Carlos Avila is a celebrated pianist known for his expressive artistry and technical mastery. Acclaimed by the San Francisco Chronicle for his “beautiful command of tone and mood,” he has performed across North and South America, Europe, and Asia. His career began in 2001 when he stepped in at short notice to perform Rachmaninoff’s First Piano Concerto with the California Symphony, earning widespread praise.

He has appeared at major festivals, including Schleswig-Holstein, Tanglewood, and Aspen, working with legendary musicians such as Isaac Stern and Emanuel Ax. As a dedicated collaborator, he has performed over 80 recitals with violinist Jay Oh and appeared in series with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic. A Juilliard Gina Bachauer Piano Competition winner, he was featured on WQXR.

Committed to outreach, Carlos supports young musicians through the Doublestop Foundation and cultural initiatives in South Korea. A Juilliard and Yale graduate, he currently resides in New York City.

Moira Lo Bianco is a versatile composer and pianist whose work spans concert music and multidisciplinary collaborations. Her compositions have been performed across Europe and the U.S., and she has collaborated with artists in dance, video, and visual arts. Notably, she composed for the Boston Ballet’s Fall Experience 2023. She has also performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Newport Jazz Festival, and Villa Celimontana Festival in Rome.

As an educator, Lo Bianco integrates mindfulness into her teaching, developing curricula such as Improvisation for Classical Pianists and Music and Movement workshops, bridging music and dance. She currently serves as an associate professor at Berklee College of Music and is on the advisory board of the Bioregulatory Medicine Institute.

Founder of Integro Sonoro, she explores the connection between sound, health, and wellness. A Steinway Artist from Italy, she holds multiple degrees and certifications in music, yoga, and mindfulness.

Anastasia Dedik is an internationally acclaimed pianist, celebrated for her solo, chamber, and vocal repertoire performances. Praised for her “flawless and memorable” artistry, she has performed at prestigious venues like the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Great Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg. She has collaborated with major orchestras, including the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic and Fort Worth Symphony, and appeared on television networks such as RAI TV, NDR TV, and NBC’s Law & Order: SVU.

Born in Saint Petersburg, she studied at The Saint Petersburg Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, and Juilliard. A decorated musician, she has won top prizes in international piano competitions and received awards such as the Governor of Saint Petersburg Award.

Anastasia is also a dedicated educator, founding Prima Music Foundation and Prima Music Academy in NYC, supporting young musicians. Currently pursuing a Doctorate at Rutgers University, she resides in New York City with her family.

Aleksandar Hadžievski, a pianist from Belgrade, Serbia, began his musical training at age six at Josip Slavenski Music School. In 2018, he moved to New York to study at the Manhattan School of Music with Nina Svetlanova before earning his degree with honors from Mannes School of Music in 2022. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Piano Performance at Mannes under Vladimir Valjarevic.

A prize-winning pianist, Aleksandar received awards at the George Gershwin International Music Competition and the National Piano Competition of Serbia. He has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Opera America, and Kolarac Concert Hall. He was featured on Serbian National Television and radio programs in New York and Belgrade.

Beyond performing, he runs a private piano studio in New York City. Recognized for his contributions to the arts, he has received honors from the New York City Council and New York State Assembly.

Julie Poklewski began teaching piano classes when she was seventeen. Her mom, a concert pianist, had gone on tour to Spain, and while she was away, Julie took on her mom’s piano students so they wouldn’t miss out on their lessons. She later went on to earn her B.M. degree in Piano Performance and her M.A. in Piano Pedagogy.

Her love for teaching only grew from there. From holding lessons out of her own house, Julie expanded into program development: facilitating group classes, organizing recitals, and hosting guest speakers to talk about history and composition to her students. Julie has been teaching and developing music programs ever since. In August of 2020, Julie founded Opus11 School of Music, together with her husband, Alex Poklewski.

Julie has worked as a collaborative pianist with various choirs, musicals, and soloists, including the Vivace Youth Chorus since its inception in 2003. For six years, she has served as president of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Santa Clara Chapter. Within MTNA, she started several successful adult recitals and an emerging artists recital series. Julie is also executive director of the San Jose International Piano Competition.

Victor Rosenbaum is an acclaimed American pianist, composer, and conductor who has performed extensively across the U.S., Europe, Israel, Brazil, Russia, and Asia. He has appeared in prestigious venues such as Tully Hall in New York and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, collaborating with renowned musicians including Leonard Rose, Robert Mann, and the Brentano and Borromeo String Quartets.

A dedicated educator, Rosenbaum recently retired after more than 50 years on the faculty of the New England Conservatory, where he chaired the piano and chamber music departments. He also taught at Mannes School of Music and was a guest professor at Juilliard and Eastman. An active teacher and performer, he gives master classes worldwide.

A former director of the Longy School of Music, Rosenbaum's recordings have received critical acclaim on the Bridge and Fleur de Son labels. This season, he continues to teach and perform in Japan, Korea, Israel, and Taiwan.

Pianist Sandra Hebert has performed throughout the U.S., Asia and Europe in recital as soloist, concerto soloist and collaborative pianist, and has recorded for Le Chant du Monde, CRI, ICMC, Juxtab and Arcadian Winds. She has been Visiting Artist in Residence at the Conservatory of Music in Wuhan, P.R. China and has also taught in Germany and Italy. Ms. Hebert holds degrees in Piano Performance including a DMA from Boston University where she studied with Anthony di Bonaventura and Bela Boszormenyi-Nagy. In addition to teaching at Rivers, she is currently Assistant Professor of the Practice of Music and Director of Chamber Music and Performance at Boston College.