Kelsey Endo is a fourth year Exercise Biology major with a minor
in Music. She began playing the violin at the age of five
in 1995 with the Modesto Suzuki Association and eventually
graduated from the program in 2007. She ventured out into
additional programs like the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra and
was selected for CODA Symphony Orchestras and for the California
All State symphony throughout high school. Some of her most
memorable orchestral memories include touring France, Belgium,
and Italy with her high school orchestra. She is currently
studying with Jolan
Krista Chun is currently a junior at Davis Senior High School.
She has been studying violin for about 9 years and also plays
piano and viola. She was a part of the 2009 CODA Honors Symphony
Orchestra and was co-concertmaster of the Davis Senior High
School Symphony last year. Her outside interests include
eventing with her horse, Cricket, serving as treasurer for the
Davis High Equestrian Club, and serving as secretary for the
Young Musician Outreach Club. She often plays in chamber
ensembles and now studies with Kineko Barbini.
Clairelee Leiser Bulkley has been a member of the UCDSO since
1960/61, when she spent a year at UCD; she was concert master of
this early group. She was a recreation management major at UCLA,
minoring in music. After graduating she worked for the US Army in
Germany as a program/entertainment director for two years.
She returned to the USA / got married / taught school (PE) for 30
years for the Woodland Joint Unified School District before
retiring; She and her husband Ralph have a rice and tomato farm
in the Sutter Basin area.
Vanessa Rashbrook has played violin in symphony orchestras,
chamber ensembles, and string quartets, as well sung soprano in
numerous choral groups while living in England, South Africa,
Australia, and the USA. Highlights of her musical career include
meeting and performing for Benjamin Britten, playing in the
“Proms” at the Royal Albert Hall and performing in Sydney’s Opera
House. In addition to the UCDSO (which she joined in 2005), she
is currently a member of the American Philharmonic – Sonoma
County, and the SRJC string quartet.
My name is Tracie Dang. All my life, I always had passion for
music. My parents introduced me to the true meaning of music.
Ever since I was six years old, I played the piano and then at
seven I started playing the violin and the flute in elementary
school. At first, I did not understand the true meaning of
playing the instrument because I loathed practicing. But as time
went, I started to realized knowing how to play not just one
instrument, but three instruments was a great gift. Through
determination, I strive on becoming better as a musician.
Milene Hanick is a third year transfer to UC Davis, and this is
her first year playing with the UCD Symphony Orchestra.
Throughout high school and freshman/sophomore year of college,
she played with the Shasta Youth Symphony and the Shasta
Symphony Orchestra in Redding, CA. She also participated in local
summer string academies and played wherever musicians were needed
in local shows. In addition to playing the violin, she also has
considerable experience dancing classical ballet, as well as a
smattering in opera and musical theater.
Yanghee Kim is an exchange student from Ewha Womans University in
Korea and this is her first quarter studying in UC Davis. She is
a third year music major and began playing the violin at the age
of 7. She graduated from arts middle and high school in Korea.
Before coming to the US, she played violin in the Seoul
metropolitan Youth Orchestra from 2011 and played in many
performances. She loves movies and listening all kinds of music,
and is currently studying with Dan Flanagan.
Emily Talbot is a 16 year old junior at Da Vinci Charter Academy
High School in Davis. She started playing violin when she was 3 ½
years old and has been playing violin for 13 years. For the last
6 years, she has taken private violin lessons with Angelo Moreno.
Prior to joining UCDSO, Emily was a member of the Sacramento
Youth Symphony for three years. She has also participated in the
Davis High School Symphony since 2010.
Raphael Moore, also known as Rafi, has been a
member of the UCDSO since 1987/1988. He received his BA in
Psychology (with a minor in Education) from UCD in 1990, at age
19. He then received his Doctor of Law degree (J.D.) at age 22
from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, and his Master of Laws
(LL.M.) in Transnational Legal Practice from the same school at
age 23.
Rafi has been practicing law since 1993, and has his law office
in downtown Davis.
Julian is a first year Mechanical Engineering major at UC Davis.
He began playing violin at the age of 5 and has not stopped
since. He played with the Villa Sinfonia from 2004-2011 and was
also a part of the San Francisco Sinfonietta during the 2010-2011
season. He has played on two concert tours of Europe with Villa
Sinfonia as a part of the Villa Chamber Orchestra. In addition,
he has played violin for musicals, plays and other theater
productions. When he’s not playing classical music, Julian enjoys
playing fiddle music and even classic rock.
Regina Marino is a first year Nutrition Science major at UC
Davis. She began playing the violin at the age of eight years old
when she was first introduced to the instrument through her
school music program. Since then, Regina has performed with a
variety of orchestras such as the Sacramento Youth Symphony,
Folsom Symphony, and Folsom High School Symphony Strings, where
she served as concertmaster for three years. In her spare time,
Regina enjoys swimming, reading, and spending time with all of
her wonderful friends and family.
A long time ago, in this precise galaxy, Hewett Lan emerged into
the violin scene with authority. From the moment he picked
up the violin, his prowess was unmatched, as demonstrated in his
unique interpretation of the famous “Twinkle Twinkle Little
Star.” No such music had ever been heard throughout his
household; no one around him could rival his power. As the
years progressed, Hewett Lan began adding various pieces to his
arsenal, adding more firepower to his impressive
repertoire. As he grew so did his powers, until one day, he
knew it was time to follow his desti
Alison Muller is a freshman studying genetics and is so excited
to be a part of the symphony orchestra this year. She began
playing the violin at age six. Alison became concertmistress of
her high school orchestra in Pleasanton, CA, as a sophomore. She
has also enjoyed playing in the pit for 3 of her high school’s
musicals. She joined the Youth Orchestra of Southern Alameda
County as a freshman and became concertmistress two years later.
Among her other interests, including tennis, science, and
spending time with friends and family, music has always been a
vital part of her life.
Drew Cylinder started playing piano in kindergarten, but
admittedly did not really like the instrument because he could
not walk and play it at the same time. He moved on to the violin
in the second grade and joined the Sacramento Youth Symphony two
years later. During his time with the Sacramento Youth Symphony
he served as concertmaster in all three of their orchestras and
toured with them in Europe. Currently, Drew is a sophomore
Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity Major at UC Davis. He enjoys
reading and Oreos but hates cats and Brussels sprouts.
Shawyon Malek is a third year music major and began studying the
violin at the age of five. He first joined the UCDSO in the fall
of 2009 and has been a member ever since. In addition to the
UCDSO, he has been a violinist of the San Francisco Symphony
Youth Orchestra from 2007–09. Last summer he was invited to play
at the Aldeburgh Festival with the Britten-Pears Orchestra. He
also plays in chamber ensembles at the university and currently
studies with Dan Flanagan.
