Each year, chamber ensembles at New England Conservatory are encouraged to audition midway through the fall semester for NEC’s Honors ensemble program. An outside panel of jurors reviews classical chamber music groups, and NEC faculty select jazz and “wild card” groups. The groups selected through this process become NEC Honors Ensembles for the remainder of the school year, during which time they receive special mentoring and engaging performance opportunities. Come hear these developing artists and enjoy a wide range of music!
Free, reservations encouraged.
ENSEMBLE BIOS
Nautilus Brass
Nautilus Brass is a brass quintet made up of students from the New England Conservatory. During the 2025-2026 school year, Nautilus Brass was named an NEC Honors Ensemble. This designation has only been given to 2 other brass ensembles in the past 20 years. As musicians, they aspire to showcase the many different settings of brass in chamber music. The members of Nautilus Brass are Max DeForest, Caroline Finamore, Sarah Flynn, Riley McMahon, and Drew Robertson. They are coached by Michael Dobrinski, and their primary teachers are Tom Siders, Jason Snider, Steve Lange, and Mike Roylance.
Ardito Quartet
Described by Laurie Smukler as “heart-stoppingly beautiful”, the Ardito Quartet consists of Mitsuru Yonezaki, violin; Calvin Alexander, violin; William Sotiriou, viola; and Kyle Pinzon, cello. Although formed in the Fall of 2025, the Ardito’s musical relationships first began in 2022 at the Perlman Music Program and Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. The quartet values unabashed confidence and vitality in their music-making, embodied in the Italian ardito, meaning bold or daring. The Ardito Quartet is coached by Mai Motobuchi.
Mi Tango Querido
Mi Tango Querido was formed out of a desire to bring the sounds and spirit of Buenos Aires to audiences beyond Argentina. Through an intimate, non-traditional ensemble, the group honors the legacy of tango’s great pioneers while shaping a voice that is distinctly their own. Featuring Kazuki Tsubakida (Jazz ’26) on piano, Liana Logan (Classical ’29) on upright bass, Bennet Badeaux (Classical ’27) on classical guitar, Jessi Kaufman (Classical ’27) on viola, and Rosario Rivas (CMA ’26) on voice, Mi Tango Querido reimagines works by legends such as Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel, while bringing the unique cultural and artistic background of each member into every performance. The ensemble has also been shaped under the guidance of Amir Milstein, faculty member in the Contemporary Musical Arts department at the New England Conservatory, whose thoughtful mentorship has helped the group refine and develop its distinctive sound.
