Faculty

Our award winning faculty is eager to help our attendees grow as cellists and as musicians.

2026 Faculty

Nick Curry

Dr. Nick Curry is the Associate Professor of Cello and the Assistant Director of the School of Music at the University of North Florida where he also serves as the Director of Music Scholarships. In early 2015, he joined fellow Jacksonville musicians Aurica Duca and Clinton Dewing as founders of the Lawson Ensemble. The Lawson Ensemble collaborated with the San Marco Chamber Music Society and recorded works of Amy Beach and Bill Douglas for Albany Records in 2018, and went on concert tours of England and Germany. Nick received his BM, cum laude, from Vanderbilt and then served as Hans Jørgen Jensen’s teaching assistant for five years at Northwestern University, earning both his Master and Doctor of Music degrees. He also was the teaching assistant to Professor Jensen at the Meadowmount School of Music for four summers. Nick has performed in Austria, England, France, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Taiwan, Germany and Turkey, and throughout the United States. In April of 2006, he was a soloist on National Public Radio (USA) Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion on the King Amati (ca. 1538) cello. Dr. Curry is on the faculty at the Aria International Summer Music Academy and was previously visiting faculty at the Meadowmount School of Music for two summers. He is a sought after clinician and adjudicator and has presented at national, regional and state conferences. His research has been published in the ASTA journal many times. At UNF, he was named the Gerson Yessin professor and was awarded an Eisen Experiential Grant. In 2016, he founded the annual Jacksonville Cello Workshop, an educational workshop for cellists of all ages and levels. In 2018, the UNF President honored him with a Presidential Faculty Leader Award.

Alan Rafferty

Alan Rafferty has firmly established himself as a preeminent cellist, educator, arts leader and entrepreneur.  In demand as a clinician around the world, Mr. Rafferty is regularly invited to give Master Classes at prestigious conservatories and music schools.  Recent and upcoming master classes include the Royal Danish Academy of Music, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, the University of Texas and the Taiwan National University of the Arts.   He has been a visiting faculty member for the Cleveland Institute of Music, for the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and makes yearly visits to work with the Fellows at the New World Symphony.  He  currently holds the position of Associate Professor, Educator of Cello at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.

A member of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra since 2007, Mr. Rafferty holds the Ruth F. Rosevear Chair for Cello.  In addition to playing over 1000 concerts as a member of the orchestra both in Cincinnati and around the world on tour, he has been a part of over 20 recordings including the Grammy nominated albums “Transatlantic” and “American Originals: 1918”.  He can be heard regularly as a performer on the CSO Chamber Players Series and has narrated CSO Young Peoples Concerts.

As a leader in the arts, Mr. Rafferty cofounded the Cincinnati Young Artists and Ascent Music with Dr. Sarah Kim.  For 12 years, the Cincinnati Young Artists held numerous chamber music and cello festivals throughout the tri-state area, reaching thousands of students not only locally but from all over the world.  When the pandemic struck, CYA was at the forefront of online learning, presenting 4 weeks of Virtual Cello Academy festivals in 2020 with over 200 cellists participating from all over the world.  

In 2022, Ascent Music was founded. Alan serves as Artistic Director for the Ascent International Chamber Music and Cello Festivals, 4 weeks of intensive study committed to guiding young artists to become 21st century musicians, with the ability to thrive in any artistic environment. 

In addition to his position as Artistic Director of the Ascent International Cello & Chamber Music Festivals, Mr. Rafferty is Artist-Faculty at Interlochen Arts Camp and International Cello Institute.  Other summer festival engagements have included Meadowmount, Madeline Island, Green Mountain, Brancaleoni (Italy), Aria, the Aronson Cello Festival, the Sphinx Organization National Alliance for Audition Support Intensive, the Great Wall International Music Academy in Beijing and as artist-faculty for the Festival de Music de Santa Catarina in Brazil.

Current and former students have played as soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony, Louisville Orchestra and Dayton Philharmonic and have been 1st prize winners in the MTNA National Solo Competition, CSYO, Louisville Orchestra Competition, Cleveland Cello Society and Tennessee Cello Workshop.  Former students hold positions in orchestras throughout the US and all over the world including recent appointments to the Cincinnati Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Columbus Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic Academy.  As Cello/Chamber Music Faculty for the Starling Program at CCM, Alan has coached groups that have won the Junior Division Gold Medal and Silver Medal of the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition among others.

Having made his solo debut with orchestra at the age of 16, Alan has been a featured soloist on numerous occasions since.  Recent solo appearances have included the North American premiere of Victor Herbert’s first published work, the Suite for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 3 and Don Quixote with the CCM Philharmonia.  He can be heard on recordings for Telarc, Sono Luminus, CR and for WGUC Radio Station.  As a chamber musician, Mr. Rafferty collaborates with world-class artists and is regularly invited as a guest artist both in Cincinnati and abroad. 

Mr. Rafferty holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Northwestern University.  His primary studies were with Hans Jorgen Jensen, Alan Harris, Merry Peckham, Richard Weiss & Anne Cole.  He and his wife Dr. Sarah Kim, were honored as the 2016 Ohio String Teachers Association Studio Teachers of the Year. 

Dr. SaraH Kim

Sarah Kim, D.M.A. leads a vibrant and diverse career as a cellist, professor, and arts leader.  Named the 2016 Ohio String Teachers Association Studio Teacher of the Year and recipient of a Cincinnati Arts Association Overture Educator Award, she currently serves on the full-time cello professor at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Previous teaching appointments include the string faculty of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she served as the graduate pedagogy cognate coordinator and instructor of cello.

As a solo artist and chamber musician, Dr. Kim has performed throughout North America, Europe, and South America. She has been broadcast on WGN Chicago, Vermont Public Radio, and WGUC Cincinnati.  As Artist-Faculty, she has appeared at numerous festivals including the Festival de Music de Santa Caterina in Jaragua, Brazil, Aronson Cello Festival at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Aria International Summer Academy,  Brancaleoni International Music Festival, and Interlochen. 

Chamber collaborations have included performances with members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and L.A. Philharmonic as well as members of the Juilliard, Catalyst, Dali and Cavani Quartets. Dr. Kim is a champion of new music by women composers.  Recent performance highlights include premiering works for solo cello by Victoria Bond in Brazil and Germany. 

A sought after clinician, Dr. Kim has been featured in masterclasses at the American String Teacher’s Association National Conference as well as numerous cello festivals and workshops at universities.  In 2023-24 she was invited to present masterclasses at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Abracello festival and Universidade Estadual de Campinas in São Paulo, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She also was invited to give presentations on topics of practice efficiency and mindfulness for organizations including the New World Symphony, Cleveland Institute of Music, Boston Conservatory, and  the Mikiel Anton Vassali College in Valletta, Malta.

Dr. Kim  has adjudicated national competitions such as the National Schadt String Competition and the Music Teacher’s National Association National Finals. She regularly presents at conferences such as the American String Teachers Association and has directed and developed pre-college programs at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, the University of Cincinnati, Roosevelt University, and Northern Kentucky University. 

Dr. Kim’s students have earned national recognition as prize winners in the YoungArts Foundation, Fischoff, Music Teacher’s National Association, and Sphinx competitions. They have performed as soloists with the Cincinnati Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Madision Chamber Orchestra, and Hilton Head Symphony.

A native of Minneapolis, MN, Dr. Kim received her B.M. at the Eastman School of Music, her M.M. at Northwestern University, and D.M.A. at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Her primary studies have been with Peter Howard, Steven Doane, and Hans Jørgen Jensen.

The co-founder of Ascent Music, Dr. Kim promotes the advancement of music education and community outreach through the direction of internationally attended chamber music and cello festivals.

Avi Friedlander

A photo of Avi Friedlander posing with his cello outside.

Well known as a rising cello pedagogue, Avi Friedlander teaches a variety of methods from classical to jazz and rock. Mr. Friedlander is the director of the Barston Suzuki Center at the Music Institute of Chicago, a Suzuki teacher trainer, teaches Suzuki Pedagogy faculty at Roosevelt University/Music Institute of Chicago and teaches string pedagogy at the University of North Florida and Northwestern University. He holds Masters and Bachelors degrees in cello performance from The University of Michigan, and pursued his professional studies degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music. Previous positions held include Assistant Principal Cellist of the Atlanta Opera, Fellow of The New World Symphony and Professor of Cello at Emory University in Atlanta. His primary teachers have included Anthony Elliott, Stephen Geber, Irene Sharp, Tanya Carey and David Premo and he has also worked with Richard Aaron, Hans Jensen, Janos Starker and Bernard Greenhouse. Mr. Friedlander has studied improvisation methods with Eugene Friesen from the Berkley College, Stephan Braun from Berlin and Tim Kliphuis from Amsterdam. In addition to his own compositions, Mr. Friedlander writes his own arrangements for solo cello of rock tunes from Jimi Hendrix to Pearl Jam and is the author of his method books, “Chopping Around” and “Pizzing Around”, which  introduce alternative styles to cellist. In his free time, he loves to read, play hockey and spend time with his family.  On top of his cello teaching career, Mr. Friedlander is an USA Hockey certified coach.

Mary Beth Bryant

Mary Beth Bryant is a certified Suzuki Method cello instructor in books 1-10 and beyond. The Suzuki Method embraces daily practice to ensure progress, parental involvement to encourage the student, and listening to train the student’s aural imagination. In addition to Mary Beth’s Suzuki Method training, she has also studied with internationally acclaimed cello pedagogue Irene Sharp in San Francisco. As students learn that commitment to practice is the key to success, they develop feelings of so much joy and confidence in their cello playing. Their daily discipline results in many opportunities like full music scholarships, placing in All-State Orchestra and winning first place in concerto competitions. Seeing them beam with confidence after working so hard is one of the greatest joys for Mary Beth as a teacher.

Grace Bahng Gavin

Grace Bhang Photo

Grace Bahng Gavin was a scholarship student of Leonard Rose and Channing Robbins at the Juilliard School where she received her B.M. and M.M. degrees. She was a member of the Blair String Quartet and Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University from 1984-1999. Widely acclaimed in concert performances across the country, she has appeared in recital at the Library of Congress, Kennedy Center, 92nd St. Y in New York, Alice Tully Hall and on National Public Radio and Television. She has been in residence at the Aspen, Marlboro, Sunflower, Sewanee, Buzzard’s Bay and the Crested Butte Chamber Music Festivals, the El Paso Pro Musica International Chamber Music Festival, the Sedona Chamber Music Festival, the Highlands/Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and the St. Barths Music Festival.

Ms. Bahng has performed with a wide array of musicians, including: Edgar Meyer, Robert McDuffie, Donald McInnes, Joseph Silverstein, Bela Fleck, Nigel Kennedy, Mark O’Connor, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride and has played on numerous movie soundtracks. Grace lives in Orlando, Florida, where she lives with her husband, Kip, and enjoys competitive tennis and cooking.

Franklin Sandoval

A portrait photo of Franklin Sandoval and his cello. He is smiling and wearing a maroon, pink, and white, densley floral long-sleeve button-up shirt. He has a beard and short brown hair.

As an emerging Suzuki registered Salvadoran-American cellist and educator, Franklin Sandoval is currently a Suzuki Cello instructor at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory Preparatory Department and the Cincinnati Music Village as a Suzuki Cello Instructor. 

As an active cellist and performer, Franklin has performed at several festivals and organizations such as the New World Symphony, The Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, The Jacksonville Cello Workshop, the Meadowmount School of Music multiple summers, and currently serves as a Teaching Fellow at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Camp during the summers.

As an advocate for new music from Latin America, Sandoval’s research includes the history of concert, folkloric, and popular music from countries in the region, specifically El Salvador. He has so far premiered and recorded compositions by Latin American composers and continues to extend his research on music, including string pedagogy, immigration, history, and inclusion. 

Franklin is currently earning his Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as an Albert C. Yates Fellow in the studio of Alan Rafferty. In 2023, Franklin earned a masters degree in Music Performance from Miami University, studying with Dr. Sarah Kim. In 2021, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, under the tutelage of Dr. Nick Curry.

Grace Raper

A portrait photo of Grace Raper holding her cello. She is smiling and wearing a light blue paisley patterned dress and has her hair back with pearl earrings and hair ringlets near her ears.

Grace Raper is a cellist and private strings teacher based out of Chicago, Illinois. Studying under Dr. Nick Curry, she graduated from the University of North Florida in December 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in both Music Education and Cello Performance. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Cello Performance at DePaul University, where she studies with Dr. Melissa Kraut. Grace holds teaching certification in Suzuki Cello Books 1-8 through training from Mr. Avi Friedlander, director of the Barston Suzuki Center at the Music Institute of Chicago, where she now works as one of their Suzuki Cello Instructors.

Outside of her studies at UNF, she’s received training from leading cello pedagogues throughout the United States at Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Ascent International Cello Festival, and Ascent International Chamber Music Festival.

Grace has been the co-assistant director of the Jacksonville Cello Workshop since Fall of 2022. For the past three years, they’ve hosted over 80 cello students from Jacksonville and beyond as well as cello teachers from leading conservatories across the U.S. She also served as a board member for Beaches Fine Arts Series, a non-profit organization that provides free concerts and educational outreach to the Jacksonville area. 

Along with being a private strings teacher, Grace is a performing musician playing for weddings, church services, concerts, and other various events. In 2022 and 2023, she performed with the Lawson Ensemble as they played concerts in the Jacksonville area. She was the principal cellist of the UNF orchestra from Fall 2021 to Spring 2024. Grace received an honorable mention at the UNF 2025 Concerto Competition.

Megan Herrman

A portrait photo of Megan Herrman. She is smiling and wearing a black blaizer and white shirt. Her long auborn hair is down.

Megan Herrman is a cellist currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Cello Performance at the University of North Florida, where she studies under Dr. Nick Curry. She graduated in 2024 with dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Cello Performance, and she holds teaching certification in Cello Units 1–8 from the Suzuki Association of the Americas. In addition to her academic work, Megan has received specialized training from renowned cello pedagogues at the Ascent International Cello & Chamber Music Festival and The Complete Cellist.

Beyond her studies, Megan is deeply involved in the musical community at UNF and beyond. Since 2022, she has served as co-assistant director of the Jacksonville Cello Workshop and as a student board member of the Beaches Fine Arts Series. In 2024, she became assistant to the Lawson Ensemble and a graduate assistant to Dr. Curry.

Her dedication and artistry have been recognized with several honors. She was awarded the prestigious Presser Undergraduate Scholarship in 2023, and in 2022, she won the UNF Orchestra Concerto Competition, performing Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 with the university orchestra. Megan also brings her passion for music into the classroom, having taught beginning strings at Chets Creek Elementary School from 2021 to 2024, and continues to teach privately through her own cello studio.

Her performance experience includes a range of notable opportunities, most memorably her appearances at Walt Disney World for the 2022 Disney Christmas Day Parade and the 2023 Magical Holiday Celebration, both broadcast on ABC and Disney+.