Great music ... nearby
January 26, 2024, 7:30 pm
Zoe O'Shaughnessy, harp
Zoe Lyn O’Shaughnessy is a harpist from Northwest Indiana who strives to evoke emotion and inspiration in audiences of all backgrounds. She is currently pursuing this passion at the University of North Texas (Denton, TX) as a fourth-year harp performance major, under the tutelage of Dr. Jaymee Haefner. At UNT, Zoe has received the opportunity to perform with other like-minded musicians from different backgrounds, inspiring her to share her own experiences through her music.
Zoe has performed with multiple ensembles at UNT, including the UNT Symphony and Concert Orchestras, and is a member of the UNT HarpBeats. She also has performed as principal harpist with the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra and was the harpist of the First Baptist Dallas orchestra. Through these experiences, her musicianship has evolved to include genres other than classical.
Through her experiences, she has been honored to be selected as a grand finalist at the Anne Adams Awards (2022) as well as the Lewisville Lake International Competition for Strings and Harp (2023). She has performed as a soloist with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra as a winner of their concerto competition.
Since a young age, Zoe has always held the belief that because someone is different, it does not mean that they are incapable. This has influenced her to create plans to make classical music more inclusive and accessible to those who have been historically left out.
In her free time, Zoe can be found getting a Starbucks with her friends as well as planning every second of her future, even though it will most likely change the next day.
Jocelyn Kasparek, viola
Jocelyn Kasparek, a violist originally from Boise, Idaho, is currently in her senior year as a viola performance major at the University of North Texas. She is the violist of the Avenue C String Quartet, which is a prestigious full scholarship position in UNT’s College of Music, where her quartet has performed in masterclasses with the internationally renowned Miró String Quartet, the Arianna String Quartet, and the Harrington String Quartet. The quartet also recently collaborated with pianist Malcom Liu, and that quintet made the finals of the George Papich Chamber Music Studies Competition. Jocelyn also has extensive pre-college chamber music experience— most notably, her previous quartet won first prize in the Idaho All-State Chamber Music Competition. Jocelyn hopes to continue to pursue professional chamber music along with orchestral and pedagogical work in her future career.
Di Cao, flute
Di Cao is a DMA student in Flute Performance at University of North Texas, where she studies with Mary Karen Clardy. Flutist in the Center Woodwind Quintet, the group recently performed as finalist in the 2023 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Competition, and Di performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Quintet on the DSO residency at College of Music. Awards and honors include the Indianapolis Matinee Musical Award Competition, and she was twice named a finalist of the prestigious New York Flute Club Competition, and feature as guest artist of Shanghai Sino-German Music Bridge Chamber Music Concert.
Born in Anhui, China, and raised in Shanghai. Di Cao began flute studies at age 12, studying with Principal flutist Yin Pang of Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and continuing study with Professor Meixiang Piao at Shanghai Conservatory Middle School. Di attended Manhattan School of Music for her Bachelor’s degree, studying with Chair of Woodwinds Linda Chesis, and Master of music degree at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music as a student of Thomas Robertello
An active proponent of both chamber and contemporary music, Di is a passionate performer with virtuosic technique and beautiful tone. Principal Flute in the UNT Concert Orchestra, Di performs under the baton of Maestro Clay Couturiaux. It’s a pleasure to be part of the Concert for Lewisville Chamber Series 2023-24.