Lianna Elmore - Violin

Lianna Elmore has established herself as a formidable performer and educator, harnessing her strong roots in the Fresno music community. Coming from a musical family, she began studying violin at age 5 with her mother, Cynthia Stuart and went on to study with her aunt, Claudia Shiuh, principal violist of the Fresno Philharmonic. Through college Ms. Elmore has worked under the mentorship of Jassen Todorov and Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman, and has participated in master classes with Guillaume Sutre, Corey Cerovsek, Vadim Gluzman, and Rachael Barton Pine among other artists. She spent a year studying chamber music with the Alexander String Quartet at San Francisco State University and earned her B.A. and M.A. in violin performance at Fresno State where she acted as concertmaster of the orchestra from 2015-2016 and helped found the Fresno State New Music Ensemble.

Throughout her education Ms. Elmore has earned various accolades, including first prize in the 2011 Hildred Minich competition, first prize in the 2012 ASTA Regional Solo competition, and second prize in the 2017 Bell T. Ritchie competition. In 2013 she was selected to be the featured soloist in the Orpheus concert series, “The Next Generation”, at the inaugural concert.

As a professional, Lianna has built a career in chamber music, orchestral music, and music education. She has been a member of the Fresno chamber music group, Moment Musical, since 2012. She recently won a seat in the Fresno Philharmonic first violin section in 2017 and plays with other orchestras in California such as the Sequoia Symphony and King’s Symphony. She has also expanded her experience to other musical genres, often performing with her eclectic gypsy rock band, Before Perils. Ms. Elmore enjoys teaching in many different arenas. She has a growing private studio, is the coordinator and head instructor for the Accent on Access Violin Program, coaches for the Youth Orchestras of Fresno, and acts as a string tech for Clovis East High School, Clovis West High School, Reyburn Intermediate, and Kastner Intermediate.

Erin Adams - Violin

Erin Adams has performed as a violinist throughout California with the Stockton Symphony, Pro Arte Symphony Orchestra, Townsend Opera Players, and the Fresno Philharmonic. She has served as Concertmaster of the Sequoia Symphony and California Opera, and in principal positions with the St. John's Chamber Orchestra and Fresno Grand Opera. Ms. Adams performs chamber music programs regularly and is a founding member of the Tower Quartet. She has performed on various stages including Carnegie Hall, the Palace of Fine Arts, Walt Disney Hall, and the Sydney Opera House.

Ms. Adams received both her Bachelor’s and Graduate degrees with the distinction of Magna Cum Laude from Fresno State University, studying violin performance under the mentorship of Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman. She has performed for and with some of the music worlds' preeminent performers and pedagogues, including Vadim Gluzman, Paul Kantor, Rachel Barton Pine, Guillaume Sutré, Grigory Kalinovsky, Leor Maltinski, and Federico Agostini.
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From 2011-2014 Ms. Adams was instrumental in developing and implementing the Fresno-based Accent on Access after school violin program based on the El Sistema method. She currently maintains a private studio of 25 violin and viola students, and is a founding member of the Camerata Academy of Fresno along with colleagues Yuliya Hess, Kelvin Diaz Inoa, and Matthew Smoke. Many of Ms. Adams’ students hold principal chairs in their school orchestras as well as in the Youth Orchestras of Fresno and FOOSA, and have had the opportunity to perform in festivals, recitals, and master classes throughout the country

Matthew Smoke - Viola

Matthew Smoke is establishing himself as a refined performer, teacher, and director. Born and raised in Fresno, he started viola at age seven and studied with Roz Gratz, assistant principal of the Fresno Philharmonic, for 8 years. After deciding to continue his education at Fresno State for his undergraduate degree, he studied with Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman for his first year, until eventually joining the studio of Michael Chang, who he currently studies with. He has participated in masterclasses with Nokuthula Ngwenyama, Paul Coletti, Che-Yen Chen, Dr. Burcu Yazici, Meidad Yehudayan, and Adrianna Linares among other artists.

As a soloist, Matthew has performed around the valley and was a finalist for the concerto competition at Fresno State with his rendition of the Walton Concerto. As an orchestral musician, he is currently principal violist for the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra and performs with other orchestras around California including the Fresno Philharmonic and Sequoia Symphony Orchestra. Matthew is also a dedicated chamber musician. He has performed with Michael Chang, Dr. Thomas Loewenheim, Erika Raum, Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman and other artists. He is also a founding member of the Tower Quartet. Outside of the classical landscape, Mr. Smoke has been a pit orchestra musician for musical theater companies around California. He has played both violin and viola for shows including Into the Woods, Spring Awakening, and American Idiot. Matthew has also music directed both The Rocky Horror Show and Cabaret at the Selma Arts Center where he collaborated with director Michael Flores. As a teacher, Matthew has taught for schools around Fresno and is currently strings coach at University High School and holds a private studio of 6 students.

Emma Hill - Cello

Emma Hill is an accomplished cellist who has a rich experience as a chamber musician and orchestral player. Raised in Fresno, she began taking cello lessons at age 9 and has been a student of Dr. Thomas Loewenheim since middle school. She was a member of the Youth Orchestras of Fresno and Fresno Madera Counties Music Educators Association Honor Orchestras, winning principal positions in both. After graduating from Clovis West in 2016, Emma attended Rice University for one year as an Earth Science major before transferring to Fresno State to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music performance.

Ms. Hill has participated in many festivals including Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, Borromeo, Cremona International Music Academy, Sierra Academy of Music in Mammoth Lakes, California, Cello | Fresno International Cello Festival, Music in the Mountains in Durango, Colorado, and the Fresno Opera and Orchestra Summer Academy. She has performed in masterclasses for the Alexander String Quartet, Brinton Smith, Johannes Moser, Philippe Muller, Emilio Colón, Mark Kosower, Csaba Onczay, Lynn Harrell, and more. Ms. Hill has won numerous awards, including the local Fresno ASTA competition in 2018 and 2020, and the senior division of the California ASTA 2018 State Solo Competition. She made her solo debut with orchestra performing Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 as winner of the 2018-2019 Fresno State Concerto Competition.

An active chamber musician, Ms. Hill played with the Fresno State Piano Quartet and was appointed cellist of the Tower Quartet in December 2022. As an orchestral player, she has served as principal cellist of the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra and regularly performs with the Fresno Philharmonic and Sequoia Symphony. She has been teaching privately since 2019 and has been a cello coach at University High School, Clovis North, and Clovis East. Ms. Hill graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fresno State in May 2021 and earned her master’s degree in cello performance from Fresno State in May 2023. She has been Professor of Cello at Fresno City College since August 2023.