Individual bios: Stephanie Matthews, Naira Underwood, Adiza Sanchez-Rahim, Patrice JacksonStephanie Matthews, 24, is a young concert violinist who has distinguished herself as a consummate musician. A native of Fort Washington, MD, she has toured in North America, Central and South America, and Asia. In August 2005, she performed at Queens Hall in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, under the patronage of Trinidad’s President George Maxwell Richards. Other recent solo performances include the 2005 Benefit Concert at the Dundas Centre in support of a Safe House for Women in Nassau, Bahamas and a guest performance at the 2005 National Symphony Orchestra Competition. A prize winner in numerous competitions, Ms. Matthews was the first place winner of the National Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition and the 90.9 FM Bill Cerri Award. Ms. Matthews has been featured as guest soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington Symphony Orchestra, and Takoma Park Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Matthews is the founder and first violinist of the Ebony Strings Quartet, established at The Juilliard School in 2006. Ms. Matthews participated in the Youth Orchestra of the Americas East Coast Chamber Tour in May 2005. She has also participated in the Gateways and Sphinx Music Festivals. In addition to performing, Stephanie is also a music educator, composer, and recording artist. She has conducted numerous master classes and seminars for young musicians, both within the United States and abroad. She is also a composer and songwriter with ASCAP and has written and recorded for numerous classical, gospel, R&B and hip hop music projects. She has collaborated with numerous Grammy Award winners such as Richard Smallwood, PJ Morton, Kanye West, and Karen Clark-Sheard.
Ms. Matthews earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana in 2004. She completed her graduate studies at The Juilliard School under the instruction of Stephen Clapp and received her Master of Music degree in 2006.