Stephanie Holmes is currently the Director of Orchestras at Edna Brewer Middle School in Oakland, California.   Since 2011, Ms. Holmes has been director and the orchestra program has more than doubled in size.  Ms. Holmes co-founded an all-city orchestra in Oakland, the Muse Vivo orchestra, in partnership with the Oakland Eastbay symphony.  This orchestra serves as a vehicle to membership in the Oakland Youth Orchestra.  In 2012 the Metropolitan Opera named Ms. Holmes lead educator for their Live in HD program, and is still active with the Met Opera Education, and has recently generated a new curriculum. In 2016 Ms. Holmes received the CMEA Outstanding Orchestra Educator Award. 

Prior to moving to San Francisco, Stephanie was Orchestra Director at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Virginia.  The Lake Braddock program was comprised of 350 members and 7 orchestras including a full symphony orchestra.  She received both her bachelor’s degree in biology and her masters in music education from Virginia Tech, where she studied violin under the tutelage of Dr. Joseph Kennedy, Jr.  Ms. Holmes perused her second master’s degree at James Madison University in orchestral conducting where she studied with Dr. Robert Mc Cashin.  She has served as guest conductor to many regional orchestras across Virginia, the South Carolina All State Orchestra and the SCMEA Junior High Honors Orchestra. She also has directed many musicals and operas throughout her career. Ms. Holmes has served as an orchestral adjudicator across Virginia.  Ms. Holmes is excited to be able to begin her fifth year of adjudicating in California.  Ms. Holmes looks forward to working on the Cal ASTA Board.

 Jennifer Albrent is a California native, and current Vice-President of the San Diego CalASTA section. Growing up in sunny San Diego, she began playing violin at age 5. As the years unfolded, she gravitated towards the viola and devoted the first chapter of her performing career to classical music, competing and participating in local, national, and international festivals, orchestras, and chamber music ensembles.

Jennifer received her BFA in Viola Performance from Boston University under the guidance of violist Michelle LaCourse. After graduation and two years of travel and research, Jennifer pursued an MFA in Viola Performance from the California Institute of Arts. Although at the time her focus was on performance, teaching had always played a large role in her work. She was at the forefront of several Los Angeles community outreach programs, university education programs, and international education networks.

Once out of school, Jennifer toured and performed throughout the United States and Europe supporting musicians of different backgrounds and styles such as bluegrass, pop, jazz, and North Indian classical music. Driven by a desire to share her experience and to connect with others, Jennifer embraced teaching as the main focus of her career and has been a long time passionate member of ASTA.

Jennifer is committed to helping others express themselves through music. With an interest in Alzheimer’s Disease and ADHD, Jennifer is hoping to further understand the powerful connection between playing music and the brain. She believes our job as teachers is to not only help those who want to pursue music as a career, but to support those who value music in their daily lives as a way to sustain mental health and flexibility.

In 2020, Jennifer and her husband Shane acquired The Violin Shop San Diego. As the shop owner, Jennifer is in the unique situation of being able to support students, teachers, performers, luthiers, and the string community at large.

Jennifer is an active member of the National Association of Music Merchants, The Violin Society of America, Suzuki Association of Americans, and American String Teachers Association. It is through her work with these organizations that she continues to empower musical education regardless of age, level, or style.

A graduate of the Juilliard School, CalASTA President Robert Becker was appointed to the position of Director of String Studies at Chapman University’s Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music in 2006.  From 1982 until his final performance of Beethoven 9th on July 23, 2016, he was the Principal Viola of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra for all performances, tours, and recordings. The James and Catherine Emmi Foundation underwrote his position with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. 

 In July of 2016, he accepted the position as President of the American String Teachers Association for the greater Los Angeles area and is honored to serve in that capacity until July of 2019. Believing, as do many ASTA members, that our string teaching both in the private studio and in the classroom, really DOES have the capacity to change lives, he is enthused about the future of our organization, our teachers, and our country as we enter these times of health concerns and personal interactions.

In recent summers he has returned as guest soloist/artist to the International String and Piano Festival in Cremona Italy. In past years, he has served as adjudicator for the International Competition of that festival held in the hometown of Stradivarius. While spending a sabbatical semester in Cremona, he began work on an edition of the Bach Cello Suites that will incorporate his study with Lilian Fuchs and his own research into these works.

Well-known as a chamber music coach and string pedagogue, he is regularly invited to present lectures at the ASTA conventions, the Mid-West Clinic in Chicago, the SCBOA meetings, the NAMM show, string teaching conferences nationwide and internationally. He has been invited by the American String Teacher’s Association to present several lectures at its national conventions in Atlanta, GA, Louisville, KY, Salt Lake City, UT and Kansas City, KS. Topics have included, “Preparing Your Young Violist for Pain-Free Playing and Limitless Musical Options,” “DeMystifying the Viola” and topics that concern fundraising and coordination with orchestral Boards.  

Serving as a string adjudicator for both ASTA competitions on the west coast and VOCE competitions, he is highly sought after as a judge and workshop presenter at all levels of string playing.  His students have gone on to graduate study at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Hartt College of Music, New England Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory, Rice, Oberlin, University of Michigan, North Carolina School of the Arts, Cincinnati Conservatory, etc. and are members of nationally known orchestras and chamber music ensembles. He is a past recipient of Chapman University’s Excellence in Teaching Award.

 As Principal Viola of the Pacific Symphony, Professor Becker was heard as the solo violist for all visiting ballets at the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center for which the orchestra has performed. Those internationally known companies include ABT, the Cuba ballet, Danish ballet and others. As PSO Principal Viola under the baton of Maestro Carl St. Clair, he appeared on stage over the last few seasons with Pinchas Zukerman, Andre Watts, Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang, Conrad Tau, Sarah Chang and has participated in the recording and release of new works by Phillip Glass, William Bolcom, Michael Daugherty, Frank Ticheli, and Richard Danielpour. Also, in his capacity as Principal, he has served as chairman of the audition panel for all viola-seating auditions. In this role, he was also Principal Viola for the PSO’s European tour with acclaimed performances in Munich, Lucerne, Frankfort and Vienna among others. Professor Becker also served as a musician representative to the Board of Directors of the Pacific Symphony, its Investment Committee and the Board Affairs Committee and is a firm believer in musician activism at all orchestral Board of Directors levels.

 Chamber music has always been a vital portion of his performing and teaching life. From serving as the assistant to Robert Mann (the founding first violin of the Juilliard String Quartet), to founding the American String Quartet and serving as chamber music coordinator for the Aspen Music Festival, string quartets and other ensembles have always been a priority for his career. That priority is now reflected in the curriculum of Chapman’s Hall-Musco Conservatory.  As a founding member of the American String Quartet, Professor Becker is a former winner of both the Naumberg Chamber Music Award and the Coleman Chamber Music Associations 1st Place Vera Barstow Award with that ensemble. His commitment to contemporary works for that medium included a series of concerts at Carnegie Hall involving the works of women composers, the works of Aaron Copland, Elliot Carter, John Cage, and Elaine Barkin amongst many others.

Having recently retired from the San Diego Unified School District and currently expanding my home studio, I am honored to offer my service to CalASTA in gratitude for the years of support, information, and opportunities this organization has provided to string players. As Secretary for CalASTA and am excited to contribute ideas and support this organization. 

I am a proud member of the American String Teachers Association in good standing. In both 2022 and 2023, all my cello students excelled in their ASTA examinations, achieving "outstanding" marks.

My musical pursuits extend to composing cello arrangements for various contemporary composers, in addition to my role as a recording cello artist. Notably, I have contributed to performances in musical theater orchestra pits at venues such as Balboa Park and Spreckles Theater, as well as numerous weddings and small ensembles. Furthermore, I currently serve as the Musical Director for Star Repertory Theatre.

For the upcoming 2024 Europe Tour, I have the privilege of serving as the principal cellist for the Poway Symphonette, and I am thrilled to accompany this renowned ensemble on their European concert tour in Prague. I am honored to be in this “Orchestra in Residence" for the Saltzburg Cantus Music Festival in July 2024.

I have  produced several musical CDs, including "Take Me Far Away," in which my original cello and vocal compositions are recorded. 

I extend my sincere gratitude to CalASTA for affording me the opportunity to serve as Secretary, and I am committed to supporting this organization.

Michael Feeney is accomplished at playing the stereo; unfortunately, that is the extent of his musical talent.  After graduating from M.I.T. with a degree in Archaeology, he eventually started a real career as an Information Technologies Manager with Quest Diagnostics, from which he recently retired after some 25 years of service managing the financial IT systems for the laboratory’s Northern California operations. When Michael became engaged to CalASTA President-Elect Kimberly Cole in 2012, he was politely coerced into filling the vacant position of State Treasurer for the California Chapter of ASTA.  He has continued to fulfill that position for the last eight years, and has managed to keep up with all of the reports required by the National ASTA Office, the Internal Revenue Service, the California Franchise Tax Board, the California Department of Justice, and the California Secretary of State for 501(c)3 tax exempt

organizations, while keeping the books balanced and vendors paid. In his spare time, Michael is the family cook, handyman, and chief dog walker.

Stephanie Holmes is currently the Director of Orchestras at Edna Brewer Middle School in Oakland, California.   Since 2011, Ms. Holmes has been director and the orchestra program has more than doubled in size.  Ms. Holmes co-founded an all-city orchestra in Oakland, the Muse Vivo orchestra, in partnership with the Oakland Eastbay symphony.  This orchestra serves as a vehicle to membership in the Oakland Youth Orchestra.  In 2012 the Metropolitan Opera named Ms. Holmes lead educator for their Live in HD program, and is still active with the Met Opera Education, and has recently generated a new curriculum. In 2016 Ms. Holmes received the CMEA Outstanding Orchestra Educator Award. 

Prior to moving to San Francisco, Stephanie was Orchestra Director at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Virginia.  The Lake Braddock program was comprised of 350 members and 7 orchestras including a full symphony orchestra.  She received both her bachelor’s degree in biology and her masters in music education from Virginia Tech, where she studied violin under the tutelage of Dr. Joseph Kennedy, Jr.  Ms. Holmes perused her second master’s degree at James Madison University in orchestral conducting where she studied with Dr. Robert Mc Cashin.  She has served as guest conductor to many regional orchestras across Virginia, the South Carolina All State Orchestra and the SCMEA Junior High Honors Orchestra. She also has directed many musicals and operas throughout her career. Ms. Holmes has served as an orchestral adjudicator across Virginia.  Ms. Holmes is excited to be able to begin her fifth year of adjudicating in California.  Ms. Holmes looks forward to working on the Cal ASTA Board.

Lawrence Huang is Concertmaster of the DVC Philharmonic and Adjunct Faculty of Violin at Diablo Valley College.  He had his undergraduate studies at Northern Arizona University. He continued graduate work at NAU and University of New Mexico at Albuquerque in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy.  His previous mentors have been Louise Scott, Victor Liva, Susan Kempter, James Greening-Valenzuela and Lenny Felberg.  He has been a member of the Diablo Light Opera and the Flagstaff Symphony.  Mr. Huang is currently chair of the DVC/HNU Young Artist Competition, CalASTA member-at-large, CODA liaison, and California Orchestra Director Association CASMEC Logistic Coordinator.

Kimberly Cole Feeney has been a member of ASTA for over 40 years. She holds a Bachelor of Music in performance from California State University, Sacramento, and a Master of Arts in Music Education and Cello Performance from California State University, Long Beach. 

She recently retired from 35 years of service as a string specialist in the public schools, including 31 years with the Davis Joint Unified School District and previous years with the San Juan and Sacramento City Unified School districts. In Davis she taught an average of 350 students per year, serving mutiple schools and directing the “Davis All-City Elementary Orchestra” which she created in 1995.

 In 2015 she was presented with the “Outstanding Music Educator Award” from the Capitol section of the California Music Educator’s Association (CMEA) and in 2002 she was presented with the “Outstanding String Educator Award” by CMEA, Capital Section. Kim has served two terms as State President of the California Chapter of the American String Teacher’s Association (ASTA).  She is currently serving as President of the Sacramento Section and State Webmaster. Over the past thirty-five years she has held numerous leadership positions with both CMEA and ASTA/NSOA (National Schools Orchestral Association) at both the local and state levels. 

In her spare time, Kim freelances on the cello, playing in her own quartet and with various orchestras in the Sacramento and Bay areas. She also serves as an adjudicator at both local and state events. She is looking forward to a return to private teaching and expanded cello playing.