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Caeli Smith

Called “intense, precise, and full of personality,” Caeli Smith is one of New York City’s most sought-after chamber musicians and educators. She is a member of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and has performed with them across the U.S., Europe, and Asia; as well as with the

New York Philharmonic, The Knights, Sejong Soloists, and the Verbier Chamber Orchestra. She is principal viola of Simone Dinnerstein’s ensemble Baroklyn.

Known among students and colleagues for her exuberance and curiosity, Caeli

(pronounced “Chay-lee”) is on the faculty of Bard College Conservatory, Montclair State University, the Heifetz International Music Institute, and Kinhaven Music School. She works weekly with pre-college, college, and graduate students at The Juilliard School as a teaching assistant/adjunct professor for multiple studios. Caeli holds a bachelor’s degree in violin performance and a master’s degree in viola performance from The Juilliard School. Upon graduating, she received the William Schuman Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music. She holds a Masters in Education from Harvard, with a concentration in Arts and Learning. Caeli is an alum of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect.

Caeli has written for radio, TV, and print, and her articles have appeared in The

Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as Strings, Teen Strings, and Symphony magazines.

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Weston Sprott

Weston Sprott enjoys an exciting career that includes orchestral, chamber, and solo performances, as well as numerous educational and outreach efforts. He is Dean of the Preparatory Division at The Juilliard School, leading Juilliard Pre-College and the Music Advancement Program, and a trombonist in New York’s Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, of which he has been a member since 2005. He has been recognized as “an excellent trombonist” with a “sense of style and phrasing [that] takes a backseat to no one”. He is a recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence and the Atlanta Symphony Talent Development Program Aspire Award.

Sprott has performed frequently with the Philadelphia Orchestra, held a position with the Zurich Opera/Philharmonia, and has appeared with numerous other major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, and Oslo Philharmonic. He previously held principal positions with the Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra and the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. His chamber music and festival engagements include the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Fesitval (SICMF), Classical Tahoe, Festival Napa Valley, Walla Chamber Music Festival, Chineke!, PRIZM Ensemble, and numerous others.

As a soloist, Sprott has been featured regularly throughout the United States, Europe, South Africa, and Asia. He made his Carnegie solo debut in 2007 and was a featured soloist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is 2017. Sprott’s debut album, Act I, was released in 2010 and hailed by the American Record Guide as “an outstanding recording” that “feels the emotion of every note and phrase”.

A dedicated and tireless teacher, Sprott holds faculty positions at Juilliard Pre-College and Bard College. He previously led the brass department at Mannes College and held faculty positions at Rutgers University, Purchase College, and the Juilliard Music Advancement Program. He also regularly serves on the faculties of SICMF, PRIZM, Curtis Institute of Music’s Summerfest, National Youth Orchestra-USA (NYO-USA) and NYO2. 

He appeared in Ben Niles’ documentary film Some Kind of Spark, which highlights the impact of music education in the lives of students as they attend Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program. Other documentary film credits include A Wayfarer's Journey:Listening to Mahler, and Rittenhouse Square. His thoughts are also quoted in Rhythms of the Game, a book by former New York Yankees star Bernie Williams. He also works with organizations like Play On Philly and Music Kitchen, and has sponsored educational opportunities and solicited instrument donations for disadvantaged students. His philanthropic spirit was recognized in an article by the Wall Street Journal. He is the Board Chair of the Friends of SICMF, a member of the Bronx Arts Ensemble’s Artistsic Advisory Board, and a member of the Avery Fisher Artist Program's Recommendation Board. Weston is an active speaker, writer, and advisor for diversity and inclusion efforts in classical music. 

Weston Sprott is an artist/clinician for the Antoine Courtois Instrument Company. He designed and performs exclusively on the Courtois Creation New York trombone. Performances and interviews with Mr. Sprott have been seen and heard on PBS' Great Performances, NPR's Performance Today, MSNBC, and Sirius Satellite Radio.