Paul Wiancko, American Haiku
I. Far Away
II. In Transit
III. Home
Caroline Shaw, Limestone and Felt
Astor Piazzolla, Milonga del Ángel
Astor Piazzolla, La Calle 92
About the Artists:
Violist Tonya Burton enjoys a diverse career of both solo and ensemble playing. She recently won third place in the 2023 American Prize for Instrumental Soloists, “Best Classical Artist” in the D.C. Wammie awards, and a track from her debut solo album won a 2022 Wammie award for “Best Classical Song.” Her music has been featured on classical radio stations, including Portland’s All Classical Radio Station 89.9.
An artistic leader, Burton has been a core member of the Kinetic Ensemble since 2016, both performing and programming for the Houston-based string orchestra known for showcasing diverse, under-represented and newly composed classical music. Kinetic’s album Kinetic, recently debuted as number one on the Billboard Traditional Classical Albums chart in 2023. The ensemble has also been featured on Daniel Knaggs: Two Streams on the Cappella Records label and Pierre Jalbert: String Theory under the Orchid Classics label.
Burton is also a core member and curator for Monarch Chamber Players, a group dedicated to making high-quality chamber music accessible through free concerts in unique venues across the Houston area. She is also an Affiliate Artist with the Apollo Chamber Players, and notably performed with them at Carnegie Hall for a sold-out audience in 2023.
Burton frequently performs with chamber groups around the United States, including Musiqa, Aperio, Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra in Los Angeles, and is a Resident Artist for the Caroga Arts Collective in Upstate New York and the Talis Festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
In addition to performing, Burton teaches at Sam Houston State University, maintains a thriving home studio, and gives frequent masterclasses in the greater Houston area. She received a Master’s in Music from Rice University studying with James Dunham, a Bachelor’s of Music from Cleveland Institute of Music under the tutelage of Jeffrey Irvine, and served as Katherine Murdock’s Teaching Assistant while working on her Doctorate at the University of Maryland.
Syneva Colle is a cellist, composer and teacher with a special love for orchestral music. She is a member of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra in Virginia and a substitute cellist for the New World Symphony in Miami, FL. Notable solo performances include the premiere of Maria Newman’s orchestral work Our Rights, and Nothing Less as principal cellist; and a performance of the Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto at the Smithsonian Museum’s 175th Anniversary celebration, playing the 1677 Amati cello from the Smithsonian collection.
Syneva is passionate about making music accessible to communities of all ages. As a Teaching Artist with the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program, she coaches young musicians from elementary through high school ages. For twelve years she was on the faculty of the W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville, TN, providing music lessons free of charge to under-served students. From 2020 to 2021 she served as an Artist-in-Residence at the Collington Life Plan Community, modeling intergenerational living and collaboration.
Active in the world of music arranging and composition, Syneva co-owns Corwin Music Publishing, a platform offering contemporary string ensemble music for performers and educators. She composed the original score for the 2016 documentary Huan Dao, and has created string parts for over twenty commercial albums. In 2022 she completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Maryland.
