Meet the Artists 2024
An extravaganza of different music genres, soaring from the Baroque era to Norah Jones, all performed by wonderful musicians from Miami and all over the world.
Rococo Rhapsody
French Baroque Delights
Amanda Crider
Mezzo-Soprano Amanda Crider has sung leading roles with opera companies across the US including Los Angeles Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Dallas Opera, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, The Castleton Festival, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Boston, Opera Omaha, Des Moines Metro Opera, among others. She has also appeared as a soloist with ensembles including Calgary Philharmonic, Nu Deco Ensemble, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Symphony, New World Symphony, Apollo’s Fire, Bach Festival Society of Florida, International Contemporary Ensemble, and is a core member of the GRAMMY nominated ensemble Seraphic Fire. Ms. Crider has been a prize winner and finalist in many competitions, including the José Iturbi International Voice Competition, Jensen Foundation Voice Competition, Joy in Singing Debut Artist Competition, Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, Oratorio Society of New York Vocal Competition, Center for Contemporary Opera Competition, and is a recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation. Crider was also named a 2022 Recipient of the Alumni Enterprise Award from the Innovation Institute at Music Academy of the West. Ms. Crider is also the founder of the Miami based concert series IlluminArts.
Joseph Monticello
Joseph Monticello’s playing has been praised by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal as “graceful” and for being as “exciting as the singers.” Equally at home on modern and historical flutes, Joseph is the principal flutist of Boston Baroque and assistant principal flutist with the Florida Grand Opera and Palm Beach Symphony.
As a frequent performer with Miami’s Nu Deco Ensemble, Joseph has shared the stage with many genre-defining artists, including Angélique Kidjo, Wyclef Jean, Kishi Bashi, Tank and the Bangas, Masego, Cory Wong, Cory Henry, Larkin Poe, and Luke James, and has been featured on several of their commercially-released albums, including the chart-topping “Paint the Roses” collaboration with Larkin Poe, which spent four weeks on the Classical, Classical Crossover, and Blues Billboard Charts. Joseph’s playing was also featured on the 2022 Disney film “Rosaline,” as well as the “Janitsch: Trio Sonatas” album by The Berlin Friday Academy.
Joseph is the Archivist of the New World Symphony, and is also a licensed performer of the Yamatogaku style of shamisen, the traditional Japanese three-stringed lute, having made his professional debut at the National Theatre of Japan under the given name of Yamato Josho (大和晟笙) in Spring 2023.
Joseph is a graduate of The Juilliard School, Oberlin Conservatory, and Interlochen Arts Academy.
Claudia Cagnassone
Claudia Cagnassone is a graduate of Italy’s prestigious Giuseppe Verdi Music Academy in Torino.
Claudia was a funding member of Il Quartetto Casorati, an Italian string quartet enthusiastically received by
audiences and critics in many European Chamber Music Halls. She was part of the group for almost a decade; with them she had the opportunity to provide first time classical music experiences in many remote zones of the world after being appointed “Representing Ensemble for the Piedmont Region in its Pan-European meetings throughout the world”
Claudia has appeared in leading roles with prominent European chamber orchestras, including Arpeggione kammerorchester , I Musici Estensi and Czech Moravian Virtuosi.
She has performed in iconic concert halls, such as La Scala in Milan, Amsterdam’s Concertgebow and the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow.
In the US Claudia has been featured as soloist on recordings and live performances with several Symphony of the Americas Summerfest presentations.
Claudia is also the co-producer of the fast paced show “Laszlo and Claudia, BEYOND the STRINGS” with Hungarian violinist Laszlo Pap.
Currently she is a member of Florida Grand Opera and the Palm Beach Symphony.
Claudia plays a Marinus Capicchioni violin, dated 1939.
Caroline Nicolas
With an eclectic repertory that spans from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, acclaimed cellist/gambist Caroline Nicolas enjoys an active and multifaceted career as one of the outstanding performers in her field. Noted for her “eloquent artistry and rich, vibrant sound” (Gainesville Times), she has been praised for her unique ability to combine emotionally rich interpretations with a historically inquisitive spirit. She regularly appears with leading ensembles as soloist, chamber musician, and music director.
Ensembles she has worked with include the English Concert, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Mercury Chamber Orchestra, Ars Lyrica Houston, Juilliard Baroque, Harmonia Stellarum, Philharmonia Baroque, Pacific MusicWorks, Kammerorchester Basel, New World Symphony, and Sinfonieorchester Liechtenstein. She recently completed her tenure as music director of New Baroque Orchestra. Festival appearances include the Boston Early Music Festival, Indianapolis Early Music Festival, Bach Festival Leipzig, and Styriarte Festival in Austria. Notable venues include the KKL Luzern, Berliner Philharmonie, Alice Tully Hall, and Benaroya Hall. Her performances have been broadcast on KING FM in Washington, KUHF in Texas, WDIY in Pennsylvania, and CCTV in China.
Notable distinctions include having been selected as a fellow of The English Concert in America. As the winner of The Juilliard School’s Historical Performance concerto competition, she made her solo debut in Alice Tully Hall, New York City.
Kevin Payne
Lutenist Kevin Payne is active as a recitalist, accompanist, and continuo player. Recent ensemble work includes return engagements with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and Tempesta di Mare. Performance venues include Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden, Germany.
When not performing, Kevin enjoys cooking, reading, watching Star Trek (P’Tach!) and attempting to delay the inevitable (and often imminent) demise of the houseplants he shares with his wife, cellist Caroline Nicolas.
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