Alison Bjorkedal, harp, is a freelance GRAMMY award-winning musician who teaches and performs in the Los Angeles area. She is a member of Southwest Chamber Music, Golden State Pops Orchestra and MUSE/IQUE. She has performed with the San Diego Symphony, Pasadena Symphony/Pops Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony, Long Beach Opera, Opera Santa Barbara and wildUP. Alison is harp faculty at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).

Alison was born and raised in Kennewick, WA. She earned her Masters and Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in harp performance from the USC Thornton School of Music. While at the Thornton School, Alison studied with JoAnn Turovsky and was a teaching assistant for the beginning harp class. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Oregon (magna cum laude) where she studied harp with Sally Maxwell and Laura Zaerr.

In addition to teaching at CalArts, Alison teaches Music Appreciation at Pasadena City College and maintains a private harp studio.

Alison also plays the Kithara (an instrument created for the music of Harry Partch) with LA-based ensemble Partch. Partch’s 2014 recording “Plectra and Percussion Dances” took home the 2014 GRAMMY for Best Classical Compendium.

Boglárka Kiss, flute, has worked in disparate fields from management consulting to higher education, however, award-winning flutist Boglárka Kiss, cherishes music the most. She has had the good fortune to be a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and a recording artist. Her musical journey has taken her to many unexpected places: from opera in Montana, recital appearances in Europe, to recording on many kinds of flutes for film and album projects in LA’s studio scene.

Aside from her performing career, Boglárka teaches music at a college, and is in demand as a master class teacher, music coach, and adjudicator, and is an internationally published author in the field of music education history. To read her full professional portfolio, please visit www.boglarka.strikingly.com.

Educated in Europe, at Whittier College, the University of California, Boston University, and Stanford University, her mentors include Anne Zentner, Julius Baker, James Newton, and Kei Akagi, all of whom have had a profound influence on her values and career path.

Away from her professional commitments, she enjoys a quiet life with her husband, pianist Robert Thies, and their dog-beach loving canine, Simon.