McCormack (Mac) Wyn is an 18-year-old cellist and senior at Grand Rapids Christian High School in Michigan. Mac studies with Calvin Collage prof. Karen Krummel, and plans on going to school for cello performance and pursuing a career in music. This is Mac’s first trip to India. He has performed in three different countries and in several US states as well as across the state of Michigan. He is passionate helping and bringing joy to others through mentoring a student at a local inner city elementary school, volunteering at many Grand Rapids based organizations, and performing music as often as he can.

Julia Schilz began her violin training at the age of four through the Sato Center for Suzuki Studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Kimberly Meier-Sims and Stephen Sims. Julia is a 15-year-old at Hathaway Brown School, and was recently seated as Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. She currently studies with William Preucil. She performed in a masterclass with Paul Kantor during the Suzuki Association of the Americas 2016-17 Conference in Minneapolis. There, she also had the opportunity to work with Nicolas Kendall (violinist of “Time for Three” ensemble) and participated in the premiere performance of his “Taszo Tango.” Julia performed Wieniawski’s 2nd Violin Concerto as first-prize winner of the 2016 Lakeland Civic Orchestra’s Young Artists Competition, and also won first prize in the Sigma Alpha Iota String Competition. Julia was featured as concerto soloist with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra as winner of the 2017 Preparatory Concerto Competition. She has been featured in Honors Recitals at the Ithaca Suzuki Institute for Talent Education, and participated in the 2016 and 2017 Encore Music Festivals. Julia has served as Concertmaster of CIM’s Preparatory and Camerata Orchestras. She has also studied piano for the past eleven years at CIM and is a current student of Gerardo Teissonniere. Julia is passionate about sharing her love for music with the greater community.