SPOTLIGHT: PROJECT STEP

We are honored to be participating in our eighth year of residency activities at Project STEP, a comprehensive string training program for children from communities that are typically underrepresented within classical music. The residency includes weekly chamber music coaching, one-on-one mentoring sessions, and free tickets to AFC concerts across the season. Criers also coach the Project STEP Honors Quartet, who continue to delight AFC audiences with pre-concert performances in Jordan Hall, including this evening!

Tonight’s opening performance features Project STEP instrumentalists Lauren Licata (violin), Alexander Hernández-Williams (violin), Suubi Laurent (cello), and Lorenzo Ye (cello), supported by Crier Miki Cloud on viola. The Honors Quintet will be performing three movements from Luigi Boccherini’s String Quintet in C minor, Op. 37, No. 1.

Additional Project STEP students Caleb Casiano, John Barros Jr., Kenry Mejia, Miguel Cano, Criswhalis Nuñez, Ameerah Manigat, Gui Vignon-Villani, Paul Yansahen Clayton, and Sofia Hernandez-Williams will be performing side by side with the quartet & Criers in tonight’s performance of Boccherini’s String Quintet No. 60 in C major, “La Musica Notturna delle strade di Madrid” arranged by Miki Cloud.

LAURA LICATA is a fifteen year old New England Conservatory prep student under the study of Magdalena Richter and currently attends Walnut Hill School for the arts high school. When she was seven she won the concerto competition at the Claflin Hill music school. For the past two years she played with the Boston Ballet in the Next Generation project at the Opera House in Boston and also has performed twice in the Hynes Convention center. Last year she was concertmaster at the YOLA symphony orchestra summer festival conducted by Gustavo Dudamel along with being the only violinist to make the finals for her age division in New England Conservatory's concerto competition. Recently she had the opportunity to perform for the world class violinist Midori Goto and make an appearance on the Kelly Clarkson show.

ALEX HERNÁNDEZ-WILLIAMS is a 13-year-old violinist who began his musical journey under the guidance of his father, Angel Hernandez, and later continued with esteemed instructors Liana Zaretsky and Magdalena Richter. Alex has been dedicated to music since second grade when he became a student at Project Step. In spring 2022, he won first place in his division at the Richter competition at Rivers Conservatory, and recently had the honor of participating in a masterclass led by the renowned violinist Midori. Currently, Alex is a member of BYSO’s Junior Repertory Orchestra, and has earned a spot in this year’s National Pathways Festival Orchestra with the Nashville Symphony. 

A lover of chamber music, Alex enjoys rehearsing with his Step quintet and his piano trio at Rivers during the year. He had a blast last summer attending the Walnut Hill String Quartet Intensive. Beyond strings, he enjoys playing jazz and classical tunes on the piano and flute, and playing Minecraft and DND with friends in his spare time.