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Tae Yeon Lim | Piano
Maksim Velichkin | Cello
Rachel Mellis | Flute

Leo Chelyapov | Clarinet

Iris Malkin | Mezzo Soprano

Gee Rabe | Accordion

 

 

 

 

 

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Pianist Tae-Yeon Lim, a native of South Korea, has performed on the concert hall stages across the world both as a recitalist and as a concerto soloist. Ms. Lim studied at the Kyung-Hee University in Seoul and graduated in 2003 with honors. In the United States, she continued her piano studies as a scholarship student at the Manhattan School of Music where she earned Master of Music and Professional Study certificate. In 2008, Ms. Lim moved to Los Angeles where she received the William H. Phillips and Beatrice C. Phillips Music Scholarship in the Graduate Certificate program at the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music where she currently is pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree.



Maksim Velichkin began his musical education at the Special Music School for Gifted Children in his native Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In 1996 he was awarded a full scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance at the Duquesne University in Pittsburgh from which he subsequently graduated with Magna Cum Laude. He continued his education at the University of Southern California from which he received his M.A. Magna Cum Laude in 2006. In addition to being a cellist, Maksim Velichkin is also an accomplished pianist and harpsichordist and is known to be of the world’s foremost classical improvisers. In addition to being an active solo performer, chamber and orchestra musician, he is also the music director for several cutting edge Los Angeles based concert series.



Los Angeles based flutist, Rachel Mellis, holds a versatile career as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, soloist, and recording artist. Rachel earned her B.M. and M.M. in Flute Performance from the University of Southern California, where she studied under Jim Walker and Gary Woodward. In her time at USC she was also accepted into the USC Mentorship program, through which she had a personal mentorship with Michael Gorfaine of The Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency. Rachel is currently Assistant Director and a performer with Classical Revolution LA (CRLA), an organization that brings classical music to venues outside of the concert hall.



Virtuoso clarinetist Leo Chelyapov began playing the clarinet at the age of nine and won first place in the Shostakovich Competition in Moscow at the age of twelve. From 1983 to 1987 he studied at the Moscow College of Musical Arts, and graduated as a woodwind soloist, orchestra conductor, and music educator. After moving to the United States he has had great success with his infusion of pure traditional Jewish folk music into the fabric of American popular culture. Currently Leo is, in addition to a busy schedule as a film, TV and theater performer and recording artist, freelancing with several classical and world/jazz music ensembles and organizations including Classical Underground, Naked Rhythm and The Krysalis Ensemble.