Welcome to the MIT Ribotones!

About


The MIT Ribotones play music in service to the greater Boston community. In recent semesters, we've performed at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Home, Cambridge Homes, and Youville Assisted Living. In addition to musical outreach, we hold chamber music reading sessions and social events (and the occasional flash mob)! Many of our musicians are also active members of the MIT Chamber Music Society, Emerson Program, Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble.


Interested in joining as a musician or having us perform at your venue/event? Reach out to us at ribotones-exec@mit.edu!


Check out our Instagram to see what we've been up to!



We are grateful to the MIT Community Service Fund, the MIT/Harvard COOP Public Service Grant, and the Arthur C. Smith Memorial Fund for their generous support.


2019-2020 Concert Schedule


November 17, 2:30pm at the Cambridge Homes (Program)


December 4, 1pm at Massachusetts General Hospital


December 11, 3pm at the Cambridge Homes (Program)


More concerts at Woods-Mullen Women's Shelter and the Cambridge Homes to follow!


2018-2019 Concert Schedule


November 11, 3pm at Youville Assisted Living


November 17, 3pm at the Cambridge Homes (Program)


December 13, 11:30am Holiday Pops at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center


April 19, 1pm at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center


April 27, 2:45pm at the Boston Home (Program, Flyer)


May 11, 2:30pm at the Cambridge Homes (Program)


July 14, 3pm at the Cambridge Homes (Program)


2019-2020 Leadership


President: Candace Tong-Li '20


Vice President: Shulammite Lim '22


Outreach Chair: Kiera Tai '22


Music Director: Sylvia Biscoveanu (G)


Social Chairs: Jiaxing Liu '21, Calvin Leung (G)


Publicity Chair: Neosha Narayanan '22


Advisor: Katherine Young (G)

Members

Matthew Allan (G)

Alto Saxophone | CSB

Matthew grew up in Lititz, PA, where he began playing the saxophone in fourth grade. In high school, Matthew played four years in concert band and marching band, serving as saxophone section leader in 11th and 12th grade. Additionally, Matthew began playing in PMEA county, district, and regional bands in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade, respectively. After putting aside music to focus on biochemistry at Penn State University, Matthew realized that he missed playing the saxophone and joined the MIT Concert Band and Ribotones during his second semester of graduate school.

Carina Belvin (G)

Violin | Course 8

Carina is a fourth-year PhD student in Physics at MIT. She grew up in Lexington, MA and attended Wellesley College for her undergraduate studies. An avid chamber musician, she is currently a member of the MIT Chamber Music Society. Carina discovered the joy of bringing music to nursing home residents while playing with the Lexington Chamber Music Society in high school, and she is excited to be able to continue performing in outreach concerts with the MIT Ribotones. In her free time, she enjoys running and cooking vegan food.

Sylvia Biscoveanu (G)

Violin | Course 8

Sylvia Biscoveanu is an MIT graduate student in the Physics Department studying gravitational waves. She began playing the violin at age 5 and played in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra throughout high school. She completed her undergraduate studies at Penn State where she was actively involved in chamber music, playing both violin and viola. Sylvia was also a founding member of Penn State’s Music Service Club, an outreach club that organizes performances throughout the community. She currently plays in the MIT Chamber Music Society.

Joey Gu (G)

Clarinet | Course 10

Joey is a Ph.D. student nearing the end of his program. He is very passionate about composition and arranging, and codirects the MIT Video Game Orchestra (also playing clarinet and bass clarinet). Check out his recent works here: http://bit.ly/joeyguyoutube.

Yuna Lee (G)

Violin | Course 9

Yuna is a recent graduate in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, who loves playing the violin. Her violin has traveled around the world, performing in four different continents and even in Cuba before the travel ban was lifted. Although Yuna likes to stunt with the MIT Cheerleading team on her free time, which can be treacherous to her violin fingers, she never lets go of her musical life.

Calvin Leung (G)

Cello | Course 8

Calvin is a cellist and a graduate student in the Department of Physics at MIT. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, he has enjoyed orchestral playing in groups including the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Akademiker Symphonisches Orchester in Vienna, and has worked with conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas and Donato Cabrera. In addition to Ribotones, he currently enjoys playing in the MIT Chamber Music Society under the direction of Marcus Thompson, and is always willing to make time to sight-read chamber music with friends, especially late at night. His favorite chamber pieces include the Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor, the Mendelssohn Piano Trio in C minor, and the Smetana String Quartet in E minor. When not playing cello or doing physics, he can also be found playing piano, running, or cooking for others.

Jiaxing Liu '21

Viola | Course 7

Jiaxing is a junior at MIT studying biology with a minor in music and brain & cognitive science. As a violist, she enjoys playing in a variety of ensembles, and is currently a member of the MIT Chamber Music Society. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, she developed her passion for music through playing with the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, Emory Youth Chamber Program, and the Governor’s Honors Program for music. In her hometown, Jiaxing also regularly enjoyed playing piano at a nursing home. She is eager to share her music with the Boston community through the MIT Ribotones. In her free time, Jiaxing enjoys going on runs to explore the city.

Grant Riew '19 (Harvard)

Cello

Grant grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from Harvard in May of 2019. He has been playing cello for 16 years, and is excited to be playing with MIT's Ribotones! Aside from playing music, he enjoys playing tennis, chess, and studying human evolutionary biology.

Janelle Sands '19, (G)

Cello | Course 6-3

Janelle Sands is a sophomore at MIT who is majoring in computer science. She has been playing cello for ten years as a soloist, in orchestras, and with a variety of ensembles. She is currently a member of the MIT Symphony Orchestra and previously a member of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Janelle loves performing and is very excited to share her music through Ribotones performances!

Kiera Tai '22

Piano and Flute | Course 3

Kiera is an undergraduate student from North Carolina majoring in Materials Science and Engineering. She studies piano with David Deveau at MIT through the Emerson Program, plays in a piano trio through the MIT Chamber Music Society, and also occasionally plays flute. Her proudest accomplishment is taking a photo with her favorite pianist, Evgeny Kissin. Outside of music, Kiera enjoys doing puzzles, editing videos, and drinking grapefruit juice.

Lily Tsai (G)

Violin | Course 6

Lily Tsai is a second-year PhD student in Computer Science at MIT, and graduated from Harvard in 2017 with an A.B./S.M. in CS. She has studied violin with Lynn Chang and Li Lin, and has participated in MIT and Harvard's chamber and solo performance programs (e.g., as an Emerson Fellow). She has toured as Concertmistress of the inaugural National Youth Orchestra of the USA under the baton of Valery Gergiev; and has played in the Harvard Brattle Street Chamber Players, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Elara String Quartet, and the Tsai Duo with her cellist sister. When she is not playing music or staring at a computer, Lily can be found running around the Charles, scrambling up a climbing wall, reading a book, or making puns.

Candace Tong-Li '20

Violin | Course 7

Candace is a junior at MIT pursuing her passion for the life sciences with a major in Biology and minor in Brain and Cognitive Sciences. She was born in Manhattan, and grew up in suburban New York. Candace has been playing the violin since elementary school. She has been an active member of orchestras and chamber groups in both New York and Massachusetts; she played in the Greater Westchester Youth Symphony Orchestra, was concertmaster of the Groton School orchestra, and helped found the A-Minor Sextet for Service at Groton. She loved giving live performances at hospitals and senior residences, and is thrilled to continue to do so with the MIT Ribotones. In her free time, Candace writes and illustrates children's books.

William Wang (G)

Piano | Course 6

William Wang is a second-year PhD student in computer science. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and completed his undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley (go bears!). William currently studies piano with David Deveau at MIT as part of the Emerson Program, and is also a member of the MIT Chamber Music Society. Aside from music, he enjoys playing table tennis, cooking, baking, and occasional fine dining.

Joyce Yang '18

Piano and Violin | Courses 9 and 7; Minor in 21M

Joyce is a recent graduate from Phoenix, Arizona, where she was deeply involved in the musical community through symphony, chamber ensembles, and statewide competitions. She has appeared as a piano concerto soloist with the Southern Arizona Symphony and attended several music camps on full scholarships as competition awards. She also traveled to Germany on tour with the Phoenix Youth Symphony and was named a 2014 YoungArts Winner on piano. During her time at MIT, Joyce was an Emerson Piano Scholar and member of the Chamber Music Society and MITSO. Although she now devotes her time to Alzheimer's research at Massachusetts General Hospital, she still seizes every opportunity to share her love for music. She's very grateful to continue her involvement with MIT music through Ribotones!

Katherine Young '18, (G)

Violin | Courses 6-3 and 21M

Katherine is an MEng student from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. As a child, she dreamed of playing the tuba but due to size incompability settled for the baritone. Over the years she has played in a variety of ensembles from jazz bands to pit orchestras to string quartets, and she is currently a violinist in the MIT Chamber Music Society. As an undergraduate, she studied under Lynn Chang as an Emerson Scholar and served as concertmaster of the MIT Symphony Orchestra and Pathos Ensemble. This is her fourth year with the MIT Ribotones, and she is thrilled to be able to share her love of classical music with the Boston community. In her free time, Katherine enjoys running, reading, and exploring!

Jennifer Lee '18, (G)

Cello | Courses 6-7 and 21M

Jennifer is an MEng student from Dublin, California. She has played in a number of ensembles, from the San Francisco Youth Orchestra to the MIT Chamber Music Society, and is thrilled to now be continuing her musical journey with the MIT Ribotones. In addition to music, Jennifer loves carbs in all shapes and forms, and will probably love you too if you give her some bread.

Stacie Lin '19

Violin | Courses 7 and 9

Stacie Lin currently studies under Lynn Chang as an Emerson Music Scholar at MIT. She began studying the violin at the age of three and for the past six years studied with Elliott Markow. She regularly gives orchestral performances as concertmaster of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra. Stacie has appeared as soloist with several orchestras and in spring of 2016 performed Ravel’s Tzigane with the MIT Symphony Orchestra as its youngest concerto competition winner. She has also played for a number of piano trios in the MIT Chamber Music Society, receiving coaching from Juilliard pianist David Deveau.

Valerie Peng, '17, (G)

Violin and Viola | Course 2

Valerie is a graduate student in mechanical engineering, who in a previous life performed violin as a soloist and in orchestras. Now, she primarily enjoys playing violin and viola in chamber music groups, and loves any opportunity to play music and share it with others.

Kyle Swanson '18, (G)

Flute and Piccolo | Courses 6-3 and 18

Kyle is an MEng student from Bronxville, New York, majoring in computer science and mathematics with a minor in music. Currently a flutist/piccoloist in the MIT Symphony Orchestra and the Emerson Program, Kyle has also enjoyed performing in the MIT Wind Ensemble and with various chamber music groups on campus. When not playing flute or piccolo, Kyle likes to dabble in alto and bass flute and has recently discovered the joys of playing the saxophone, having now performed on all members of the saxophone family. In his free time, Kyle enjoys long runs with the MIT Running Club.

Michelle Tan '20

Violin | Course 6-3

Michelle is a junior at MIT who is interested in Computer Science. She grew up in the Boston area her entire life and she loves watching the BSO and BPO. She is a former member of both the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras. Back in her hometown of Needham, she also loved playing in random gigs, pit orchestras, and community concerts. She is very excited for the opportunity to continue sharing her music with other people.


Other members (not pictured): Alex Ji (G), Daniel Yu '20 (Williams College), Geoffrey Mo (G), Hoon Cho (G), Joy Fan '20, Madeleine Jansson '19, Roger Levy (Professor), Sophia Fang '22, Stephanie Doong (G), John Napp (G), Julia Park '19 (Wellesley)



Contact

Please email ribotones-exec@mit.edu with any questions, comments, or concerns. We'd love to hear from you!