The Harmony Program Welcomes Teaching Artist Fellows

Published On: June 30, 2025
The Harmony Program is excited to introduce our first cohort of Teaching Artist Fellows for the 2025-2026 year. This year-long Fellowship for emerging music educators offers up to 20 hours of professional development led by experts in the fields of music, performance, education, youth development, and psychology. Fellows will also have the chance to help teach our music classes and build their professional networks.
Adam Baksh-Garcia is a New York City-based musician and educator pursuing a master’s degree in Music Education at Lehman College. Specializing in Afro-Latin folkloric styles, he blends jazz and classical techniques in both performance and instruction. A magna cum laude graduate of Lehman and a Phi Beta Kappa honoree, Adam studied percussion with Victor Rendón and classical voice with Diana Mittler-Battipaglia.

As a performer, he has worked regularly with Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and played at renowned venues like Birdland Jazz Club and the Perelman Performing Arts Center.

In the classroom, Adam is committed to centering African and Indigenous musical traditions through anti-racist, culturally responsive pedagogy. He currently teaches with Third Street Music School and has served as a teaching artist with Belongó, The QStudio Lab, Bronx Community Chorus, and more.
Violist Kimberly “Kimbo” Love is a passionate advocate for community music and public access to arts education. A northern New Jersey native, Kimbo’s early musical experiences included performances with Crescendo Suzuki Studio, New Sussex Symphony, and Harmonium Choral Society, as well as in her local public schools.

She has performed under the baton of Jaime Laredo in the New York String Orchestra Seminar and took part in Carnegie Hall’s collaboration with the United Nations to promote global music education. A finalist in Oberlin Conservatory’s inaugural Bach Competition, Kimbo has studied with renowned violists including Kirsten Docter, Matthew Lipman, Lawrence Dutton, Caroline Coade, and Ayane Kozasa.

Inspired by her musical family, Kimbo fell in love with chamber music through playing alongside her parents and brother. She brings that same spirit of connection and joy to her work as a teaching artist, aiming to foster creativity, community, and passion in every student she teaches.
Laura Orzehoski is a New York City-based trombonist and bandleader currently pursuing her Master’s in jazz studies at Manhattan School of Music, where she studies with acclaimed trombonist Ryan Keberle. A Temple University alumna, Laura was a member of the Grammy-nominated Temple University Jazz Band under Terell Stafford and studied with Rob Edwards of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

She leads her own ensemble, The Laura Orzehoski Quintet, which has performed at top venues including Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Chris’ Jazz Café, and the MONTCO Jazz Fest. Laura’s musical voice is shaped by legends like Curtis Fuller, Mary Lou Williams, and Charlie Parker, and her performances are known for their powerful storytelling—both musical and spoken. She has shared the stage with jazz greats such as Melissa Aldana, Dick Oatts, Elio Villafranca, Terell Stafford, Stefon Harris, and Ingrid Jensen.
Sebastian Penso is a flutist and dedicated music educator currently pursuing a Master’s in flute performance at NYU, studying with Dr. Meghan Bennett. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in flute performance with a minor in business administration from Baylor University, where he studied under Dr. Charlotte Daniel.

Sebastian has performed extensively in both orchestral and wind ensemble settings, as well as in chamber groups such as woodwind quintets and flute quartets. He has participated in masterclasses with renowned flutists, including Marina Piccinini, Brandon Patrick George, and Emi Ferguson.

Passionate about music education, Sebastian has taught private lessons, led flute sectionals, and served as a substitute teaching artist with the Harmony Program. Now a Harmony Program Fellow, he is excited to continue inspiring young musicians and honing his teaching practice.
Carrington Symone is a passionate vocalist, scholar, and arts advocate who uses music as a tool for social justice and community engagement. A recent transplant to New York, Carrington is pursuing her Master of Music in Vocal Performance with a concentration in music theatre at NYU. She also serves as a bilingual elementary music teaching artist in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Carrington graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, where she studied Spanish and Politics with minors in African American Studies, Latin American Studies, and Music Theatre. Her immersive senior thesis earned her two prestigious awards: the Premio Ángel G. Loureiro and the Outstanding Contribution to Music Theatre Award.

Since arriving in NYC, Carrington has performed at venues including NYU Skirball, 54 Below, The Rat NYC, and The Green Room 42. As a 2025–2026 Harmony Program Teaching Artist Fellow, she looks forward to continuing to inspire young musicians while expanding her impact as an educator.
Flutist Brooke Walden is a passionate performer and educator whose artistry has been praised for its beauty and emotional depth. A winner of the Eastern Music Festival’s 2022 Concerto Competition, Brooke was lauded by the Classical Voice of North Carolina for her “lovely tone… rich steady vibrato and wide range of dynamics.”

Currently pursuing her master’s degree at The Juilliard School under Jeffrey Khaner, Brooke is also an active member of Juilliard’s Community Engagement Performance Roster and a Gluck Community Service Fellow, bringing music to diverse audiences across New York City.

As a dedicated teaching artist, Brooke serves as the Flute Fellow for Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, and she is a 2025–2026 Juilliard Morse and Harmony Program Teaching Artist Fellow. Inspired by her early training at Manhattan School of Music Pre-College and her undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music—where she graduated with Highest Distinction—Brooke is committed to nurturing the creativity and potential in every student she teaches.

Recent Posts