Our Musicians
Joseph Lecher
Joseph Lecher is a freelance musician living in southwest Texas. In demand as a collaborative pianist, he performs with collegiate faculty and accompanies students throughout the southwest Texas and New Mexico area. He holds degrees in music from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Carroll University, and the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris de Cortot in France. He is currently adjunct professor of music at the El Paso Community College and is obtaining his second master’s degree from the University of Texas-El Paso.
As a pianist, Joseph twice won the Milwaukee Music Teachers Association Artist and Debut series and was awarded silver in the Concours National de Piano de Chatou in 2011. He has toured with the Carroll University Wind Ensemble and performed with the Lake Country Orchestra that premiered works by Sigmund Snopek III and Crawford Gates.
Joseph credits his long-term teacher Margarita Kontorovsky as his most profound musical influence. He regularly performs with his wife Alina works for cello and piano and performs with the Las Cruces ensemble Camerata del Sol.
Alina A. Vázquez
Alina A. Vázquez is Assistant Professor of Music at El Paso Community College, where she teaches cello lessons, music courses, and conducts the string orchestra. She served as principal cellist of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra during the 2018-2019 season and has been a substitute cellist for the Oconomowoc Chamber Orchestra, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra in Davenport, Iowa. She has also performed with the Abilene Symphony Orchestra and San Angelo Symphony Orchestra in Texas, and the Hot Springs Festival Symphony in Arkansas. Alina has been a member of the NOVA New Music Ensemble, the Rote Hund Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and the Opera Theatre Orchestra in Georgia. Aside from her orchestral performances she is an active chamber musician who regularly performs with her husband pianist Joseph Lecher.
Alina completed a doctorate in cello performance at the University of Georgia, a master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor’s at the University of North Texas. She has taught at the University of Georgia, the Greater Milwaukee El Sistema non-profit youth orchestra program, and the Waukesha County Conservatory of Music.
René Izquierdo - Guest Artist
Cuban-born René Izquierdo is a unique artist and passionate educator whose career has been dedicated to inspiring individuals and connecting communities. Whether passionately performing on stage, devotedly mentoring his students, fundraising, or leading community outreach, René's multi-faceted approach endeavors to continue creating experiences that enrich people’s lives and add beauty to our world.
Through his “unforgettable versatility, sensitivity and sublime musicianship” (Classical Guitar Magazine), René has firmly established himself as one of the world’s classical guitar virtuosos. He is celebrated for his ability to weave an unparalleled technical command of his instrument with his gift of storytelling, accomplishing an intimate musical experience with his audience.
With over seventy engagements per year, whether as a solo performer, chamber musician, or as a guest soloist with orchestras, he has performed to critical acclaim touring extensively throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He is frequently invited by renowned festivals and institutions, having played at stages such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Manaus Opera House in Brazil, and National Recital Hall in Taiwan.
Self-described as a lifelong learner and explorer, his recording projects reflect his wide-ranging interests. Through his discography, René seeks to expand the guitar repertoire frequently performing new arrangements, lesser-known music of the 20th century as well as world premieres of concertos and new compositions.
As an educator, René is passionate about engaging the mind and the heart. Through his teachings all around the world, he shares his belief that the greatest musicians not only have the technical mastery to communicate effectively but also are deeply curious, and equally adept at analytical and emotional modes of thought.
Lucas Scalamogna - Guest Artist
Lucas Scalamogna has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra violinist throughout the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and Asia. He has appeared in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium, the Kennedy Center, Teatro Colón, and Shanghai’s Oriental Art Center. Dr. Scalamogna has also performed at numerous international music festivals, including the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Salzburg Festival, the PyeongChang Music Festival, and the Spoleto Festival. A versatile musician, Dr. Scalamogna often premieres and records solo and ensemble works written by living composers and performs in early music ensembles such as New Trinity Baroque. His orchestral experience includes engagements with the Grant Park Orchestra, the Alabama Symphony, the Charleston Symphony, and the Savannah Philharmonic.
Beginning his music studies in Argentina, Dr. Scalamogna was a violin student of Fernando Hasaj, late concertmaster of Camerata Bariloche. He continued his education in Croatia at the “Ino Mirkovic” Music Academy. Dr. Scalamogna holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Georgia. His major professors include Julia Bushkova and Levon Ambartsumian. Among his competition awards are top prizes at the “Etudes and Scales” International Competition (Croatia), the Jeunesses Musicales International Competition, the “Alfredo e Vanda Marcosig” European Competition, and the MTNA Chamber Music Competition. Dr. Scalamogna has performed with renowned musicians in the classical music world, including conductors Christoph Eschenbach and Manfred Honeck as well as violinists Julian Rachlin, Kyung-Wha Chung, Joshua Bell, and Boris Brovtsyn.
Dr. Scalamogna is currently a member of the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, the ARCO Chamber Orchestra, and the Georgia Symphony Orchestra. He also keeps an active teaching studio at the University of Georgia Community Music School, where he teaches violin and chamber music, and the Atlanta Music Academy. In addition, Dr. Scalamogna is often invited to teach masterclasses and serve as faculty at music festivals in the United States and Argentina throughout the year.
Crystal Wu - Guest Artist
Crystal is responsible for managing the strategic communications of the Arts Everywhere is a initiative at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She works closely with campus leaders and partners, faculty, staff, students, and community members to support the creation of art at all levels across the campus and community.
Prior to this position at Arts Everywhere, Crystal held the role of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruiting Officer for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia. She also teaches private piano lessons and performs as a soloist and collaborative artist.
Crystal earned her BM in Performance from UNC-Chapel Hill where she was a recipient of the prestigious Kenan Music Scholarship. She received her MM in Piano Performance and DMA in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy from UGA.