Scott Flavin, professor of violin and conducting at the Frost School of Music, enjoys an incredibly versatile career, as a conductor, violinist, composer, writer, and pedagogue. As a conductor, he holds several important positions, including the newly-appointed Resident Conductor of the Symphony of the Americas, as well as Resident Conductor of The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra. He is conducting artist faculty at the Eastern Music Festival and also the founding conductor of the Camerata Orchestra in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.  He has conducted for various festivals, and the nationally- broadcast “Jazz and the Philharmonic” for PBS television, as well as recordings and performances for a wide variety of notable artists, from Joseph Silverstein to the Beach.

Margaret Donaghue Flavin is associate professor, director of the woodwind program at the Frost School of Music. Dr. Donaghue has performed as chamber musician and soloist in more than a dozen countries across three continents. She has performed in major venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, American Cathedral in Paris, St Martin-in-the-Fields, and The American Academy in Rome. Chamber music recital venues include Paris, London, Rome, Boston, New York City, Honolulu, and Grand Cayman, as well others across the US, Europe and Japan. Dr. Donaghue has appeared as soloist with the Shanghai Broadcast Symphony and the Shen Zhen Symphony, Shen Zhen, China, as well as the Russe State Philharmonic, Russe, Bulgaria.

A prizewinner of numerous competitions including the gold medal at the San Antonio International Piano Competition, Takao enjoys a multi-faceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, a pedagogue, and a researcher. Recent engagements include: an all-Beethoven solo recital under the auspices of the SAIPC and San Antonio Symphony, concerto appearances (Mozart’s K. 459, 503, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue), and teaching at the Vianden Music Festival (Luxembourg). She has appeared at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, Weill Recital Hall, Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress, Lensic Performing Arts Center (Santa Fe), Caramoor, Le Domaine Forget (Canada), and Taipei National Concert Hall. While known for her affinity to works by Beethoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninov, Takao is equally sought after as an enthusiastic advocate of newly composed music, and has premiered many works to high acclaim at organizations such as the Society of Composers and International Alliance for Women in Music. Her 2015 release of the complete 12 piano sonatas by Vincent Persichetti is followed by another album of his chamber music. The latter includes the world-premiere of Concertato for Piano and String Quartet, Op. 12, based on a manuscript discovered during her recent research at the New York Public Library. She can be heard on Capstone, Centaur, Dorian, Elan, and Friends of Smithsonian labels.

Oliver Diez was born and raised in Miami, FL. He earned his Bachelors and Master's Degrees in Music Education from Florida International University. He is currently in his 26th year at Palmetto Elementary where he teaches General Music to students in grades K-5 and is also director of bands and chorus. In 1999 he was voted as Palmetto Elementary's "Rookie Teacher of the Year" and in 2002 as "Teacher of the Year". In 2019 he was selected as the 2020 Miami-Dade County Public Schools District Teacher of the year. Mr. Diez has been nominated twice for the "Grammy Music Educator Award" and has been a "Who's Who in Education" nominee. He directed the Superintendent's Honors Recorder Ensemble in 2007 and 2018. He also received a proclamation on June 7th, 2011 by the mayor of Pinecrest declaring that date "Oliver Diez Day". In October of 2021 he received the Key to the City of Miami from Mayor Francis Suarez.

Katarzyna Cieslik earned her Master’s Degree in Violin Performance and Pedagogy from the Chopin University of Music in Poland. For two decades, she was a violinist with the acclaimed Podlasie Philharmonic Orchestra, performing extensively across the globe from the U.K. to Russia, the U.S. (notably at Carnegie Hall), and China. As an orchestral musician, she collaborated with renowned composers and conductors such as Witold Lutosławski, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, and Krzysztof Penderecki.  

Since relocating to the U.S. in 2015, Ms. Cieslik has combined her extensive orchestral experience with a deep passion for nurturing young musicians. She has taught at several music institutions, including the Miami Fine Arts Academy, Superior Academy of Music, the Community Arts Program, and Miami Music Project. She has served as Associate Conductor of Strings at Miami Arts Charter School and recently started directing the string ensemble at True North Academy.  

She has been employed at the Frost Preparatory Department since 2017, where she has been engaged not only as violin instructor, but also as coach for the Advanced String Chamber Program, as well as founder and director of the String Ensemble at the Prep (STEP), providing students with orchestral training and regular performance opportunities across Miami. As a certified instructor of the Royal Conservatory of Music program and the Music Mind Games method, she regularly prepares her students for the RCM exams, where many of her students have received special recognition.  

Albanian-born pianist Redi Llupa has distinguished himself by performing in prestigious venues in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. An avid advocate of contemporary repertoire, Llupa continuously collaborates with and performs music by living composers and has been the dedicatee of works by Aleksandër Peçi, Ermir Bejo, and Joseph Klein. Since 2015, he worked closely with Pulitzer Prize winning composer George Walker, becoming the first pianist to give the premiere performance of Walker’s complete piano sonatas in 2017. Dr. Llupa has appeared in various festivals including Festival Baltimore at UMBC, PIANODROM International Festival in Tirana, ReMusica International Festival in Pristina, James Madison Contemporary Music Festival in Virginia, and New Century New Voices in Vermont. Dr. Llupa has received guidance from phenomenal teachers over the years, including Nadjezhda Porodini, Alberto Miodini, Max Levinson, Menahem Pressler, and Santiago Rodriguez. Recent performances of note include the April 2024 concert with the National Radio-Television Orchestra of Albania, performing a monumental concerto by Albanian composer, Feim Ibrahimi, in collaboration with conductor Kanako Abe, and the world premiere of Joseph Klein’s Pathways IV: Rhymes and Spirals with Frost’s own Ensemble Ibis and conductor Shawn Crouch in April 2025. 

A native of Michigan, Mr. Clifford began his violin studies at age six.  Many of his formative years were spent studying at the University of Michigan School of Music with Robert Culver.   His summer studies include Interlochen International Music Camp, Meadowmount School, and Encore School for Strings. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and his Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Miami.  His teachers include Daniel Majeske, Stephen Majeske, David Cerone, David Updegraff and Glenn Basham.  Patrick was principal second violin with the National Chamber Players, and has performed with the North Carolina Symphony, the Knoxville Symphony, the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra, Miami City Ballet Orchestra and the Naples Philharmonic. His performing and teaching have taken him throughout the United States, South and Central America and China.  He is currently assistant professor of violin and viola at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where his position includes being first violinist in Quartetto Stringendo, the quartet-in-residence at the university, the founder/director of the Preparatory Department, founder/director of Stringendo School For Strings and the concertmaster of the Palm Beach Atlantic Symphony. As a pedagogue, Mr. Clifford has been teaching privately for thirty years and teaching full time at the university level since 2000.  In 2000 he founded the Stringendo School for Strings, a school of music that seeks to develop exceptional string players from ages 3 through 18.  Mr. Clifford is the author of the Stringendo School for Strings Method, a method which emphasizes knowing all aspects of violin playing for the purpose of mastering the instrument.  His students are frequent competition winners and many hold leadership positions in their respective orchestras. Mr. Clifford is a frequent clinician at conferences, judge for competitions, and has given master-classes and string sectionals throughout the United States, South America and China. Mr. Clifford was secretary for the Florida chapter of the American String Teachers Association from 2002 to 2004.  In 2003 he initiated and instituted the American String Teachers Association Certificate Program in the state of Florida.  In 2015 Mr. Clifford joined the faculty of The King’s Academy Conservatory of the Arts as the director of the strings and orchestral program. Mr. Clifford performs on a violin previously in the collection of Mischa Mischakoff bearing the name Matteo Goffriller 1720.  He currently resides in Lantana, Florida with his wife Belen and their two children Nathan and Joanna.

Originally from Sichuan, China, Beiyao is recognized for his artistry and technical brilliance. A winner of competitions such as the Hong Kong–Asia Open Piano Competition, Torrance Symphony Orchestra Competition, and Brentwood-Westwood Symphony Orchestra Competition, he has established himself as a compelling soloist and collaborator on the international stage.

Beiyao has performed across Asia, Europe, and North America, captivating audiences with his expressive interpretations. He has appeared with esteemed ensembles, including The Colburn Orchestra under Miguel Harth-Bedoya, the Brentwood-Westwood Symphony Orchestra, and the Torrance Symphony Orchestra.

Beyond his solo career, Beiyao thrives in collaborative settings. He founded the piano trio NOA during his studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, leading to invitations from the Detroit Chamber Music Society for performances and lectures. His chamber music achievements include winning first prize at the Milhaud Competition alongside clarinetist Jaewon Kim.

Evgenia Mott is an accomplished cellist and dedicated music educator with extensive experience in both performance and teaching. Since February 2024, she has been passionately teaching the Suzuki method, fostering a love of music in young cellists. The Cello program at Frost Preparatory in the University of Miami has flourished under her guidance, reflecting her commitment to high-quality musical education.

With a Master of Music in Performance and Teaching from Nizhny Novgorod State Glinka Conservatory, Russia. Evgenia’s educational background is both prestigious and comprehensive. 

Evgenia’s teaching career is marked by a rich array of experiences. She has served as the Associate Instrumental Music Conductor at Miami Arts Charter School and has been a contractual music teacher for various elementary schools in the Miami area. Additionally, she has been a Cello Instructor and String Ensemble Teaching Artist with the Miami Music Project, teaching at multiple elementary schools and providing private cello lessons since 2018.

Her performance credentials are equally impressive. Evgenia is the Acting Principal Cello with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. 

Outside of her professional life, Evgenia enjoys a fulfilling family life with her beautiful family, including her two young children, aged 5 and 2. She brings the same passion and dedication to her family as she does to her teaching and performance, making her a well-rounded and inspiring figure in the music community.

Evgenia Mott’s commitment to music education and performance, combined with her nurturing approach to teaching, makes her a valued member of the Suzuki America Association and a beloved cello teacher at Frost Preparatory in the University of Miami.