Montclair State Strings

🔥A Legend of Montclair - Annamaria Witek Recital🔥

What a way to round out the Cali School of Music String departments year! Cellist Annamaria Witek is having her recital at the John J. Cali School of Music in Chapin Hall Room G55! THIS WEDNESDAY AT 8:00PM!!!!! A RECITAL YOU WONT WANT TO MISS!

“Annamaria Witek will be a sophomore at The John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University as a student of Tomoko Fujita this fall. Annamaria began playing cello in third grade in the music program of the South Orangetown Central School District. She studied with Madeleine Golz for seven years and has also studied with Karen Poleshuck, Sam Bae and Nicole Johnson. As winner of the 2024 NJSO Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, Annamaria made her concerto debut at New Jersey Performing Arts Center with the New Jersey Symphony in May, 2025. As the cellist of the Thurnauer Quartet at the Thurnauer School of Music, Annamaria was selected to compete in the 50th Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in 2023. Annamaria has been a prize-winner in the Prima Volta, ECI and New York Young Artists International Competition. She has performed at Weill Recital Hall and at Lincoln Center with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra under Maestro Louis Langree during Mostly Mozart In Harmony.

Annamaria has attended music festivals including Vivace, Orford Musique and Philadelphia International Music Festival. She has performed in masterclasses for Darrett Adkins, Natasha Brofsky, Colin Carr, Hans Jorgen Jensen, Paul Katz, Nina Lee, Julia Lichten and Astrid Schween. In addition to her performance activities, Annamaria is active as a cello teacher. She has received scholarships from the Rockland County Music Educators Association, AFM Local 802, Morning Music Club and The Music Performance Trust Fund to support her musical studies.”

~Annamaria Witek



cello

🎶Viola Recital 🎶

A legend at Montclair State University, Samuel Omalyev takes the stage this Saturday at 2 PM for a highly anticipated recital in the Leshowitz Recital Hall at the John J. Cali School of Music.
He’ll be joined by exceptional artists from the Montclair community, including the Quartet-in-Residence, the Arachne String Quartet, and acclaimed violist Noah Stevens. This promises to be an afternoon of exceptional music-making and collaboration you won’t want to miss.

“Samuel Omalyev, Violist, is the founding violist of the Arachne String Quartet, which is the graduate string quartet in residence at the Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Sam has performed in the contexts of solo, chamber, and orchestral performance stateside and abroad, most notably at the Winterthur Museum of art with ZHdK Strings and as first stand in the Tonhalle Zurich in symphony. Sam has studied with Sheila Browne at University of North Carolina HS Program, Karen Ritscher at the Manhattan School of Music, Duncan Ferguson at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Lawrence Power at the Zurich University of the Arts. Currently, Sam is a student of Kathryn Lockwood at the John J. Cali School of Music as a member of the ArachneString Quartet, the Graduate String Quartet in Residence. Sam has participated in Masterclasses and has benefited from summer lessons with Nobuko Imai, Lawrence Power, Paul Cortese, Wenting Kang, Garth Knox, Tim Frederiksen.”

~ Sam Omalyev

🎻Cello Recital🎻

Shayna Barkan, not only a vital member of the Montclair Music Community, Symphony, and environment, she is also a prolific musician performing within many ensembles and Montclair’s own Symphony Orchestra! Please come and join Shayna on a well traveled journey through Montclair this Friday at 5pm in the Leshowitz Recital Hall at the Cali School of Music!

“Shayna Barkan is a graduating senior majoring in music performance studying with Christine Lamprea. She will be presenting a cello recital with collaborative pianist Ryan Bridge, featuring two works by Ernest Bloch and one by Nadia Boulanger.
Growing up on Long Island, Shayna took opportunities to play not only in school, but in community orchestras, the Long Island Youth Orchestra, and summer music programs. As well as being involved in music programs, she also was involved in her local Jewish community.
It was important that both of these things came through in her cello recital, and became an expression of the things that were most formative in Shayna’s life.”

~Shayna Barkan

⚠️Student Recital Alerts⚠️

April 11, 2026 is a huge day for two of Montclair’s most prolific musicians — Kiley Foxhall and Kelvin Guillen! This is a can’t-miss event, and it’s going to be an incredible afternoon of amazing music, artistry, and energy. Make sure you’re there to support these phenomenal performers!

Kiley Foxhall is a prolific, jubilant, and eccentric musician who is not only a proud member of the MSU Symphony Orchestra but also acts as the orchestras Personnel Manager and its Librarian! Not only does she play with MSU, she plays with many other symphonies such as the Greater Newburgh Symphony and the Ithaca Symphony!

Kelvin Guillen, Master of his craft, mentor to many, and a true leader in every aspect! Kelvin is a bright, fortuitous cellist who performs as a proud member of the MSU symphony and a proud mentor, teaching students of all ages and excelling them, and his peers, to higher levels!

Kiley Foxhall Recital
2:00pm
Leshowitz Recital Hall

Kelvin Guillen
5:00pm
Leshowitz Recital Hall

💥Violin Recital 💥

What can Montclair say, the myth, the legend Carlos SantaMaria is hosting his Junior recital this Wednesday, April 8th! It’s a must see, jaw dropping event that you will not want to miss!

After finishing his time at Juilliard Pre-College, Carlos is currently completing his Bachelors degree at Montclair State University. He is thriving as a soloist, orchestral, chamber musician, and also serves as a member with the Montclair Symphony. In addition to his work at Montclair, he has performed with various ensembles including operatic productions in Montclair and the New York City Ensembles.

Come out and support Carlos for what will be a fantastic evening of music!👑
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