert series is developed.
March 2024
Carlos Rafael Martinez Arroyo
Violin
Jihyun Baik
Violin
Adrian Jackson
Viola
Carlos Walker
Viola
Zhihao Wu
Cello
Past Participants
December 2023
Julia Angelov
Violin
Jihyun Baik
Violin
Jane Taerim Kim
Viola
Joseph Skerik
Viola
Rachel Taylor
Cello
October 2023
Angela Sin Ying Chan
Violin
Matthew Cohen
Viola
Andres Sanchez
Cello
April 28 – May 14, 2023
Daniel Rafimayeri
Violin
Aadam Ibrahim
Viola
Dominic Lee
Cello
April 3 – 16, 2023
Yezu Woo
Violin
Laura Liu
Viola
Allen Liang
Cello
February 27 – March 19, 2023
Fiona Khuong-Huu
Violin
Joseph Skerik
Viola
Boubacar Diallo
Viola
November 23 – December 17, 2022
Minchae Kim
Violin
SoHyun Ko
Violin
Jerome McCoy
Viola
Dilshod Narzillaev
Cello
October 23 – Nov. 6, 2022
Carlos Rafael Martinez Arroyo
Violin
Manhattan School of Music
Cabra, Andalusia, Spain
Joseph Skerik
Viola
Yale School of Music
Interlochen, MI
Serge Kalinovsky
Cello
Music Institute of Chicago Academy
Bloomington, IN
2021 Session I Artists in Residence:
Julia Angelov (Heifetz 2019, Heifetz on Tour), violin – Washington, DC
Zhenni Li-Cohen (Heifetz on Tour, HeifetzPEG Faculty), piano – New York, NY
Matt Cohen (Heifetz 2012, 2013, Heifetz On Tour, HeifetzPEG Faculty), viola – New York, NY
Yezu Woo (Heifetz 2014, 2015, Heifetz on Tour), violin – Berlin, Germany
Coleman Itzkoff (Heifetz 2013, Artist in Residence, Heifetz On Tour, HeifetzPEG Faculty), cello – New York, NY
Noemie Raymond-Friset (Heifetz 2018, Heifetz On Tour, HeifetzPEG Faculty), cello – Quebec, Canada
2021 Session II Artists in Residence:
Kenneth Ryu Takebe Naito (Heifetz 2015-17, 2019, Heifetz on Tour), violin – Elkridge, MD
Adam Savage (Heifetz 2019-20), viola – Port St. Lucie, FL
Noelle Midori Takebe Naito (Heifetz 2016-17), violin – Elkridge, MD
Jingxuan Zhang (Heifetz 2018-19, Heifetz on Tour), piano – Durham, NC
Jared Blajian (Heifetz 2018), cello – New York, NY
2022 Session Artists in Residence:
Violin: Nigel Armstrong; Liana Branscome; Strauss Shi; Yezu Woo
Viola: Steven Baloue
Cello: Juan-Salvador Carrasco; Ben Fried; Noémie Raymond-Friset
Piano: Michel-Alexandre Broekaert; Connie Kim-Sheng Fried
Presented in Partnership With:
Upcoming Events
Latest Past Events
10th Anniversary Celebration of the Mevluda Tahirovic Memorial Garden
Mevluda Tahirovic Memorial Garden 1 Barristers Row,, StauntonHeifetz alumna Nahar Eliaz (cello) gives a special performance to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Mevluda Tahirovic Memorial Garden.
Grand Finale & Farewell Toast – Heifetz 2024 Festival of Concerts
Francis Auditorium 227 East Frederick Street, StauntonAn all-star gathering of our faculty and every one of our Heifetz Institute students in a rousing concert brimming with passion and virtuosity.
Junior Division Showcase XIV- Heifetz 2024 Festival of Concerts
South Market Stage @ Grace Christian School 19 South Market Street, StauntonCome be dazzled by the artistry of the Institute’s youngest performers, aged 9–14, as they showcase their talents on the second Heifetz stage!